Patrick, Using Tupelo wood, it is alot softer than sugar pine. I am having trouble keeping this photos in proper order, but you get the idea of how things are coming along.
Gary, I love your step by step photos. You are very talented. I can't wait to see the finished product. Are you entering any contests this year?
Amazing job there Gary! I noticed the grain on the Tupelo wood is very coarse. Out of curiosity, would a finer grained wood give better results or is it tougher to carve?
You should see how long it takes him to complete a fish sculpture (inside joke with Gary) In his defense, he does own a business and does get side-tracked on other wood working projects.
Thanks everyone, Richard, Tupelo does have the gum lines that can be a pain, but for the most part it is the most popular carving wood. It carves easy and easy to wood burn. New Tyler, This bird was a class bird I carved last summer, it was Monday through Friday class and we did complete the carving during class....so about 40 hours into the carving. It will take another 30 + hours to do the painting and habitat. Jack is correct, I will post photos of the feather texturing and than wood burning soon. Gene, I am going to be interrupted on this painting as I have to finish another project for a show. Yuhina, Thank you, I am glad you are enjoying this I guess I will have to do a fish ...Huh Gene?
Well yeah, a fish would be great -- but of course you know, I'll have to needle you to complete it if you start slacking off Is there another show this year in Vancouver, WA?
So how's it look'n now? Those last photos showed something that looked like it could have shaken it's wings and flown right out of your hand...
Gary has this tendency to wonder off and work on other projects... he was showing a step by step for a fish sculpture on another site and it must have taken him a danged year to complete! I had to keep needling him to complete the thing...
Gene knows me.... I've been working on 2 other projects, one of them is a minature chukar I just finished. I will post it up later. Here is the last of the carving photos. It is ready for paint. I see at least 3 other projects ahead of the Goldfinch painting so it might be awhile.
