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Our bat quite neatly divides into 3 areas of work. In this lesson I turn to modelling the forearms, wings and claws. However, don't think of them as separate from the whole.
| 21 December 2018 17:23
Hi Chris
Many thanks for this sound advice the second Bat is coming along nicely and I seem to have learnt things from the first time without realising it so it is coming on much quicker as you say. Repeating this exercise is also giving me confidence to improve and move forward, hope to have it done for Christmas.
| 17 December 2018 16:49
Richard - It's a good question: when does one call 'time' on something? Sometimes you're in a grey area where a bit of redesigning or secret gluing might save the day (and I always try to go down that path for as long as I can). But sometimes it's obvious that it's going to be, or just look, wrong, which is the point where I think you've got to. Bad luck!
My advice is to start over: you'll be quicker the second time and you won't have to be apologising. It's also the sign of a good craftsman. The piece will remain long after you don't, perhaps when there are no trees left even, and you want to be proud of what you've left behind.
If it's any consolation I've bailed on carvings that's 'gone wrong' for various reasons several times in my life, work that has been well on to the end stages. It's sucks. But what sucks more - being left with work that will haunt you, or doing it again?
| 16 December 2018 16:53
Hi Chris
Having great fun with this bat carving thanks for this project. As I was bosting in a small crack emerged along the site of the wing with some additional rotten wood at one end. As I started detailing a whole wing split off, which I have glued and filled using techniques from elsewhere on the website. However to incorporate this repair the bat looks a bit distorted. So the question is what do you advise when you find this situation yourself - keep on going to the end point or abandon the bat at this stage and start again.
