I’ve decided to go over the whole surface with a hand chisel, giving it an even scalloped effect, like small waves on water. This is the handmade look that I want, otherwise, it could look too much like furniture, with a typical smooth sanded surface.

I use chalk to mark the areas where I still need to carve in and remove the smoother surfaces that were left from the surform tool.

I can also even or flatten out a few planes, and sharpen up some edges.

This is an enjoyable stage where I feel the most like a real sculptor, working with a hammer and chisel, shirt off, summertime in the studio.

I still need to ding off some high spots here and there, and start to consider a finish to preserve the wood.

By now I’ve cut in that notched part which is the “face” of the figure. Now I’ve every last design element in place. A surform tool to let me find the curve of the sprial planes and even them up, flatten the high spots  – I thought I’d be using a chisel for this, but it’s cut is too local, not evenly spread on a curving surface. Its changeing the texture of the wood, shiny-er, harder, and smoother. I’m advised by Q. not to remove all marks of the chisel or saw and to have a mix of marks. A. says that finishing is a step of its own. I’m inviting all advice on this matter, I am undecided.

Here the outcome of several short sessions spent adding the design elements which mostly complete the figure. Feet and legs separation better described, also arms wrapping around more.

Head, now rounded over.

 Next, the notch of the face can be done, and then it’s time to think about the hand-working of the surface, sprial effect, and more about the degree of finish and refinement for the overall effect. It was Gary who said that this thing would start to come together more and more quickly as the work progressed. I am surprised to see it nearing the design ideal so soon. Soon. It’s been like a year and a half so far, but maybe only two weeks of actual working days.

The sun shines for more hours of the day, the earth warms, and I am able to sculpt again. I’m making the details of the arms, hands and feet, subtle things to be using the chain grinder on. Working at the wheelbarrow again, out in the yard. Maybe soon I am close to using hand tools. It is a relief to think that this sculpture will work out, that this long break won’t wreck it.

I’m refining the form of the figure around the areas where I’m marked and cut before, the arms, the legs, creating more relief and contour, shaping and smoothing the lines. Still using power tools and carefully referring back to the plans.

Working on this is becoming more expressive, as the figurative form is more clearly dominating over the log form finally. Pleasant time now, chewing gum, burning incense. Sour Bubble and Sandalwood, the flavors of the airs that surround me.

If I can get the head rounded off and the face defined, then I’ll maybe take a few weeks off. Come back and be working with hand tools only. Wood fire in the stove, cats nearby.

Now, I’ll start refining the spiral line of the neck and shoulders a little higher, also defining where the notches for the arms and legs and face will appear.

Sketching up on the end grain to stimate the location and depths of the notches which will denote the legs and face.

With caution, I commit to sawing the depth of the notches – again with the handsaw. More controllable. This will give me maximum depth when I later apply the chain disk tool to remove most of the excess wood.

Now I can  take it outside and start power grinding on it, relying on the saw cuts to be my guide limits, ending up with a much finer contour around the neck and shoulders, and the beginnings of some definition to the arms and legs. It’s starting to look not like a log, but like a sculpture. A lot of the rest of the work from will be to refine the shape of the arms and legs by removing more material.

I want to work that spiral plane I’m imagining up to the surface now. I carefully measure off my drawing, mark some locations for reference points, and think about marking a line (2 lines really) that smoothly move around the piece from top to bottom. Pushpins and some yarn let me define the line by eye and by measurement.

I realize that seeing this may not meet some people’s idea of the heroic sculptor. Not a lot of gestures and waving of tools. Just diligently following the design, and trusting it to go where it’s supposed to. When I’m confident, I pencil in the lines to follow with the chain-disk tool.

Here’s another unglamourous image of work being done. Outside is the best place for the amount of dust this makes. Also, the wheelbarrow is about the right height to work at holding a heavy grinder. It makes heavy things eaiser to move. And why not sit down while you’re at it. It takes time, be comfortable. On a cool early Fall day it is good to be outside in the garden.

The work half done. Taking a break.

All the way done, after few hours work.

Now I take the block from a something I’ve cut into from 4 sides basically, to something smoother, rounder, carved on 8 sides more fully. To do that I’ll be using new tools. This chainsaw cutting wheel chews up wood like an army of supernatual beavers, no problem.

I’ll angle and shape the sharp points of the shoulders and legs. 4 on the shoulders and 4 on the legs. Now it is more fully an octagonal symetric shape from top to bottom.

Again I’ll do it to get 16 sides. At this point it is virtually round.

I sketch radial lines from the center to help me mark the cutting lines to get this shape, there’s a bit of measuring and marking-up done. This makes using the tool easier since it is not a machine for delicate work. Having lines to follow prevents mistakes when tired.