How I Carve a Wood Spirit

After securing the wood to be carved so it won't wobble or fall over while being worked on, a sketch is made outlining the face to be developed in the wood. The wood shown here is Eastern Red Cedar. Special attention is paid to where the nose will be placed. It's really important to put it where the wood is free of knots and blemishes that may interfere with the carving of the nose details. The first thing carved is the nose. The first cut is a Stop-cut under the tip of the nose. Wood is then gradually removed establishing the eye socket areas and the cheeks. The sketched lines are replaced as the carving progresses as not to lose the original intent.