Here's a New One!

 

I finally finished this one up this morning.  It's been setting on my work table for about a month so I'm glad he's moved over to the paint table.  There's not much that's new about the figure.....Just another Cowboy bust.  However, I was having trouble with the neckerchief, being as it was a bust and the scarf  knot usually is on the back of the neck I realized that I carved the cloth without it.  Well, setting at the computer the other day doing my normal morning web searches I happen to glance over and see a little
memory stick which had the shape of the missing piece.  So, a quick trip down to the shop, a search through the cutoff box, a little carving and some reworking one side of the cloth, the problem was solved.  Turned out pretty nice and gave some needed interest to the piece.  

I hope you like it.  Comments welcome. 

Charlie Yellowhorse

Not much new with this one other than in bringing this figure over to the shop to get his photo taken, I noted that the peace medal didn't show up very well so it looks like he will be making a small detour to the paint table to make make those details a bit more visible.  

Hope you like him.  Comments welcome as always.   

The Plainsman

Having recently watched the movie "The Plainsman", starring Gary Cooper, I noted what a neat buckskin shirt he was wearing.  So, borrowing that detail I came up with this carving.  I think looking at it you can see that there are many miles on this traveler of the west and he has witnessed some pretty remarkable events during the time he spent there.  

I hope you like him and look forward to any comments you might have. 

Carving a Native American Bust Video Series

It's been quite a while since I've made a Blog Post here let alone a video series so let's try and correct that.  I haven't decided on a name for this piece yet but there are 15 videos in the series on how I made it.  Here is the link to the first one which is on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZPleWcr7TM&t=10s


As an added note....as the Vimeo video hosting service seems to be losing access to a number of my older videos, I've decided to post any future videos directly to Youtube with the hope they'll remain there without any future problems.  

I hope you enjoy the new series and will look forward to any comments as I always do.  

The Gambler

Here's is one I'm just about ready to wrap up the carving stage.  I had done an earlier one but wasn't satisfied with the way it turned out so started over again.  I still have to add a tied knot to his neck piece which will be a seperate piece due to it being fragile.  This one looks like it should turn out okay. 

 Hope you like him and comments are always welcome.  

PePe

"Pepe" is a new version of Mexican bust I've carved quite a few times before.  He stands 14.5 inches with the walnut base.   There is a video series on how to carve a similar one.  Just click on "Mexican" over on the right side Label section and then look for "Pancho Video Project".

 Hope you like him.  Comments welcome. 

Sweet Grass

Here's a new little lady, fresh off the workbench.  I think she turned out great.  She's 12.5 inches including the walnut base.  I goofed up and dented her nameplate so I'll have to order a new one.  I hope you like her and always look forward to your comments. 

Thundering Hooves

He's finally received his name.  After you've carved as many characters as I have over the years it's gets harder and harder to come up with a unique name...and to me names are really important as they carry the theme of the carving.  So, in this care, with the Indian chasing a Buffalo through an imaginary herd, "Thundering Hooves" was a perfect fit.

Almost immediately after posting the photo to the Out West Gallery website yesterday he was sold.  It's a good thing I received his nameplate just a few days before!  Anyway, he'll be off the reservation and pitching his Tipi at a new location within the next week.

Hope you like him and as always, your comments are welcome and appreciated.  

One more thing, future Blog postings will return to this site for the time being.  The new Out West Gallery site is great but it's taking me a while to figure out how to use it.  Seems the old grey cells work a little slowly with all this new stuff. 

Buckskin Bill

This old Scout has probably seen some pretty interesting things over the years out on the plains.  I wish I knew a few of his stories as after posting all these "catch up" posts I've completely run out of thing to say.  I'll bet he's looking forward to a cold one back at the Post canteen.  I know I would after a day out on the dusty Llano!

Hope you like him. 

The Trophy

Naming this one The Trophy and giving him a 7th Calvary hat pretty well should tell the story of just who this dangerous individual.   We went to the local cinema a while back to see the movie Hostiles starring Christian Bale and Wes Studi.  The facial paint wore by Buffalo Man, one of the vicious attacking Indians, was really striking so I thought I would try and reproduce it on this character.  I think it worked.  For the shield I used the design attributed to Crazy Horse.  This is one dark individual. 

