Steps involved in producing a wood carving

Click for full size images, not thumbnails

Roughing out the basic shape with a chainsaw:

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The rougher starts by squaring up and sizing the log to the overall dimension of the carving.

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Then the rougher begins to form the carving's side profile.

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The side profile is taking shape. Notice on the right, the base, feet and front of the legs are easily distinguished.

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More detail is added forming the front profile. The arms can be seen towards the right.

 

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The rough carving is almost done and ready for the hand work.

 

Carving the details with hand tools:

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This is the most time consuming part of the carving process, the hand work.

 

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Notice the tools near the carvers right hand.

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Might as  well get comfortable, he's going to be there for a while.

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The carving is fairly close to hand roughed and ready for the face.

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The face is being carved

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More fine details are added

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Kiln drying the carvings before finishing:

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This is the kiln's firebox. The heated air is ducted into the kiln to dry the wood.

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Here, 40" carvings are racked above the heat ducts for even drying

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This image shows both 40" and 70" carbings being kiln dried.

Finishing the wood surfaces:

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Sanding is the final step in the finishing process.

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Painting the finished carvings:

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Painting is a detailed time consuming process.

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Adding the finishing touches to the painted surfaces:

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The final step is to slightly distress the surface for an authentic folk art look.

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