carving updates

In the last few days I have been busy, I carved the two unpainted Santas and I have begun the painting process of my shelf tree elf, of course everyone has already read about him on my previous post.


I still need to decorate the tree and may paint a design on the maroon portion of his cap to make it more decorative and to give the look of a tree shirt. Overall I like the way he is looking and am happy with how the paint highlights his beard. I had read that this wood was hard to paint as the grain would let the colors bleed so I put a protective coat on before I began the painting process. No issues with the paint thus far.

I have also sketched in how I will consider painting the eyes on the ornaments to complete the expression of each. None of this is final since it was done in pencil so changes may occur once I actually begin to paint. I only have one ornament that I am unsure if the placement of the pupil is how I will paint him in the end.

as always happy trails  

and

Carpe diem 4 carving  

shelf tree elf

Well this weekend I had the opportunity to do a few things and among them was to carve my shelf tree elf. He is carved from butternut wood. I like the look of this wood on a whole but for most carvings I am not as fond of this as I am bass wood. For this carving though it does seem to work well with the overall carving. I didn't go to in depth with detailing the whiskers on the face, I tried to let the carving and the wood grain work together for this area of the carving. I am debating on whether I will paint him or leave it the way it is yet am leaning towards painting watered down colors so that the wood grain is still highlighted. I do think a bit of color on the tree and face will work as long as I do it discreetly.

as always happy trails

and

Carpe diem 4 carving 
 
 

tree elf carving pt II number two

Yes I have completed another tree elf carving and I have to say I am really happy with this one and his expression. I am honing my skills at working out the expression in the beginning stages of the carving process. This works well and if you don't like the way it is coming out as long as you have been tempered in how deep you carve you can always adjust and modify your carving.

This is something everyone who learns from videos needs to work at. So many carvers carve exactly as the teacher taught so in the long run it is never really their carving. Lately I am changing the way I carve different areas of the face as well. I do this so I am no longer relying on my memory of doing each step taught from this or that instructor. I want to learn the technique but not process and/or design. I want the carvings to be mine even if they start from a preset pattern from an instructor. I have begun to play around with those as well so that they have slowly become my pattern.

In the end it was a good evening of carving. When I have the carving already roughed out I can usually get an ornament done in one sitting. This keeps me from having any late night snacks as well so hey one could say that carving is a healthy choice for me.

Some have inquired since it is not even Thanksgiving about the background of my photos and yes it is true. Our tree is up! Tradition in our house is the week before Thanksgiving we put the tree up and add white lights. Then the weekend after Thanksgiving we put colored lights and ornaments. I like to get the tree up without anything being said to my boys about what day I will do this. this way they come home from school and there it is. I didn't get to this year but usually I have a remote control with me and as they walk in the house I hit the clicker and the tree lights up. Just part of the fun of the holidays. And of course since I have an abundance of ornaments (cause I keep ones that I really like) I always have an ornament ready to be placed on the tree.

 

as always happy trails

and

Carpe diem 4 carving

 

& family holiday traditions

Tree elf carving

Well I got wonderful feedback from everyone about the tree elf carved for the Governors mansion's Christmas tree this year so I have carved another one. He will probably be placed in my Etsy shop before all is said and done. This one I carved the tree branches with softer curves and I like the effect it gives to the tree over all.

 

From the response I will carve a couple of these as I have a few people who want one, that makes my carving even more enjoyable and fun. As everyone who knows me knows I never try to carve the same carving twice but since I love carving faces this will give me the opportunity to play around with expressions and features to make each one unique. As we look to the holidays I have to say beyond my family this gift of carving is what I am thankful for this holiday. 

 

as always happy trails

and

Carpe diem 4 carving

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving

 

 

speacial ornament for Virginia

Well the other day I forgot I had carved one other carving that I recently carved but forgot to show him. He is one of my smaller versions of an ornament and will need to be painted soon.

I also just finished a carving right under the wire for when it is due to be delivered. It is a carving for the 100th anniversary of the Virginia Department of Forestry celebration. This year the Governor's Mansion's Christmas tree will feature forestry in the Commonwealth. Wood carvers are donating hand carved ornaments for the tree and I have carved one for the occasion. Here is my forestry elf ready to celebrate Christmas at the Governor's Mansion. At the end of the season he won't come home to me, instead he will go to his new home at the Va. Dept. of Forestry headquarters where hopefully he will come out every Christmas to be placed upon their tree.

You may have noticed that pieces of the forestry logo have been incorporated into the carving, such as the trees on either side of the elf's cap. I also tried my best to match up with the colors of the logo for the forestry department. 

In case you’d like to see the Christmas decorations…

Open House on December 5th – 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Grand Illumination. (There will be two choirs singing.)

Open House on December 14 – Noon to 5 p.m. (again, music is likely) Court Side Christmas. This is an event that the Mansion participates in with other historic sites downtown and is sponsored by the Richmond History Center. There is a hop-on shuttle that takes visitors to all the different venues, but you can go only to the Mansion if you prefer.

 

Regular tours: Mansion closed Mondays.   Tuesdays (Dec. 9, 16), Wednesdays (Dec. 10, 17) and Thursdays (Dec. 11, 18):  10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For the holidays, the Mansion will also offer tours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 12 and Dec. 19.  (These will be more of a “walk-through” rather than a formal guided tour.)

 as always happy trails

and

Carpe diem 4 carving

 



dusting off the cob webs by doodling

 Well I haven't carved lately, about the only thing I have done is two whittle doodles. Just trying to dust off some of the cob webs since some time has passed since my last carvings. I have a few projects that I need to get started on so hopefully in the not so distant future I will have a few more to post. I also will be adding a carving or two to my Etsy shop in the not so distant future. During my break from carving I painted a closet in the breezeway of our house so it is not like I haven't been productive just not carving productive.

as always happy trails

and

Carpe diem 4 carving