Bottle Toppers - The General and The Grunt!

 Here are a couple of Bottle Toppers including the one that was featured in the last video project.  Hope you like them. 

WW2 Soldier - Part 8 - Painting The Head

WW2 Soldier Part 7 -Painting the Figure

WW2 Soldier Part 6 - Painting The Figure

WW2 Soldier - Part 5 - Finishing up the Head

Pistol Pete

Here's Pistol Pete, the Oklahoma State University Cowboys mascot!  While he doesn't look much like the actual historical figure he does instill a small amount of fear in the opposing team. Go Pokes!

Making a Bottle Cutter

Several of you ask about the old Bottle Cutter post I did back a year or so ago so here it is on video with all the info you need to build your own.  As I used just scrap wood laying around the shop the only real expense was the purchase of the glass cutter.   Can’t remember how much I paid for that but it wasn’t much.  I’ve been using mine for over a year and have never had a rejected top.
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So tell the wife you need some BEER cause you’ve got some bottles to cut!

Whiskey Jim Paints the Town!

From the color of that nose it looks like old Whiskey has been sipping a little to much of his samples. Either that or he's hit every saloon in town.

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I'm going to have to do a full figure of this fella. Give him some plaid pants, some mule-eared boots and a long tailed coat and he'd look pretty spiffy.

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More photos in the Gallery and your comments are always appreciated.

Whiskey Jim

I got a call last night from one of my best collectors who said that even though funds were tight he sure wanted a new carving. As I had a head already in the works and laying on the carving table waiting for Pancho to leave the scene I told him I had just what he was looking for.

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This shifty character out to be pretty neat once he's painted up. With his beaded hatband and that turkey feather you just know he's been selling some of his rot-gut to the unsuspecting natives. I remember a scene in the movie Little Big Man when Dustin Hoffman's character, Jack Crabb, had hooked up with a shady medicine show huckster and just before they were tarred, feathered, and rode out of town on a rail someone kicked their whiskey barrel over and out poured snake heads, rusty horseshoes, and God only knows what else, mixed in with that rancid mixture. No doubt this fella uses the same recipe.

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If you haven't seen that movie you don't know what your missing. Chief Dan George who plays Old Lodge Skins steals the show but there are lots of other really classic characters. I had read the book prior to seeing the movie and like Lonesome Dove it was one show that actually measured up to the printed version.

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Anyway, stay tuned to see this reprobate if his true colors. Comments welcome as always.

Pancho Bottle Stopper – Part 7

With this post we’ll finish up the head.

Tomorrow is the Big Day!!

Don't forget!! The Out West Challenge starts at tomorrow. Take a moment and read over the rules once more. Hopefully, they're clear but if you have a question just let me know. As I stated in the rules we'll be carving a "Bust" and this will be considered as anything above the knees. It could be a Bottle Stopper with the head and scarf, it could be the head and the

shoulders, the head and the body down to the waist, or, like my carving, clear down to the knees. You can paint it or leave it natural but it should have a finish coat on it. It must be mounted on a base.

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I know some of you have to go to work tomorrow so you can start sending me your names now if you want. Send them to:

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ljdoughty@outwestgallery.com

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Do not put them in the comments section of this Blog! Like I said in the rules I'll publish all the names received tomorrow on Tuesday and once that list is up no more entries will be accepted.
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So, good luck and most of all.......have fun!

Pancho Bottle Stopper – Part 5 – The Ears

Here’s how to do the ears on Pancho.

 

Pancho Bottle Stopper – Part 4

Pancho Bottle Stopper – Part 3

Pancho Bottle Stopper – Part 2

Here’s part 2. 

Pancho Bottle Stopper- A New Video Project

Back in November of 2008 I did a pictorial tutorial on how to make a Bottle Stopper.  I thought it might be a little more helpful if I did it again but as a video this time.    In this first part I’ll outline just what’s needed and how to go about making your own version of my Out West Bottle Cutter.   Also, I’m going to keep the video segments short this time to speed up the process of uploading them. 

Anway, hope you enjoy this new project.  It’s a good excuse to go out and buy a sixpack of your favorite beverage.  Just don’t drink it all at one time!

Slightly Demented!

I don't exactly know what happened to this wrangler. Whether he's been up at the Line Camp too long, got a hold of some bad Chili, nursed a bottle of Pulque just a little too long or maybe this is what happens when you switch back to those fancy carving knives after experiencing the joys of the Utility knife! Whatever, he's definitely gone south and looks like someone I'd suggest staying away from.

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I've had this old head laying on my workbench for the past few months and thought I'd try to express my feelings about this new Health Care legislation. Maybe this is what we'll all look like after a few years of that. I sure hope there's some mental benefits in that thing cause if it's messing with your grey cells as it seems to be with mine we're all going to need some just like this poor fella. I'm not sure what your feelings are on this upcoming change in something that will affect us all but it's really got me worried.

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As always, your comments are welcome and there are a few more photos in the Gallery.

Bitter Creek Newcomb - Part 2

I got old Bitter Creek painted up and ready to face his ultimate end which in a lot of people's opinions is long overdue. I apologize for not taking more photos as I finished carving the final details. The camera was setting right next to me but I got so wrapped up in being able to carve again I completely forgot about it. I think you can see by the painted product just what I did. I did manage to capture a couple photos of the hat blank before I cut it out. It's carved just like we did the sombero in the "Pancho-Bottle Stopper" album. I just oriented the flipped up brim to the side a little go give this one a rakish look.

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Anyway, I hope you like him and your comments are always welcome. Lots of photos in the album.

Bitter Creek Newcomb - Part 1

I don't know if you've ever heard of George "Bitter Creek" Newcomb. He was a outlaw who rode with the Doolin Gang and was eventually gunned down by his sweetheart's brothers. The Doolins and Bitter Creek conducted most of their "business" out in what was called "No Mans Land" in the unassigned lands of western Oklahoma. Theres a great movie starring Randolph Scott titled "The Doolins of Oklahoma" in which John Ireland plays Newcomb.

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Each time we drive to Tulsa via Adair, Oklahoma, a town robbed by the Dalton Gang, we cross a very small little stream called Bitter Creek. While it is in no way the origin of Newcomb's nickname it always reminds me of him so, as we just crossed over it a few days ago I thought it about time I commemorated him with a carving even though it might be a small one.

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As my wrist is not up to doing a full figure yet and as I have a number of heads laying around the workbench, I thought I'd use one of those and just do the lower half of a bust and a hat. Hopefully I can manage that. As you can see by the photos in the associated album I started out with a rough pencil sketch. I did the lower part a little different just to be contrary but I think when it's finished you'll agree that it sure makes the piece look good. Once laid out on the wood I did as much whittling with the bandsaw as I could to save my poor wrist. This first part just takes us up to the initial roughing out. In the next installment we'll do the details and then the hat.

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As always your comments are welcome. Oh.....and here is poor old Bitter Creek laid out with his equally unfortunte buddy Charlie Pierce.