Art imitating life. Canada Goose head.

Here is another wood carving completed. I hope everyone enjoys the pictures.

This goose head took over 30 hours over the last month to finish. Some days I just had to walk away from it in frustration and figure out the next steps.

The inspiration comes from the geese that fly over the house to the local lake at sunset. They fly low, just over the tree tops and we can here them honking from several hundred yards away.

The rough blank was made up of two pieces of tupelo, cut on the band saw. I carved and filed it to shape and then sanded it.



Once sanded, I marked and drilled out the eye holes and used diamond bits to rough in feather details. The burning of the feathers was next, and it took many hours of repetition to finish it off. The eyes were not set, just placed to see if they were balanced.



Here the eyes were set with kneaditite, the blue/yellow ribbon epoxy. It is a great product but not found in stores. It is firm and molds very fine details, including the eye ring. Setting the eyes bring life to the wood.




Unfortunately, I didn't stop and take painting pictures, as I use thin washes of paint and blend colors that dry fast on the palette. The bill had a little gloss medium to give is a slight shine.



Here it is complete and mounted to a piece of pine barnboard. The head is actually tilted to one side to take the stiffness out of just having a plain, forward looking head. I didn't have any goose head specimens to use for measurements, so I just winged it hoping for some anatomical accurracy.



I'm probably going to enter this piece and the turkey feather in a local carving show next weekend.
I haven't entered a show for close to 20 years, so I'll see how it goes.

 

Very, very cool Jon! THAT is some serious patience and talent you have!

 

Another masterpiece ! I just don't have the patience it would take to burn those feathers in. Or the skill, don't have the skill either

 

Beautiful head, it captures the alert expression of those geese. Where's the carving show happening?

 

Very nice. I'd be interested in the carving show as well.
My grandfather was a blacksmith and wood carver, by the i I was old enough for him to show me stuff he had had a stroke. My uncle has passed some of it on but it would be nice to take up some new hobbies to honor my Nampa. He had more knowledge and can do in his pinkey finger than most do today.

 

This one? The Spirit of Wood show?
www.newc.org

 

Here is the show info.



Warner, forging is a fun hobby and great if you have basic tools to get started. We have a running thread on blacksmithing here:

"Backyard Blacksmithing" pounding iron on the forge this evening!

 

Beautiful work. I just assumed it would be the top of a cane/walking stick. Question if you don't mind, why do all of the burning if you are going to paint over it?

 

Uncle has the old forge and anvil buried in his garage. He always talks about having a "forge day" hasn't happened yet tho. I'll check out the thread when I have a few min. Perhaps it will inspire me to light a fire under his azz.

 

This carving is just the head on display. I have done a few others like this.


My wife said the same thing about wood burning as it shows more of the work. It is just part of the detailing process and the painting brings it a step closer to realism.

 

Excellent work fishingpol

 

Beautiful fishingpol amazing the talent and patience you have

 

Thank you for your quick reply. I understand that there are many processes to go through to achieve an unbelievable product. Which, your goose head is amazingly beautiful.

 

Incredibly work. very realistic.

 

fishingpol, how was the carving show? There must have been some beautiful artistry on display.

 

The show was pretty good. It is not huge, but there was some good talent. The goose head received an honorable mention, the turkey feather a second place and I put a chickadee in for a third place ribbon.

Here are some pics.


I believer this King eider was the best in show. Most likely a Masters level.




This Nuthatch was amazing. I thought one of the best pieces there.


The eye detail was excellent.




A miniature owl. This carver had 3 different species of owl carvings. My thumb for size comparison.



My dad made this stylized seashell with sand washing out around it in walnut. He didn't tell me about this one, abd I was really surprised. He took second in that division.



A very nice kestrel.



A nice Halloween caricature.




A nice owl.

 

One entrant made these excellent woodburnings. There is some difficulty when wood burning as the tip goes over the growth ring lines and into the softwood.

 

Gorgeous work! I like the nuthatch too. And who couldn't love the gnome! Congratulations on your ribbons! I hope to meet up sometime at a get together- this one was pretty small, and the guest of honor was still hours away by the time we left. We had fun, though. And it must have been fun for you to meet fellow carvers.