Hawaiian owl

[Randy]

One day and one cut at a time Di. It is shaping up nice. I look forward to following along as you bring it to life.

[Merle Rice]

Hi Di, I see a lot of Wood Chips that are about to happen and that looks like a lot of Work ahead for you . Slow but sure will do just Fine . Still got my Interest . Merle

[DiLeon]

Another paper grinder wheel broke and I am going to shape it into a strop for various chisels. It's that black circle in the background. I am not getting another one, they soak up our humidity and are doomed to catastrophic failure.

I carve on top of foam walking matte shaped to the work table and then put a nonslip carving mat on top. In the back you can not see as the carving mat is on top of them, I have 2 by 2-inch backboards to brace owl against as I carve. I do not use fixed methods. Do the fact I am non-stop turning the wood around in various positions. I carve sitting down.

[DiLeon]

IMG_0165.jpgOwl is going slow, there are tons of measurement markings on the wood, this photo is showing the blocking out of the wood pieces and placement of things....all of what you see will be rounded out, rough out, shaped to a basic form. Right now he is in block form. He is so big it is hard to get a picture but you can see the sides. Remember that this owl will be hanging on the wall and his wingspan is 37 inches. Those wings will be at least 75 percent of the wood will be removed for the rough out. The cuts you see are just marking about placement.

I took a diamond hole bit and drilled in the front placement and view of the eyes....but this is just mark placement as the eyes are on the sides, I will continue to drill the hole bit down into the wood as I carve. This has been a tough piece learning what to use on this wood as far as to which chisels to use. My hands/shoulders/wrist is really messed up from arthritis and I have to use a slight tap on the mallet to get my chisels through the wood without stress on those joints. I can tell how many times I have taken this work and just stare at it for hours trying to figure out what next. I know what the end result I am moving forward but to get there is tons of decisions. I never made a bird before so the normal videos, photos, and more to get me to understand the basic structure.

Because I made a mistake in the placement of the wings. They are now an attachment. Wings and legs will be carved last due to breakage issues. And the very last carving will be the toes.

I work in parts. First is the drawing, second is the band sawing, third is the blocking out areas. Forth rough out work, and fifth shaping to final shape, and then the last massive detail. All that you see in is just the blocking out. I am getting ready to rough out areas which means removing about 65 percent of the wood or more that you see in order to form it. I do love carving this wood, it chisels very nice, and is very workable. The wood has a beautiful whitest coloring and wood grain that appears to be almost curly.

[yolli]

please...let me also follow your carving in beeing....

[Glenn Jennings]

Hi Di
A fire in the workshop with all those bone dry super thin wood shavings just waiting to burst into a pyrotechic display of truly epic proportions. TO BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS HEHEHEHE!!!! Um could I perhaps suggest a GOOD fire extinguisher just in case like!! hehehe Sure all will be just fine. The creative juices will flow and all will turn out good.

I see now where you are with the design of the piece and that should work just fine with the depth you have. no problem.

Organised and disorganised chaos is the theme of many workshops mine included but tending more toward the disorganised.

So having got all of our interest we are now waiting for the next update with bated breath, a good comfy chair, snacks and a six pack.

No pressure here or anything hehehehe. Happy carving !!

[Randy]

Your on your way to another great carving Di. Like Merle said it is fun to follow you progress.

[DiLeon]

Hi Di, I can not and do not believe that you do not know what your doing . I have my Chair set to follow along with you and Enjoy the Trip, Please show your Progress , I'm sure we all will enjoy the Ride . Oh! if you get stuck just let me know . Now that was a Joke , Ha,Ha. Watching with Great Interest . Merle

Believe me I will do that when I get stuck....LOL you guys always have great suggestions to help me.

[DiLeon]

Right now I am digging in the shop for the bandsaw cut off....can not find them. Did I throw them away??...hope not...I may need them for add ons? I am recording the state of chaos...which is always there in my work when I am in the nonstop...what is the next step mode??. People think it is easy for us artists to work...it is not. This is where beginners stop and do not come back instead...of pushing on into outer space for answers. Di...running around in circles fretting is part of the game.