Hope you like him.

A Short Rope For A Long Drop

I've used this pose several times in the past.  To this one I added the hangman's rope and noose to create a little mystery to the piece.  The rope is made out of twisted wire and while I don't think I was able to wrap the knot the regulation 13 times I still think it carries the effect pretty well.  

Hope you like him. 

Po Campo

If you're familiar with the TV series and book Lonesome Dove you will recognize Po Campo, the camp cook on the drive to Montana.  As he got his job by offering up some crispy insects I thought I would add one to create a little interest to the piece.  I carved the body of the Grasshopper and then, using wire for the legs and some monofilament  fishing line for the antenna, spent almost as much time painting it as I did with Campo.  

Hope you like him. 

The Dude

I thought I would try another Wrangler with reflective sunglasses like I did with Teddy Blue a while back.   Teddy went over as a smash hit so hopefully this fella will too.  Hope you like him. 

Po Campo

Here Is "Po Campo", from the Larry McMurtry book, Lonesome Dove.  I'm sure that most of you following this Blog have certainly seen the Lonesome Dove series on TV so you no doubt know the character I'm referring to.  One of the character's main features is that, when being hired as cook,  he offered Gus and Woodrow some tasty Grasshoppers as an example of his cooking.  Must have been good as he was hired on the spot.  I may have taken a couple liberties with him by adding the earring and the cigarillo, but other than that I think he would pass muster.  

As you can see by the bug on the base, I added a Grasshopper to carry the theme of the piece as it needed something to finish the piece and that little addition did the trick. 

I have to thank my good friend Jerry Smyers for the suggestion.   That little insect will certainly add some fun to the piece.   I made the body and attached legs of him from a piece of basswood and the feet from bent 16 gauge wire.  He's anchored by a 1/8" dowel.  He took a while to paint, probably longer than the figure of Po Compo!

Anyway I hope you like him and will look forward to your comments as I always do. 

Long Robe - Native American Bust With Shield - Finished

Well, it took a while but he's finally finished.....Just in time for the Tulsa Woodcarving Show.   I'm quite pleased with the way he turned out and hope you are too.  That shield really sets him off and shows how much an extra detail can add to a piece. 

Comments welcome. 

Brave Heart

Here's another one fresh off the paint table.  Wrapped in his painted robe with warpaint  on his face,  he's no doubt planning how to get his horses back from that bunch a couple mountains over.  

I never tire of Native Americans.  The opportunity to paint them is just too enjoyable.  

"Dang Rustlers!"

I finished this one up last week.  I really like to do the 3/4 style busts as a lot of detail can be squeezed in without making the figure so large. 

This Rancher is after the reprobates who have been diminishing his livestock.  He's got his noose ready and is heading to the corral to saddle up and put an end to it.  Someone's gonna get their neck stretched!

Willy White Owl

Here's Willy, all painted up and ready to head down to the new Casino and try is luck.  Hope you like him.  

 Comments always welcome. 

Clearing the Deck

I'm still working to clear off the partially finished carvings setting on my work table.  One of the best way to do it is to add a bust body to one of the many heads I've done.  I think I've mentioned before that on our Tuesday carvers gathering at the Senior Center in town I can usually manage to pretty well rough out a new head in the two hours we're there.  So, these things build up after a while.  

While Bottle Stoppers are a good way to mount them I think this works out much better by making a something fairly simple turn out to be a really nice presentation.  The base is walnut and it, with the figure, stands at 12".  

Now to paint it!   Comments welcome as always. 

Old Gabe - Painted

Added the hat feathers yesterday which completed this piece.  I had my worries about whether the solid color capote would work but I think it turned out pretty well.  Not every Mountain Man in the Rockies was fortunate enough to have a Hudsons Bay blanket and had to depend on just what was available.  

I spent some extra time letting the waist strap ends hang down over the base to tie the two areas together.  The two pieces were attached but reinforced by epoxy on the back side.  As long as they are not purposely fiddled with they should be fine.  

In sun, he turned out great...He might be an old codger but up there under that hat is a wealth of knowledge on how to live in the mountains and, most importantly, how to stay alive. 

I hope you like him and look forward to a your comments.  More photos in the photo gallery section.