Well! Another winter carving on my horse in Chattanooga area! Things are going a little slower than I had hoped, due to a shoulder injury. I irritated the rotator cuff in my left shoulder, and cannot get real aggresive with the chisels. I have been working on specific areas, shoulder, breastband, tassels, rump, elbow, tail, etc. Seems like everytime I look, I find something that needs to be fixed! Usually, I have to add wood, then carve it down. He is looking better all the time though!
He needed more shoulder, so, on goes the wood! It looks like a tumor for awhile! But after it is all shaped in, it looks lots better!
Getting a nice flat spot to add another tassel. It is quite the process. Next time, I would rather have them built on!
The Non Romance side needs lots of work! But it will get done in time!
He goes upside down in a "cradle" for work on his rump! A little here, a little there....
Add a little bit to round out the breastband.
A small extension to the tail makes the horse longer. It is a small thing, but makes a big difference.
After reshaping the mane to go around the pole, I find it still isn't enough, so back to the chisels again! Then I fit the pole in, and cried! For some reason it was an important step and for me just made it more real. Good grief! The pole isn't even gold and I am balling like a baby! I couldn't even tell Mom about it when I got home without crying! The pictures below capture the moment, but not the tears (thank goodness!)
Finishing the tassels around the front of the breast band. Out of one piece of wood. It will be dowled into place since there is little else to support it.
Next task is to get the blanket smoothed out and add the tassles along the bottom edge. It is really coming along now! It is still fun to see a block of wood turn into something!
They sure are pretty when they are done! I couldn't resist cutting the places for some of the jewels! Is the end in site? Time to start a second page full of more pictures!
