Saturday, October 31, 2015

new Santa ornament

Well I haven't posted much lately so while I am at the computer I will share my latest carving. This was carved last night and the main tool was one of my Helvie signature knives, actually my Wayne Shinlever knife. You know how it is your favorite carving tool is the newest one added to your arsenal.

I was not feeling great last night so don't know if I was testing my skills or just being lazy but the main bulk of this carving was done with one knife. Usually I am utilizing my gouges and other tools during the process but not last night. This was a good time carving as it made me look at certain lines in a new light. When you use a gouge it can be easy to fall into the same old same old of making a quick cut and moving on to the next cut. But those same lines carved with a knife you pay more attention to the depth and angle of the cut.

You may have noticed that I didn't carve any detail into the beard area and I am not sure if I will. This was kind of done in a flat plane style (somewhat) and when this is done the beard doesn't have cut to highlight it. Sometimes it is left with the simple shape and basic color sometimes it can be painted and then the carver comes back and highlights areas with a faint line painted on the edges. The verdict is out as of late on how I will proceed, probably won't make the decision until late this morning or worse case after the Nebraska game. Yeah not a great year for my Cornhuskers but it is part of my heritage so always a fan no matter how the season goes. But whatever I decide (about the carving) I will share more in the next few days.


as always, 
Good night and may God bless

Monday, October 5, 2015

new carving

                          

This is my latest carving, it has been a long while since I have carved a full body carving. I will look to work in a few more of there within the next few weeks as I also carve a few more ornaments for the Christmas season. I may even take this guy and turn him into a Santa carving, who knows.

At least today and beyond for the foreseeable future we will have some sunshine so I will carve out a few roughouts for future use. I will need to check my stock of wood and see what I may need.


Even though we have sunshine the folks down in North and South Carolina don't and even for those that may there will be much to be done for them and their communities, especially South Carolina. Many may know that the storm that came through has caused major damage to South Carolina all throughout the state. Many are without power many are even without tap water. We have many carving friends down in the Carolina's will you please keep them in our thoughts and our prayers in the coming weeks.
as always 
"Good night and May God bless"