Help to finish my eagle????

[Woodcrafter]

Hi don't know if these photos attached as I'm using my iphone.

Anyway I'm new to carving since last summer and love it. I've done various different birds and decided I'd like to try a soaring eagle. I've gotten this far with the hopefully attached carving pics and have stopped at the moment as I don't want to spoil it (chickening out). I am stumped excuse the pun at how I should do my feather detail any advice or inspirational images would be much appreciated. I find this part of bird carvings the hardest to perfect.

Thanks guys/girls for any help at getting me back onto finishing this 1 off.

[dervishcarving]

Hi there. good form you have there, the head shape is great. as for feather details, remember that there are 3 layers of feathers if you want to get good detail (depends on teh bird of course). If you look back on this forum you wil see a few soaring birds. here was my first attempt http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/chainsaw-carving-forum/48021-gotcha.html

on later ones i used teh saw to carve the feathers but on this one i used a sander to grind them in (had to keep the noise down that day). i find it helps to do 2 cuts for each feather. first one is straight in and then the second cut is on an angle to 'cut under the previous feather', it raises them out a bit and looks a bit more natural. if you then want to add fine details (the fine branches on each feather) you can go to town with a dremel on them. go with your instincts, they look pretty good so far feel free to ask more questions, we all have questions, its all part of the game

[Woodcrafter]

Thanks for the advice really appreciate it will def be using the dremel I don't want to go mad on it though just want to get some decent detail to set it off a bit. Gotcha look great by the way.

[Gardenmac]

Great work so far, there is a book

Chainsaw Carving an Eagle: A Complete Step-by-step Guide (Paperback)

By (author) Jamie Doeren,

That would be worth your while buying it has loads of detail etc, think its about £8 on amazon.

Other than that take your time and have a look on youtube etc for how others have got to the next step.

[Woodcrafter]

Nice 1 thanks going to order that now.

[Gardenmac]

Nice 1 thanks going to order that now.

:thumbup:good luck and hope to see some pics of the finished piece.

[dervishcarving]

my dad bought me that book..... after i had carved a couple of soaring birds... maybe he was tryign to tell me something

[Woodcrafter]

Haha Dads are the hardest to please they want you to be the best.

[Ross Macneil]

Have a look at Rodney Hollands site he does some great eagles chainsaw carving UK, chainsaw sculpture Scotland, Dumfriesshire

[Woodcrafter]

Yeah he does have some nice feather detail shots on there thank you.