This is a brief introduction to "Carving a Face."
This five episode lesson teaches how to carve a realistic face in deep relief by focusing on one complete element per episode. Faces are complex, so study the expression you are trying to achieve in detail before starting. It is surprising how much the shape of one element affects all the rest.
- Lesson Contents: 5 episodes; template, tool list, and photo in Episode 1
- Type of Wood: Basswood
- Size: 8-1/4"w x 10-1/2"h x 3"d
- Tool List: 4mm v-chisel; 6mm v-chisel; #3, 3mm; #3, 6mm; #3, 14mm; #4, 14mm; #5, 14mm; #7, 6mm; #7, 8mm; #7, 10mm; #7, 14mm; #8, 6mm; #11, 3mm
- Skill Level: Advanced
= More Lessons at the Advanced Skill Level =
Mary, did you use basically the #14 single bevel flat fishtail chisel on this project – “Carving a Face”? You make it look so easy in reducing the amount of wood.
Hi Ralph,
I used the #7, 14mm for most of the roughing out. A flat chisel would most likely dig in too much at that point in the carving, and probably wouldn’t remove the amount of wood I need.
Mary, if you were going to do a full head, which would require thicker block of wood, would you glue up some wood to make the thickness? Glue seams left to right and NOT front to back? (or boards one behind the other, rather than side by side?)
a full block would be more difficult to get I would think.
Hello Timothy,
I would recommend getting this as one block of wood if you can. The difficulty with gluing up pieces of wood is that the grain may change where they are glued together which could potentially cause some difficulty. If you do need to glue boards, I would recommend boards one behind the other. There will be less possibility of odd colors appearing. Check out http://www.wilcoxcarvingwood.com to see if they can cut a special size piece of basswood.
Good luck!
This is one part of carving that I have the hardest time with. I have screwed up so many pieces. Maybe it’s me trying to make something simple real complicated. I’m taking in every bit of these free lessons and watching them over and over again.
I’m so glad you are enjoying these! The full-length lessons go through each and every detail of carving.
Mary,
If I buy a lesson on carving a face, may I see it multiple times?
Thanks.
Ron Goldenson
Yes, you can download it and own the video.
The hard part is watching when all I want to do is pick up a gouge
🙂
Maybe watch one episode, carve up to that point. Then watch the next episode, etc.
The difficult part is with the very long lessons. Sometimes it’s good to watch everything all the way through so you know where the “goal” is from an overall perspective. Then go more to focusing on the particular details with each episode.