Post #317519 by T_birdman on Mon, Jul 9, 2007 4:07 PM

Ok, I don't want to stuff other topic threads with my progress pics, so I'll start this for the stuff I'm doing. Here is the first of what I hope will be many. But before anything else I need to say thanks to all the SD choppers that have been really cool to me, generous with advice, friendship, and much more, encouraging with their excellent works and expertise, and all-around good nature. I might have wallowed in ignorance for a long time were it not for you folks, many thanks!

The 4th of July week was hectic for me, family visiting, the "Dreaded Honey-do" list, being Dad & husband all got in the way of getting started on #1, but I managed to get started day before yesterday for a few hours, and a few today.

Got the basic layout & shaped cuts

worked on the eyes and brows

then the mouth and teeth

This is the log that 4wd gave me at the chop (Thanks again bro!) and some of the things I've learned on this one already is to strip the log down sufficiently before you start the choppin! I believe I didn't do that on this one well enough and found the areas that I planned to be pointed and tight became stringy at the surface and I had to make changes to fix them. I'll not make the same mistake down the road. I tried to keep things symmetrical using Buzzys way of mapping out the lines before hand, but I believe I also could have chosen better which side to start with, and might have ended up with more symmetry instead of having to "fix-as I-go". But I'ts not a museum piece, it's just my first.
The Birdman