Bird Carving

I have mentioned before that I had a background in bird carving before starting taxidermy.

I have carved and competed with my birds since my mid teens. More recently teaching a few classes and contributing to bird carving publications.

I just got back from teaching a 6 day class on carving and painting a Blackburnian warbler.
This is carved from Basswood, as I prefer to use knives for most of the carving, but students that prefer power carving usually use Tupelo.

Painting is all acrylic brushwork.

Thanks for looking!

 

Thanks very much!
Just wanted to share.

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

I think you're over simplifying taxidermy a touch, but thanks very much 3bears.

There are some amazing bird mounts here each month, but I doubt that I will ever mount any bird, I think I would do them more justice by carving and painting them.

 

Thanks for looking in.

I love all forms of wildlife art. The same principals apply to each, just some of the mechanics change.

With taxidermy, the challenges for me have been things like fleshing/tanning,
Clay and hide shrinkage, and even working on larger sculpture that I can not move around in my hands.

A small bird like that can be moved into any position to be at "my hand". Sometimes both the bird and tool move as I work on it. Where a bear or deer head can only be rotated on the stand, but remains stationary, so lighting, and viewing angles are more of an issue.

 

Joe,
I appreciate your words, I certainly did not take any offense at Dave's post. I know what he meant, and yes, I'm sure that most high skilled taxidermists could carve/paint if they so chose.

There are similar aspects to both discipline, and to all wildlife art for that matter.

BTW,
Even though twenty birds may seem like a "girly" thing, I have never identified as "her"

I'll forgive you, my name is French, and not likely that common of name in Texas.

Now I don't look exactly like this, but think
Van Damme, not Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) LOL!