Chainsaw Carving

April 14, 2013

Chainsaw Carving

Chainsaw Skull - Juniper and Black Paint

I stopped by my new friend, Glenn Richardson's Studio for a quick visit, but I got the full escorted tour of the shop, gardens and sculpture "pit". He handed me some Kevlar Chaps (pronounced Shapps, not like your English friends the chaps) to keep me from chopping off my legs, Mickey Mouse earphones and a 2.5 horsepower Stihl Chainsaw with a fine tipped ( 1 inch radius ) cutting bar. He "cut me loose" to try my hand at the process... uhmmm... What?

He was gone... off on the other side of the property, carving a fish for an upcoming show in Newark NJ this summer. I was on my own

Glenn had me chopping into a piece of Juniper (aromatic cedar) screwed to a cutting block. I had no idea what to carve, so I started to hew a head from the log. I eventually shaped it into a skull. Glenn's process is to "torch the fuzzies" off with a butane torch, then use various pigments to build a full chroma on the surface. I was able to hit the fuzzies with a flap sander on a grinder, then use base coat of exterior grade black to seal the skull. Glen then suggests a coat of green be dry brushed on the high surfaces, then various ivory and white coats to give it a full "skully appearance".

As you see - It's rough, but it's cool enough for a place on my porch during Halloween!