Bird Dog Woodcarving

Materials:

4" x 6" x 2" block of basswood for dog
2" x 2" x 3/4" basswood for duck
bamboo skewer for duck legs
acrylic paints:
- gloss white
- gloss black
- burnt umber
- white
- golden yellow
- forest green
- cinnamon apple (orangey-red)
wood stains:
- golden pecan
- dark walnut
#5 sweep 20mm gouge
wood mallet
wood carving knife
clamp
band saw with 1/4" blade
wood glue
safety glasses
wood burning tool

1. Draw any desired dog and duck pattern onto the basswood pieces (figure A).

2. Wearing safety glasses, cut the shapes of the duck and dog out on the band saw (figure B).

3. Clamp the dog blank onto the workbench and rough out the carving with a gouge and mallet (figure C).

4. Finish the dog carving with a knife (figure D).

5. Carve the duck using a carving knife (figure E).

6. Drill holes in the bottom of the duck and the top of the dog's head. The duck's legs will be inserted into the dog's head.

7. Cut duck legs from a bamboo skewer.

8. Glue the legs in the holes on the duck (figure F).

9. Glue the duck legs into the holes on the dog’s head (figure G).

10. Burn the wood around the dog's collar with a wood-burning tool (figure H).

11. Paint the dog eyes gloss white.

12. Paint the dog eyes' irises burnt umber. Position the eyes in a looking up gaze for character (figure I).

13. Paint gloss black dots for the pupils on the dog eyes.

14. Paint the dog's tongue cinnamon apple.

15. Mix a smidgen of burnt umber with white paint to paint the duck's body.

16. Paint the duck head forest green.

17. Paint the duck's eyes black.

18. Paint the duckbill, legs and feet golden yellow.

19. Stain the dog golden pecan (figure J).

20. Stain the duck dark walnut and wipe the stain off immediately.

Website: www.villageartisansgallery.com/gay_foltz.htm