Hey guys, found this great distorted piece of wood in the woods in Taos. Not even sure what kind of wood it is, but the grain is wonderful. Still a way to go, but struggling with her face. Had to carve with the shape of the wood as there are many weathered imperfections, so it has been kind of like relief carving. Not my strong suit. Open to any thoughts on shaping or softening her face. 

That's gorgeous! At least to my untrained eye. You made nature's beauty even more beautiful.

Can’t offer anything except to say I think it’s fantastic 

To my eyes it really looks fantastic.

Beautiful Kevin.  As to your request for suggestions, seems like @Smallpatch has also discussed the issue with doing faces. 

You're way above my pay grade Kevin. That said, I like your current interpretation. Nicely done sir.

Kevin, Cal suggested I might be having trouble when it comes to faces but that's only one of a few hundred problems that drives me nuts.

 

I was trying to solve some of my problems so we use to go often to the half priced book stores in FT Worth and stocked up on drawing faces made easy types of books. Nothing helped.  I should have added a picture of what I was trying to match. I have them both on the fire place and nothing is the same except their heights...

 

  This was far from what she looked like from the one I was trying to match. All my other carvings that includes faces are stacked way back there so they would be impossible to find but I have never stopped thinking why can't I make faces ......

 I will say you have a much better start at it than me.  I changed over from regular wood working to carving and I liked it so much that I told maw I would never do something using flat wood ever again!!!  And I can actually see great improvements since 2016 when I started this conquest.

  One way that helps me is ever so often I take a picture of what I did that day then come in and bring it up on the computer and this helps me find the flaws and things I need to change or add for improvement.

  What you did was right so far according to the picture except the distance between the nose and the mouth is too wide but hey if you hide the picture, there are lots of ladies that look like your girl.. And you captured her sad look perfectly....so hey, maybe in another fifteen or twenty years I can be up to your standards of quality you put in your faces.

  Smallpatch

Jess Littlefield

 

All the things I have made since 2016 has included the use of my scroll saw.

Edited January 16, 20233 yr by Smallpatch

@Smallpatch& @KW_Woodcarving...I'm no expert in carving or anything for that matter. Having said that both of you are far above my pay grade especially when it comes to carving. I understand your quest for perfection however in my opinion the interpretation by the artist (and you both are certainly artists) is far more interesting than a perfect face. Personally,  I'm more appreciative and taken with what you've done That's my .02 including tax and tip.

Do we have to split the 2 cents or fight over all of it..

 

By the way Kevin if you happen to be looking for some types of driftwoods, we live on a lake and I been saving all this type of wood thats been floating by for the last 22 years for I been gonna use it for that long on some sort of statues and things.  It's still piled up on my drive way and wife says its in the way!!!!!! use it , loose it or give it away... The outsides are all bleached white from the sun so I don't know what is laying there. 5 different oaks, mesquite or pecan is mostly around the lake but I doubt if there is any soft woods involved...

  I also this last summer cut down 2 very large oaks that was getting in to my sewer system and there are about 10, 6 to 8 foot pieces of white oak for somebody...I live on Hubbard Creek Lake west of Breckenridge,Tex. This would save lots of miles if you was to go all the way to Taos for more wood.. It would take a tandem axle open type trailer to load them on and I got a kubota to help load them.

 

The oak logs are over by the neighbors house

2 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Do we have to split the 2 cents or fight over all of it..

 well Patch, I'll leave it up to the two of you. Wouldn't want to throw you into a higher tax bracket with a big windfall like that.

@Smallpatch, that stuff is pretty nice. With your Dremel, they could be some beautiful pieces of sculpture. Might take a while, though. 

 

16 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

I'm no expert in carving or anything for that matter. Having said that both of you are far above my pay grade especially when it comes to carving. I understand your quest for perfection however in my opinion the interpretation by the artist (and you both are certainly artists) is far more interesting than a perfect face. Personally,  I'm more appreciative and taken with what you've done That's my .02 including tax and tip.

