Sculpting Bison With Eddie Morrison

Since some of you have spare time I'm posting the different steps I use to make a bison. First pick a piece of wood doesn't matter what size that's up to you, but may want a soft wood if this is first time.

Second outline a rough sketch on the wood of shape of bison doesn't need to be perfect. Third cut out on a bandsaw or with handsaw the image you sketched. This is is called blocking out.

Fourth start carving bison until you have a finished shape.

Hope some of you try.

Someone ask what tools I use when wood sculpting.

I use a variety of different sizes of chisels and a couple of mallets.

Also most handy to use are a set of palm chisels and different knives.

Also use a large diegrinder and a small dremel and a variety of bits, the power tools really help in roughing out a piece, especially hard wood. My advice is to use whatever it takes to make the piece and whatever you adapt to use .

I will post tomorrow the different types of finishes you can use on the piece after it's been sanded down really well.

Okay to get the negative spaces between the legs and under the belly. You can drill it out or cut out with a saw or knife or chisel.

You will need lots of patience to do so, lol. Happy sculpting remember once you get it all roughed out then you can work on fine details.

Ok those of you working on your bison should have the negative spaces under the belly and legs done.

So we are ready to start working on the details, the face, eyes, nose ,tail, ears, etc. And the horns in case they have to honk at someone roller skating in a bison herd. Ok get to work, when we finish we can start on relief sculpture.

Okay how's your Bison coming along mine is ready to put some fur and details and finish.

Keep in mind I'm not a realist, so if it gives you the impression that it is a Bison I've done my job as an impressionist, lol.

Okay hope all of you are finally finished with your Bison, the four I did are ready for the Tung oil that I'm going to use for the finish, I will apply probably 7 coats with drying overnight and fine sanding between each application. Let's get it done.

Here are my Bison after 3 applications of tung oil, tedious to use but worth the finish and protection it gives to wood. I'll post another picture next week when 7 applications are on them.

Fruits of my labor finally heading to their new homes in Texas and Tulsa.