Post #443352 by Polynesiac on Sun, Mar 29, 2009 8:43 AM

your tiki looks GREAT! You are your toughest critic (this will come in handy, because you will keep challenging yourself as an artist), but from my POV I think it looks really nice. I didn't think you'd go back and re carve the hand (because it looked fine before), but I'm glad that you did - it really made the whole piece come together. Something about symmetry that just makes the whole piece POP!
The multi colored stain looks real nice too - I like the darkened waves.

As far as carving pine, I have not carved any fresh pine (I have carved 4x4's) and I do carve redwood 4x4's too, the one thing I learned about redwood is that your chisels have to be sharp, if they are not sharp enough, then the wood "crumbles" when you carve. I saw that with the pine 4x4 too. The other thing I noticed is that if you are going against the grain, go slow with sharp chisels and don't provide more pressure than is needed. Don't just bang away on it, be gentle. Going against the grain is tough (in carving, in life it seems pretty easy most times :) ) but it can be done. Still, move the piece around a little and see if there is a way to go with the grain, it is much easier.

Good luck! and nice job!

Keep carvin!