My Latest Santa

[Claude]

I have not posted much of any carvings lately as I have been carving duplicates of items I have already posted. Working is such a drag on creativity...

Anyway, here is my latest Santa. He is 9.25 inches tall, basswood, and painted with acrylic paints. I am showing progress photos from a block of wood fresh off the bandsaw as lot of the newer carvers may not have seen the process.

Here is the fresh off the bandsaw photos:


Claude

[Claude]

Re: My Latest Santa

Here I have started removing waste wood with a mallet and gouge. The piece was clamped to my workbench (lying down position) with an F clamp.

[Claude]

Re: My Latest Santa

In these two photos, you can see I switched to flatter gouges to get closer to the final shape. Still no detail anywhere - keep carving off wood all over until I get to the final shape.

[Claude]

Re: My Latest Santa

Carving is complete. The details have been carved, and the carving has been de-burred using my Dremel with diamond burrs and bristle disks. I forgot to take photos at this stage until just after I started painting the white on his stocking cap. The texture in his beard, mustache, and the fur trim was done using an inverted cone diamond burr in my Dremel.

[Claude]

Re: My Latest Santa

Final photos of the finished Santa.

Claude

[DanJohnson]

Re: My Latest Santa

He is well carved and finished. The animation in the pose gives the right amount of movement and I like the traditional Coca Cola advertising colors.

[Nancy-G]

Re: My Latest Santa

I like everything about him. I like details like the curved fingers on his extended right hand .... that\'s impressive

[Coffeeman]

Re: My Latest Santa

Claude, Very nice composition and well carved, I like it a lot, also do appreciate the step-by-step progress pictures so thanks for taking the time to show us those too. Bill

[joepaulbutler]

Re: My Latest Santa

Thanks for the tutorial Claude. You hit the carving & tutorial out of the ballpark. He is a Grinner for sure . . .JoeB

[Merle Rice]

Re: My Latest Santa

OMG, Claude, What a Great Carving, you really Nailed it. Merle

[Riverman]

Re: My Latest Santa

Wow, great tutorial and a fantastic Santa!
I like all the detail and movement!
Bob

[Cottonwood]

Re: My Latest Santa

I really like this one, Claude, esp. the hands. I wish I could carve hands the \"normal\" size and have them turn out this good.

[GregGerard]

Re: My Latest Santa

Great job, Claude! I had the same reaction when I saw that hand, WOW. Really well done and love the step by step photos.

[muknill15]

Re: My Latest Santa

great job on the Santa Claude, you can see the movement and i always like the tutorial. You can see where it was going from start to finish.

thanks
mike