Tusked Ocean Wonder: Andrew Thomas demonstrates how to carve a bull walrus.
Carving a realistic bull walrus is somewhat complex in its detail and composition, and therefore aimed at readers of an intermediate level of ability. The fundamental rule when working with a real-life subject is to carry out in-depth research into all the anatomical details and the natural posture or movement of the creature, to gain a good understanding of what you are trying to re-create. This involves gathering as much reference material as possible to study the exact details that you are trying to reproduce. I have supplied as many stage images as I can within the limitations of the publication, but even with this two-part article, the readers will still need to do their own research and resolve quite a few areas of the form independently.
I shall describe how to carve the details of the head and tusks, in the next issue, how to create the body. Please read through the complete article and study each stage image carefully before starting the project.Â
Things you will need
Tools:
- No.2, 2 – for eyes
- No.2, 5mm – general shaping
- No.2, 10mm – general shaping
- No.2, 20mm – general shaping
- No.2, 40mm – body
- No.7, 4mm – eyes
- No.7, 6mm – head, muzzle, chin, flippers
- No.8, 4mm – muzzle
- No.8, 18mm – roughing out
- No.9, 10mm – head, chin, flippers
- No.15, 3mm – mouth, flippers, creases
- Knife – creases, moustache, eyes, flippers, tusks
- 0.5mm, 1mm & 2mm spherical diamond burrs for holes for tusks, whiskers and nose
Materials:
- Walrus: English lime (Tilia vulgaris) 200 x 130 x 150mm
- Tusks: English lime 42 x 15 x 5mm
- Base: American black walnut (Junglans nigra) 250 x 190 x 20mm
- Wood bleach
- Danish oil
- Clear wax
- Briwax medium brown
Drawings and how to resize them
To enlarge or reduce the size of drawings right click on the image to download it and then go HERE to watch a video on how to use paper with a grid to do exactly that.
Top tip:Â When creating real-life projects, one must always take the more difficult route of asymmetry, which adds far more interest and dynamic life all of the way around the composition, inspiring the viewer to fully explore the piece in 360 degrees. For example, always ensure that the head is turned to one side, that the legs are either in motion or not in alignment, and that the complete anatomical posture is related to gravity and motion.
Top tip:
When working on realistic details such as the walrus head, it is sometimes helpful to practise using modelling materials such as clay or putty. The ‘maquette’ can then be a useful visual aid to help one understand the form in three dimensions, which can then be applied to the project in wood.
Top tip:
If the tusk apertures are made slightly too large or at the wrong angle, use a two-part epoxy resin to either make the aperture slightly smaller, or to fill the hole and start again. Alternatively, make a dowel of the same size and species, bond into the hole, and start again.
Top tip:
Practise the hair/whisker technique on a spare piece of wood first to get an understanding of how to apply it to your project the most effective way.