TV having an influence

I was watching the Pittsburgh Pirates with my wife the other night, as we rarely get to see them on TV. I had decided to carve but had no plan in mind. This is how a lot of my carvings come to be. I get everything all set up all my knives out on the table, my gouges in the tool holder next to my chair, carving apron on. I store some butternut next to my chair in a container where once set up. I lay out a few and pick the one that will hopefully by the end of the night transform into a carving. Well this night I had no actual thought of what to carve and then staring at the telly watching the game I thought why not, this would be something different, and so I began.

 A pirate carved with the exception of a patch, watching the game and seeing the logo for the pirates and I didn't carve him a patch. I was trying to carve the actual logo but how did I forget that most pirates I know (not that I know many) wear and eye patch, but hey no stereo typing here. I don't know about the other carvers but many times I will look at a carving when he's done and pick him apart on what I could have/should have done, yet done he was.

Yet as most know my carvings aren't done till they are painted up. Lately I have changed the technique I use with painting and now the colors aren't as strong and the wood grain shows through even more than in the past. So here is my pirate, painted and awaiting a finish. This I have changed as well and it seems to give it a more natural look as before there was a bit of a shine to the carvings. The verdict is still out which I will use for my ornaments.

as always, 
"Good night and May God bless"