ScottR Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 I have a little dog named Cody. Early in his life, when he was just a pup, so to speak he looked like this. For nearly as long, I've had an ash log drying in the garage. As Cody got older his color started looking more and more like the ash log. And for some time now that log has been telling me I need to find Cody in there and set him free. The thing is Cody no longer looks like that scruffy little puppy. He looks more like a cross between a tiny haystack and an unsheared mountain sheep. So the Cody I find in the log might just be more inspired by my little dog than what he looks like just now. He may still have some of the attributes of puppy Cody. Or he may not. We'll just have to see when I get him out of the log. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted February 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 This time I'm going to model the carving in clay first. Starting with the basic log shape in proportion. From that I remove clay to leave the first stage of roughing in the shape. And then move on to removing bits of ash that are not Cody. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted February 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 AWESOME SCOTT !!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted February 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 3 minutes ago, MiKro said: AWESOME SCOTT !!!!!!! Thanks Mike. I gotta admit it feels good to have another one of these going. SR 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Natural Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 too cool. Cant wait to see this Scott. in the pic of the log (between the two dog shots, prior to carving)- is that log really that orange- or is it a trick of light or maybe wax? I dont think I have seen ash that color- even old lumber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted February 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 3 hours ago, Mr Natural said: too cool. Cant wait to see this Scott. in the pic of the log (between the two dog shots, prior to carving)- is that log really that orange- or is it a trick of light or maybe wax? I dont think I have seen ash that color- even old lumber I wondered if that would get noticed. I sealed the ends of that log with several coats of shellac when I first got it. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Last night as I was getting ready to post, the subject of this carving interrupted me. He tried to jump into a chair, missed bounced off his chest, and landed on his back. Cried a bit and couldn't use his left hind leg. We thought he may have knocked his hip out of socket and took him to the emergency vet. The vet said he was afraid the problem was in his back. He thought Cody may have a ruptured disk. He wanted to take xrays and keep him over night after giving him pain medication. They were having a busy night and we had been there hours and I said give him the pain medication and by the time he wakes up I'll be able to take him to our vet, who is just around the corner and whom we have known for years. Cody tried to walk this morning and did so to a limited degree--much better than last night. Our vet does not think he has a ruptured disk, but does have strained or sprained muscles in his back. Cody is walking better than this morning, albeit, still looks somewhat like a drunken sailor. Here's to hoping he keeps improving. So the first roughing in stage appears to be completed... or close enough. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 I refined the clay sculpture enough to get a next stage target. And that's where we are now. It feels a bit strange now with Cody hurting...but hopefully he will recover completely and so will this. He seem to be quite cheerful about the whole thing, so I think the little doggie in the ash ought to be as well. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 I hope Cody gets better quick. Isn't it amazing how attached you become to your dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Natural Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 second that- hope the little feller mends quickly. scary when they are hurt and cant tell you whats going on. Did you take art or sculpting in school? or just self taught? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 11 hours ago, Tim37 said: I hope Cody gets better quick. Isn't it amazing how attached you become to your dog. Thanks. He wants to do everything he could a couple of days ago...and we've got to stop him at least until he's actually able to again. It is crazy how attached to you become to your dog. Or maybe not. They give you unconditional love with no nagging or bitching and only want a little food and attention in return. Maybe it's crazier how attached to us they become. Every time the subject comes up I'm reminded of the story of how to tell who is truly a man's best friend - his dog or his wife. it seems the test is to lock each of them in the trunk of your car. Come back in an hour and unlock the trunk. Which one is happy to see you? SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 32 minutes ago, Mr Natural said: second that- hope the little feller mends quickly. scary when they are hurt and cant tell you whats going on. Did you take art or sculpting in school? or just self taught? Thanks, and sooo true. I did in fact graduate with a degree in commercial art. No sculpting to speak of though. I actually first noticed what cool things wood grain does whilst shopping for a table and chairs at a place called the Unvarnished Truth many years ago. I noticed that some types of wood were cut at angles and curves through the grain and very cool patterns emerged. Quite different from quarter-sawn or flat sawn grain. I began to wonder what all kinds of trees looked like on the inside. So I started whittling and then sanding the shapes smooth, smoother, and ultimately polished. That started out being just free form shapes. After a while, I decided I ought to see if I could make those shapes into something recognizable. That worked out ok....well enough that eventually a musician friend was impressed enough (some people are easily impressed) to suggest that I really should try carving a guitar. I thought what a cool idea! I studied a few books--including Hiscock's- for about a year and gave it a shot. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Ash Cody got a pretty good amount of carving this weekend....which I hope to post tomorrow evening. Cody Bear....yes that's what we call him--has gotten progressively--gradually--better every day. He's gone from super wobbly and occasionally falling down to maybe 80% normal. he still has an occasional stagger, and he still has a hunch in his back, but that also is gradually disappearing. He has about a week left of medication, after which we may let him attempt stairs and hopping down from laps and the like. It is good to see my old dog returning. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 So let's see if we can get him out of this log. One thing about giving your dog a skull made of ash...you get a very hardheaded dog. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Using this forum to host my pictures is not without its problems, I see. The three legged lab is not supposed to be in this post... Ash must be tasty wood. Lots of worm holes and bug dirt.... SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 I have to leave enough wood intact to carve eyebrows and eyeballs, which is leaving Cody looking a bit like a Minion. I seem to be hitting a data limit. I 'll have a word with the boss and post the balance of my shots later..... SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 Still trying to finish my last post.... SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 Ever feel like you need to work on your patience? Try shortening an ash log a quarter inch by slice off the end grain. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 Who knew dog ears could be so hard and pointed? I have a bruise on my chest made by one ear whilst I was carving upon the other. I have to remember too keep all the details oversize as I work them in. This is a subtractive process... SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 I got a little ear refinement done, and then on to some muzzle work. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 I think I'm getting closer to finding Cody in here....and I'm getting sick of bug dirt. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted March 27, 2017 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 BUG DIRT SUCKS !!! LOL! mk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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