# Open for opinion



## Shanen Mannies (Apr 14, 2017)

Just looking for a little feedback, I have been trying hand with the chainsaw, this is the first one I have finished. I know it's not much, but it's mine..lol


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## ChoppyChoppy (Apr 14, 2017)

Needs a smile, or big rip your face off fangs.


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## buzz sawyer (Apr 14, 2017)

Looks pretty good - you might take some of the taper off the muzzle. I like to google images and use them as a guide.


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## Ted Jenkins (Apr 14, 2017)

They look awesome to me. With a little more practice you will be world class. A friend of mine was rough cutting with a conventional chain saw then he got a chipper blade for one of his grinders and fine tuned with that. Also was doing some carving awhile back and was happy with my process, but did not always have large wood stock to work with. So bolted some extremities onto a larger section and discovered after plugging the holes they looks just fine. Thanks


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## Shanen Mannies (Apr 14, 2017)

Don't know about world class, but I have gotten a little better and my new 543xp with a carving bar has made a big difference. Every time I try make a grizzly bear, it turns out looking like a pig. Couple more done today and I am happy with them ,not bad for someone with very little talent...lol


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## Ted Jenkins (Apr 15, 2017)

Make some out lines on a normal letter size paper and try to get the general shape then go on to do your fine details later. I would bet that some one will come along and tell you they are in love with one of your creations. They look very nice and I am sure that the next few will even have more appeal. When our trees were dying around here about 10 to 15 years ago about every third house had a hand carved bear sitting in the front yard area. A real issue with them is trying to keep them from rotting away. Urathane with some air space under. Thanks


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## twoclones (Apr 25, 2017)

You'll improve the look by moving the ears off the top of the head and narrowing the muzzle to give him some cheek area.


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## Shanen Mannies (Apr 25, 2017)

Thanks for the advice, I have been working on the nose, but hadn't thought about the ears. I'm doing a little bit better, but got a long way to go.


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## Ted Jenkins (Apr 25, 2017)

Yes it will take some time to get the look you want, but to get the perfection you are after will take a bit of practice. I have seen much worse. Since we do not have the trees to cut like we did 10 years ago many of the carvers moved away. There was a guy just a few blocks from me who struggled to produce a realistic bear, but he started carving eagles and was able to market them quite well. Some bears come out like cartoon characters and others are quite real looking. Your last bear is certainly not bad, but experiment to get what you are after. Thanks


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## cedarhollow (Apr 25, 2017)

Those are great, one of my best friends stated out just like you are, three decades later and he has an acre plus carving display store on major east coast highway, five employees full time and spends winters in Florida.
keep it up they look real good.


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## cedarhollow (Apr 25, 2017)

maybe add a little as you go-- yogi, boo boo and a picnic basket.


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## Shanen Mannies (Apr 25, 2017)

I'm in no way bragging, I just decided on a rainy day that I would give it a try and 20 bears later, I'm still at it. I couldn't draw a bear on paper and pencil if my life depended on it, so I'm not looking for realistic . Some where between black bears and yogi I guess. 
My biggest problem is figure out how long cut my log, diameter × length. 
20 inch × tall ...??


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## Shanen Mannies (Apr 25, 2017)

Two I done today just horse around.


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## twoclones (Apr 25, 2017)

When I was an apprentice carver, "Master" would say, "do you see that sharp line on your bear?" "Yes", says I... 
Master then said, "Bears don't have any sharp lines."  

Very small touches make quite a large difference.


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## Shanen Mannies (Jul 31, 2017)




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## Shanen Mannies (Jul 31, 2017)

Just a little weekend project


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## Shanen Mannies (Jul 31, 2017)




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## Ted Jenkins (Aug 1, 2017)

Get a log and just practice making heads when you are really happy with them the rest should fall in to place. For sure you have progressed. Thanks


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## twoclones (Aug 2, 2017)

Offering a little more advice. 
Your bears are becoming more pig like in the nose area. In this last photo ^ the nose is upside down. 
Thinking of the shape as a Heart, a bears nose is a heart shape and a pigs nose is an inverted heart. 

Your dog is an excellent reference source for the nose!


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## Shanen Mannies (Aug 4, 2017)

twoclones said:


> Offering a little more advice.
> Your bears are becoming more pig like in the nose area. In this last photo ^ the nose is upside down.
> Thinking of the shape as a Heart, a bears nose is a heart shape and a pigs nose is an inverted heart.
> 
> Your dog is an excellent reference source for the nose!


Thanks for the advice, I can see what you're saying now that you mention it. 
Usually don't have a lot of time to carve and I'm just doing it for fun, but I still have a lot of room for improvement and Will try to get a better nose next time. 
Thanks


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## Ax-man (Aug 5, 2017)

Funny that TC mentioned the a dog's nose is similar to a bear's nose. I had a hard time and still do when I started doing bears is getting the nose right because it is the focal point of the carving. One day it hit me that a dog's nose is the same basic shape as a dog's nose . I can't do a nose right with a saw I have to get out the angle grinder with the flap wheel and shape it into place using that instead of the saw.

I haven't experimented much but I also see the same basic cuts that go into making a bears head can also be used in making the head of a pig , dog , rabbits and other critters. You just have to shape it accordingly.


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