Carving A Moonshiner

  After cutting out the blanks on a band saw I begin chipping and cutting away at the figure until I find a moonshiner.  Here are a few pics of the beginning steps.

After carving out the figure I add the arms and then mount to a base.  The base is made from a slice of a maple branch.  

Painting 

Buffalo Plaid Pattern 

Linseed Oil Finish

Moonshiners

As you saw above I am currently carving a series of small characters called Moonshiners.  I plan to arrange some of the characters into small scenes.  Here is a sample of a carving I did on a slightly larger scale.   This caricature is larger than the moonshiner figures above.  I created this carving for a good friend of mine who owns a whiskey distillery in our area.  If you look closely at the jug you may get a clue as to where this whiskey distillery is located. 

Song Birds

                                                            Black Capped Chickadee

Yellow Throat Warbler

                                                                     Tree Swallow

Feather Patterns and Flow Lines

In this picture you can see where I have penciled in the feather flow lines. This helps give the carving a more natual look when the feathers are carved in.

The Snow Owl Before Painting

This is where the fun begins. Every time I add paint to a piece it really begins to come alive. I have to be careful not to add too much paint, it is a series of many light washes. I will go into more detail on my painting post.

More Pics of the Snow Owl

Sanding down the shaft before painting with clear varnish.

Adding in details on the feather edges with a mix of raw umber and burnt sienna acrylics.

I used resin here to simulate ice dripping from a branch. The snow is made from rsin and cotton fibers. The trick is to get it where you want before the resin sets up.

I found the branch that the owl is mounted on while I was trout fishing in Owego, NY. I often find some really interesting pieces of wood along the stream.