[Merle Rice]

Hi Di, I can not and do not believe that you do not know what your doing . I have my Chair set to follow along with you and Enjoy the Trip, Please show your Progress , I'm sure we all will enjoy the Ride . Oh! if you get stuck just let me know . Now that was a Joke , Ha,Ha. Watching with Great Interest . Merle

[DiLeon]

Hi Di
I can't see the depth of the piece and you will need a lot of depth to get them coming into land pose. What does the side profile look like ??

This will hang on the wall much like a relief carving (sort off)......I can not do a full owl and hang an owl on the wall. It is too heavy using hardwood. Major depth means heavy...also I can not lean him major off the wall as I want again weight with pull issues on hardware. The block is 3 1/2 inches deep leaving room for carving.

I did not show the block sides, there is nothing to see... they are just lines at this point looks like a chunk of square wood nothing is rounded out...so I threw it in the grass which is at least two inches, and took a picture as normally I do not show my work until it is the finished rough out stage...which it is not there at all. Right now I am still figuring out how to do that? The picture is carved a little just for measurement and placements....all that will be carved out as I start to shape. Right now I had to correct a lot of mistakes...owls body is not straight a little sideways...also the wings are too low on the body< the wings have to be moved up... and measurements have to be corrected which some had to be erased and redone more than once. Also, owls knees bend backward not forward like humans...another mistake in the plan. Most of today will be about measurements, remeasurements, and corrections.

Cleaning and testing out what is the best tools to use on this wood. Everything has been in storage for the last two years. Some chisels need some clean-up work. Blow out the Foredom motors etc. Pray nothing else catches on fire...LOL Also, I am going to have to make a clear pattern which I am hoping will not be too hard to make. A clear pattern so that I can lay it on top of the owl and see what is off as I work. Plus not too happy with the shop working area needs to move things around to work better. We are in the start-up phase still. Also, I am thinking I need to stop and draw things out better...yuk!!!,...and do a fast painting of his head to plaster the design into my brain in order to make this easier?

Lots of pondering and redoing...the process of creation...I have no idea what the heck I am doing!!!...all I ever do is show up and keep going at this stage of the game. Somehow it works out, why??.... I never know in that it just does,....LOL

This is the image I am going for...somewhat ....to try to make and put on the wall. I love his coloring which has black and white and wood color (same as my wood}....should make a good-looking work...hopefully. We will see if it ends up in the trash can??? LOL

dept-pueo-cover (1).jpg

[Glenn Jennings]

Hi Di
I can't see the depth of the piece and you will need a lot of depth to get the coming into land pose with the legs and head forward. What does the side profile look like ??

[DiLeon]

Owl is blocked out but notice mistake all ready but can be carved out. I have been marking all sides with measurements and lines. Plus noted think I am going to do some drawings on this one....which takes time but is much needed. I can although start the rough out part. The photo is the block shape of the owl and some of the markings ...all of this will be carved away. I used a gel pin to mark my lines. This will be a wall hanging. Still have no idea about the legs but they will be folded in for the flight. Figure if I screw them up I can cut them off and do an add-on. Owl is full size 37.5 inches wingspan.

IMG_0152.jpg

[DiLeon]

eyes-great-horned-owl-intense.jpg.jpgI have decided that the eyes are the most important and first thing you will look at. I am going to make the eyes using a process various youtube videos on how to make your own glass-like eyes using UV resin for jewelry. Since I have never done this before it will be interesting how many I have to make before I get the eyes like this. Materials are ordered and should come in soon. I could buy glass eyes but they do not fit the owl, which is in the process of being carved right now.....and doing major research to decide form...not easy at this point. But we always figure that out.

[NoDNA]

Got it on the anatomy for owl wings....it kept coming up....so figure they knew what they were talking about????

Yeah , nowadays this is just a bit over my paygrade.
Cheers.