Heads Up ...Next

With the pose confirmed, it is now time to do a decorative version of the hen.  This may or may not be the carving that is entered in the World Championship Pairs Competition, but certainly it will be competition grade and will see the judging tanks several times.

I will start by working on the head while things are still fresh in my mind from the previous study bird.

The process begins by developing a DETAILED pattern with a whole series of critical measurements that are "generally" the same from Canvasback Hen to Canvasback hen.  At the top is a beige colored study bill that was cast off of a duck that had been recently killed.  This provides reference and must be recreated EXACTLY in the carving process.  The variation of these bills between birds of the same species is mostly limited to size, but not proportion.  I take a little liberty with some blend and smudge techniques to both make it pretty and to use as reference for bumps and lumps in the carving process.

Finished pattern. Note the extra wood around the bill and neck that is left to carve out in the detail stage.  This ensures that I can make minor adjustments right down to the very end.

Pattern glued onto a block of tupelo that has been cut to the prescribed width of the head.  The direction of the grain matches the direction of the bill to ensure maximum bill strength.  This is done because the bill is the narrowest and thinnest part of the head and prone to breakage.

On the bandsaw!  I use a 1/8" Timberwolf blade.  This cuts exact, smooth and without wander.  The important part to this is that the blade and table are square with each other to prevent a "canted cut".  Canted cut heads end up being "wonky" and impossible to correct.

Finished cutout.

Using the "critical measurements" that I determined when developing the pattern detail, I marked several  them on the  block.  First is a center line.  Every measurement is taken relative to this reference line and it MUST be retained until the very final sanding.  Second are the lines that mark the widest part of the bill.  Third are the lines that mark the top of the bill.  Finally are the lines that mark the widest part of the eyes are.

The lines that were marked in the previous step are then used to set the drill bit (3/32") depth for each of the individual three positions.  Once the bit depth is set for each position, I drill a hole for that position from either side of the block.

Eye, lower bill and upper bill reference depth holes drilled.  These reference holes are used to guide the carving tools  during the process, and to ensure that the amount of wood taken off is the same amount and at the same place  for both sides of the bird's head thus retaining symmetry.

Next step will be the "roughing out" process for the head.