Kestrel Falcon Relief Carving

[DickMira]

This relief carving was done using a photo taken by my friend, a wildlife photographer, in Arizona.

The wood is African Sapele.

[dgman]

Beautiful work Dick!

[meflick]

Another beautiful project, made even more special since you used a photo your wife took.

[DickMira]

Hello Melanie:  So nice to hear from you in the "new neighborhood"  While my wife takes some great photos, she did not take this one.  It was by my friend Curt Fonger from Arizona.  Here is his pic taken at the Living Desert Museum

[Fedido]

Excellent job!

[RabidAlien]

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang.  Hand-carved, or Dremel? 

(doesn't matter which, just curious.  Its awesome either way!)

[DickMira]

Good question, Rabid Alien.  The simple answer is a Foredom Rotary Power Carver.  There is also a more complicated answer.

After I retired, I started two new hobbies from scratch, scroll sawing and wood carving. Having no one to teach me, I started reading many articles about starting to use a scroll saw.  Every article said "Before starting to cut, make sure you have "the proper blade tension!"  How do you figure that out by yourself????? 

Every manual about starting woodcarving states, "It is critical that you have very sharp cutting tools!"  That means that you must learn the proper method to sharpen your tools----not a simple task. 

After I started scrolling, I thought that the projects could be more lifelike with a little carving.  I had already learned that I preferred using hardwoods because of the unique grains that could improve the look of the finished pieces.  Then, I was trying to perfect my technique of Carved Fretwork and had many shattered, delicate scrolled projects using my hand carving tools given to me by my wife as a present on my hardwood fretwork.  Talk about some frustration setting in. 

Then, some magic happened.  A Dremel power carver, a slow speed one at that, entered the picture and a whole new ballgame started. My first carving of a Big Horn Sheep on a California redwood burl was completed [Photo attached]  Many different projects using the scroll saw and the various Dremels were done.  Then, there was the switch to the Foredom Power Carver and the rest is history.   Thanks for asking, Dick

[Roberta Moreton]

WOW!

[don watson]

That's a beauty

[amazingkevin]

Your imagination takes over quickly, Perfect work!!!

[wombatie]

You are so talented.  I am green with envy.  Awesome work.

Marg