My first try at a bear from the book. Plastic eyes cover goofs. Need some info on eye tools, can make some of various sizes if I can have a look at one. The small propane torch seems to be totally lame to burn carvings like this, any hints short of a full size tiger torch? Fred

Looks more like a mouse
are there any carvers near you you could carve with ?

You are off to a good start you need a little guidance

fred where do you live at ??

Is there any one in this group in Regina Sk Canada?

Try MAP gas, instead of propane.

actually it,s a really good first bear thousand times better than my first (my first bear) my suggestions lose google eyes carve them or use marbles or taxidermy eyes.as far as burning i use a grill tank with one of those 100,000-150,000 btu torches cheapest best quickest way. if your into selling carve cute lots of smiles and carve lots of different poses . this bear i redid for a lady be willing to do work like this and this is a good bear for selling the carver is unknown retired i think she said. so this style is a good one to follow this after touch up

Not bad, Fred. Welcome to the forum. Plumbers torches wont work very well on greener wood. You might have to burn it several times to dry it out enough.I've used a tiger torch, but it will erase details if you are not really careful.
It may also be the wood species. that looks like a hardwood, I'm guessing birch,which doesn't burn as fast as softwoods like pine or spruce.

eye tools are just solid cylinders with a concave recess drilled in and a sharpened edge, with a small shaft to fit in a chuck.Kind of like a forstner bit.
eyes are pretty easy to carve with a die grinder and a round bit.

My parents are from Regina,by the way.I'm in BC.good luck.

As a first Bear you did good. It seems to take about 5-10 bears for anyone to really do one that they find ok, save it you will see how far you have come.

There are a number of directions you can go in once you get the hang of useing the saws and other tools. Realistic, which takes years to learn...study, study, study. Cute which are fun and lets you express your style...not easy. Cartoony which can be really good or just horrid. Or like I do...no bears at all...easy!

The main thing is to keep makin those chips fly.

Like any skill it takes lots of practice to learn to use the tools, learn the craft and then find your own direction/ style. Don't become discouraged, just keep trying and it will come. You have obvious tool/ hand skills and professionalism with your metal work so you are way ahead of most.

My opinion, and experience is that trying a variety of subjects develops my skills quickly.

As for reference this site and Woodcarving Illustrated's are the best learning places on the web thingy. There a lot of Canuks on WCI. Following the books is a really good thing to do at first.

As for finding a chainsaw carver near you, it will be a challenge. I am a Canuk but have lived in the States for a while now that being said there are some really good...amasing carvers in Canada. IMHO Ken Sheen (BC) is the worlds best Grizz carver, Collin Partridge has some of the best Woodspirits(Ont) ever made,Pete Rieger is an up and coming world class carver from BC, Robbin Wenkowski (ONT)is a great teacher and seems to be able to care anything at the highest level, there are many others in BC, Ontario and Down East. There are lots of carvers to learn from but most are huddled into small areas of BC, ONT and NS.

I searched SASK and found only some traditional Native Carvers but I bet they do chainsaw as well. Not to say there are none, just that I couldn't find em on the web thingy. There are many carvers but don't mention chainsaws. Keep your eye open in cottagy areas and Art and Craft events.

This may be a very good thing! You could be the best Chainsaw Carver in SASK!! You will have little competition anyway.

If you can, attending some of the events held for Chainsaw Carvers is a great idea. Learning events like Rigeway or Chazfest are best but just to watch competitions you will learn alot. I don't know of any in Canada except for Robbins in ONT (feb/march). There are Schools that you can go to...Robbin teaches.

Hope this helps
Bob

Well , you did good on your first bear and you found the chat room, now your hooked! LOL This is really a great family as you will find out, we all help each other and critique each others work. Some take it hard and don't like to be critiqued, but just turn the negative into a positive driving force and you will do fine. Nice chatting with you last night, we are in there about every night. Take care and be safe my friend!


Sawdustchaz
http://www.sawdustparadise.com

They are called weed burners here in the States..

Attatch to a propane bottle...

here's a link so you can see what they are..

http://www.eweedcontrol.com/

PS: cool log mover...mine lives down the street, neighbors son whose back is still strong. Handy little tool that also Doubles as a debarker by simply adding or subtracting a few beers..

If you buy the DVD "Dennis Beach Carves a Bear"
you will not only get a cheap lesson on Bear carving from an International Champion Carver, but they talk about and show a good eye tool design.

Good investment.

I would agree that your wood is likely too wet to burn well. Give it a couple days and it will improve.

As mentioned, the ears are too long shouldn't be nipped in at the base. A bit shorter would help.

Don't make the plastic eyes a permanent fixture. They'll break down quickly in weather.

You can't learn if you don't try, so keep it up.

If you go to youtube.com and punch in chainsaw Larry Burns you will see a video of Larry blocking out a black bear head then go from there.

Good looking first bear ! I have done about 35-40 now, and still can't get the manes down..or even close to what they should look like. The eyes alway's gave me problems, so I got a book on how to carve eyes. Not sure I'm carving bear eyes, but it has helped, I highly recoment it.

Brad