This has been a real fun project. I wanted to create a carving showing a Cowboy, who's stuck out in some Line Shack during a cold winter, doing what they surely must have considered the most important chore. I also wanted to try and create the look of pretty deep snow. I have done snow in the past but not this deep and I think it turned out looking pretty good.
I dressed him in my Carhartt jacket, detailed right down to the emblem on the front chest pocket. Unfortunately, the snow storm has pretty well covered it up. Oh well....guess that would have happened in realife. I added a little 1/8" wafer of paneling between the snow and the oak base to give it a revealing break. The snow base you see is a second-effort as the first looked too much like he was standing on a marshmellow. Even looking at it now it sort of looks like a cookie.
I had originally considered having the bandana tied around the hat with the brim pulled down over the ears. However, in trying that out on myself I found that this really gave no protection from the cold so I doubt if they would have done that. A bandana wrapped over the head and ears works good at keeping out the wind and cold.
I hope you enjoy looking this fella over as much as I did creating him. Lots of photos after the jump. Now let's let that wrangler get inside and stoke the stove!
Jay, as usual a very fine job! Looks like he might have been one of your neighbors in the recent cold spell you folks had around your place. He actually reminds of a cow puncher who brought chopped Aspen wood to my tent on a hunt in Colorado many years ago. Thanks for sharing your work with all of us.
ReplyDeleteYep, brain damaged as usual. Just finished a letter to a friend with the name of Jay, sorry Lynn, truly meant no disrespect to ya.
ReplyDeleteLynn, that is a great carving. I like everything about it. Including your willingness to share.
ReplyDeleteDo you carve the entire head using "old reliable"? I ask because I saw a thread at WCI forum and you stated that you do not use very many gouges or "v" tools.
Thanks,
Terry
Terry....If you look at the unfinished head you'll see the dished out areas where the eyes will be placed. That is the only area that I use something else other than Old Reliable. I just use a standard carving knife for that area as it has a curved edge vs. a straight one.
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