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After shaping the head with the band-saw, I started to work the facial details with flat chisels and gouges. Basswood is a fantastic wood for carving: It is soft, homogeneous, and don't have a tendency to tearout. Choosing the right gouge for the job, deciding on the specific technique to reduced a block of wood into a 3D sculpture or decoration, is a very personal approach. I like to do the rough carving with a No 7 or No 5 gouge. I also like to use fishtail gouges (No 3, and 5). Occasionally I will reach-out for a carving knife in order to cut defined lines between two surfaces, or to work in areas where the gouge is just to cumbersome to handle.
In this picture I start carving with a flat chisel. I chamfer the corners and reduce the block.
Outlining the nose is one of the first steps. Notice the gouge marks on the face (No 7 gouge)
Gradually I started to shape the mouth.
Next time I will describe the process of going into carving details.
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