Carving a Cowboy's Horse - Part 2 - Carving The Hoofs

In this one we use the two cutoffs to practice carving a hoof.  Better to make our mistakes on these pieces than on the larger blank.   While the hoofs are the most difficult part of this project, remember you have to carve 4 of them, I think you’ll find that they are really pretty easy to do.   

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I apologize for the long gaps between videos but it’s fall and there are are a ton of leaves to rake and that Dayton show is just a couple weeks away. 

Those Were Shining Times

I really like this old timer.  The paint really sets him off and just looking at him gives you a feeling of the good times during the height of the fur trapping period of our history.   The shirt beading is from a Sioux war shirt design and the little front possibles pouch is just something I made up.  The painting and shadows of the hair and beard gives a lot of flow and rhythm to the piece and the big floppy hat frames the piece just right.  Am I bragging?  Sure!  Why not!
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I hope you like him too and there are more photos in the Gallery.  As always, your comments are welcome and appreciated.

Carving A Cowboy’s Horse –The Video Series - Part 1 – Laying Out The Body

A number of you have ask that we do a Cowboy’s Horse so here we go.  This will probably be a pretty long series of videos stretched over a pretty long period so if you want to follow along you’ll have to have some patience.  The pattern for this horse is in the associated Gallery album.

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This first video will show you how to lay out the body and cut out the first blank.  By clicking on “Horses” over on the right hand list will allow you to see the photographic series I did earlier.  Lots of material there. 

Like before, let me know what you think so I can tune the series to meet your needs.   Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Shining Times

This one just sort of happened.  I needed something to do at the weekly Tuesday carving meeting so I made a quick run through some new photos laying next to my carving station and there he was.  He looks kind of plain at the moment but just wait till the beading starts appearing!  Not sure just what will be on his neck bag, probably some sort of Native American design.  He's also a little over sized standing at around 12" with the sycamore base.   It ought to be a really colorful figure.
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My good friend Bob from Indiana will be coming down Monday for a couple days of carving.  This will be a test run to see someone can put up with me and I with them for several days of solid carving.  If it works out I'll give some more thought to that old Carving College idea of some time back.  
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Anyway, this will probably be the last piece I can get finished before the Dayton show unless I get real enthused about something else.  I've been carving so much lately my chest is bruised!  And to add to that I super-glued my fingers together a while ago and had to cut them apart!  OUCH!


Hope you like him and there are more photos in the Gallery.  Comments welcome as always. 

Billy Yellow Horse

Finally getting around to clearing a few things off the carving table.....Billy Yellow Horse being one of them.  I've done several similar figures of this pose in the past but this one is still different than all of those.  There are several more photos in the gallery and your comments are appreciated as always.

A New Part In His Hair!

I really like the way this Trooper turned out.  I think he's a "Classic" in that he reflects my best work in carving, painting and humor.  I'd also say originality but I'm sure there have been many other similar carvings with arrows through the hat so I'll pass that one by even though I think this guy is pretty original.
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I used some epoxy to run a few beads of sweat down his forehead and if you look at the gallery photos you can see that detail a little clearer.  I did make one mistake though...........the buckle should be square with an embossed Eagle design vs. the USA one I used.  However, as I did this one setting downtown demonstrating carving at a local festival I didn't have my research material handy so I hope you'll give me a pass.
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He stands about 10" tall with the base which is made from two pieces of   Sycamore.  One more thing.....the hat was made from that first Gabby Hayes blank I cut out.  Thanks Gabby!
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I hope you like him and as always your comments are welcomed and appreciated.

We're Back!

In case you're wondering about the lack of posts or responses to comments it's because we've been up in Yellowstone and the surrounding areas for the past two weeks.  Give us a couple of days to unpack and complete some catch-up chores around the homeplace and we'll be back in the carving business.