The method I have shown above. To list again:
First transfer the drawing to a suitable size wood (keep in mind the grain direction, in this case along the length of the branch).
Then saw out or cut away the outer lines.
Then with an ornament like this, work from 1 side to the other. Don't do too many steps at once. Leaf by leaf to avoid breaking the piece.
First remove coarse material with a sharp cutter, beware of catching the cutter in wood.
Then you polish it with a cheap diamond cutter or a blunt end mill. In any case, something that takes away virtually no material. You can also use very fine sanding cloth or rotary sanding pads.
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Then finish with an oil or paint.
The same applies to the face of the Viking. Proceed step by step.
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And I realize that making a face is quite difficult. You will have to take into account the contours of the side and front. The nose and chin sticking out, the deeper lying eyes. Making a head takes a lot of practice. I also hear from fellow builders who do this work that this is one of the hardest things you can do. My first face I made was also completely out of context. Nose was out of proportion to the rest.
What has helped me a lot to delve a bit more into the proportions of a head are Loomis' drawing methods. If you Googled “Loomis method” you will come across many of his books (which are free to download). This method uses circles and proportions to create a face. With this in mind, I even manage to make a head without an example. Just transfer what was in my mind to wood.
I do not claim that wood cutting or milling is easy to do, but you can teach yourself. It takes time but from the other side it is fun to do. For these two examples I cited, I also made a bookmark with a head of a figure from the Dzhengis Khan era on the end.
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With that, I want to round off. I hope I have been able to encourage you to give it a try as well. As I mentioned, you can start with a small starting capital of around 30 Euro. A milling machine and 2 sets of cutters. A piece of wood will do the rest. Start as I indicated simple, best straightforward. With a cross on a shield, a small curling element. When that gets your feel for your possibilities you can start looking at other things. Don't be scared and I hope to admire your work in the future someday as well. For myself, I want to gain more experience and learn even more. Maybe I will share more new experiences with you in this topic. And quietly I hope that the modellers who are also good at it, will share their experiences in it. What should you pay attention to? What materials and tools do you use? How do you guys do it? I am curious because I see this forum as a learning place for everyone where everyone shares their way.
Thanks for your visit.
