[doris]

this time i decided to carve with a life-model, and the only one i have always available is myself, hence the selfportrait... my goal was to put all the good general advice i have got from you for my lady with french braid into work, and see where it brings me. Even though she not really looks like me, i am overall satisfied. however, there are some points i want try improve on next carving... if you are interested in seeing a few steps of the carving process, and a foto of me to compare, i invite you to look this on my homepage.

the size is 15x22x6,5cm.

hi ron. the carving i show is a high relief carving of a female bust in front view on a flat board. the woman has long thick hair, which curls a little over her shoulders, and which i carved with many cuts with a small u-gouge. this makes the head stand up from the flat background. she shows a little smile, and has a happy look.

[tnartist05]

Very nice & great depth in your self portrait!! Plus your other art work,stone carvings & paintings are nice as well! Keep up the good carvings!

TnArtist

[HadACall55]

WOW that looks nice very good job .

[Irishman]

Good likeness Doris. I on occasion look into the mirror when doing my carvings. Please don't get the idea that my carvings look like me....at least I don't think they do. I recently recarved a female I had sitting on the shelf. I initially carved her as a practice peice as the wood was just a birch log I had laying around. Here are the before and after pics. You'll note that I removed a substantial amount of wood from her the second time I carved her. As well, I changed the approach to the eyes.
That's what's neat about wood. You can constantly change your results when ever you want.
Do you plan to treat the wood with anything?
Patrick

[doris]

thank you :-) ... patrick, you amaze me with your recarving your carvings. i like the newer face, and see the benefit of doing such. to me, i like explore new things all time, only i try to improve what the last time not went as i wanted. also, i like look later and see the way i went already, so to say, and i would loose that if i recarve an older piece ... as to treating the wood. i really dont know ! for one, i love natural wood, and the light color of linden suits the subject. on the otherhand, i know the wood is not protected this way, and will get dirty probably soon. i have waxed several of my carvings, but i dont like the feel of touch then, and oiling brings up the grain too much, i don want this on portrait carvings either... so, you see, is untreated since i not know how do that it is the way i like...

[wood-whittler]

doris,

i like the self porttrait. how do you plan on finishing it paint,stain, or what?

bart