Took the words right out of my mouth, I love artists interpretation. @KW_Woodcarving style has a bit of native in it with the non proportioned facial features, which I like a lot, Jess's style has a bit of religion in it like the icon figurines of the past with the soft lines, each have their own style and I'm enjoying what KW is putting out on here for us and I've always enjoyed Jess's creations.

If I added my opinion on how to execute something on the carvings, I'm not sure how that would look.

 

KW, you asked how possibly to soften the face on your carving, like I said I love it as is, but if you wanted to soften the lines, if you are not adverse to using sand paper, I'd swipe at the hard lines you'd like to see softened with sand paper. Also, because of the course grain type of the wood you are using, the appearance of a hardened face could be caused by the grain.

 

Who is the young lady in the photo behind your carving, and I am assuming you are using her for inspiration?

21 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Kevin, Cal suggested I might be having trouble when it comes to faces but that's only one of a few hundred problems that drives me nuts.

 

I was trying to solve some of my problems so we use to go often to the half priced book stores in FT Worth and stocked up on drawing faces made easy types of books. Nothing helped.  I should have added a picture of what I was trying to match. I have them both on the fire place and nothing is the same except their heights...

 

  This was far from what she looked like from the one I was trying to match. All my other carvings that includes faces are stacked way back there so they would be impossible to find but I have never stopped thinking why can't I make faces ......

 I will say you have a much better start at it than me.  I changed over from regular wood working to carving and I liked it so much that I told maw I would never do something using flat wood ever again!!!  And I can actually see great improvements since 2016 when I started this conquest.

  One way that helps me is ever so often I take a picture of what I did that day then come in and bring it up on the computer and this helps me find the flaws and things I need to change or add for improvement.

  What you did was right so far according to the picture except the distance between the nose and the mouth is too wide but hey if you hide the picture, there are lots of ladies that look like your girl.. And you captured her sad look perfectly....so hey, maybe in another fifteen or twenty years I can be up to your standards of quality you put in your faces.

  Smallpatch

Jess Littlefield

 

All the things I have made since 2016 has included the use of my scroll saw.

Small, that’s a good point. I’ve bought many face books. I can’t draw to save my life so I rough sketch a face in advance but then try to align with a photo. I see my faces improving over time but still needing work. 

15 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Do we have to split the 2 cents or fight over all of it..

 

By the way Kevin if you happen to be looking for some types of driftwoods, we live on a lake and I been saving all this type of wood thats been floating by for the last 22 years for I been gonna use it for that long on some sort of statues and things.  It's still piled up on my drive way and wife says its in the way!!!!!! use it , loose it or give it away... The outsides are all bleached white from the sun so I don't know what is laying there. 5 different oaks, mesquite or pecan is mostly around the lake but I doubt if there is any soft woods involved...

  I also this last summer cut down 2 very large oaks that was getting in to my sewer system and there are about 10, 6 to 8 foot pieces of white oak for somebody...I live on Hubbard Creek Lake west of Breckenridge,Tex. This would save lots of miles if you was to go all the way to Taos for more wood.. It would take a tandem axle open type trailer to load them on and I got a kubota to help load them.

 

The oak logs are over by the neighbors house

Oooooohhhh. Great pieces of driftwood! I am just west of FTW near Eagle Mountain Lake. If you need them gone, I’m happy to help. 

Kevin if you want all or part of what we have let me know when you want to come. Maybe if you wait till it warms up a little, cost is zero. I pulled the big oaks down the hill with the Kubota but it won't lift them very high without cutting them up.......If you happen to have a chain saw with a cutting reach of 24" or more otherwise we might have to push them up a strong ramp which I don't have..

  I have more drift wood  in the water. Been there since 1949 when the dam was completed that are loose if you want more. Send me a private message and I'll tell you how to get here.I would have already offered this stuff to these other guys but with them all living probably too far to even think about coming and getting them.

10 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Kevin if you want all or part of what we have let me know when you want to come. Maybe if you wait till it warms up a little, cost is zero.

 

IMHO Kevin, that's a deal at twice the price Good on you Jess!