mermaid

Robbin Wenzoski Mermy

Click on photo to enlarge

Quite often the log finds its way to me. This Cedar log came from a friend’s yard with a couple of other relatively large pieces saved also. !

It just stood there for a couple of months with no ideas when one day I decided to sit with a pencil & paper & within 5 minutes the sculpture came to light

The main form of the mermaid blocked out. This one, & quite often, no lines to go by, just let the imagination go & draw with the saw!

The upper torso arms/hands & head roughed out to relative shape & position

Working from the midsection down to the legs & fin. I knew I wanted to make the mermaid the full length or height of the log with a large sweeping tail.

Working the mermaid’s hair into general shape along with the Cobra overlooking her.

The first Dolphin is now roughed out in it’s, what seemed to be, natural position on the log.

Working the Cobra’s length & position from top down & the mermaid’s hair on the right side.

With the mermaids tail to shape I moved on to Dolphin # 2 & got it to shape.

Another view of Dolphin #2

As you can see, I have had to add Dolphin #1’s fins due to lack of wood in this area. The sculpture ha also graduated from a chainsaw caving into a sanded finish. I have a real hard time stopping at the chainsaw stage!

Dolphin #2 fins & tail along with some finer details progressing. I use an air die grinder with Kutzall carbide bits & the same with a Dremmel for the finer details.

Due to drying & cracking I have had to dowel & epoxy the fin on the dolphin & have filled the major crack across the mermaid’s tail with an epoxy/sawdust mix.

A closer look & some finer shaping & sanding done on the tail.

The mermaid starting to take her “shape” with an arbor tech mini sander & dual action air sander. Fingers are also laid out on the hands with the Dremmel tool.

The Cobra, mermaid hair & more coming to shape & final smooth finish as I take advantage of a beautiful day & move outside.

I had one large knot/section left & contemplated for a time what to carve there. Decided on a Sea shell. Doing the rings on the shell with the Dremmel tool.

Smoothing out the hollow behind the shell & trying to keep the spiral lines on the shell symmetrical & smooth flowing.

The mermaids right hand coming to shape & proportion.

The mermaids face, my first one of three on this carving. Kinda funny & the first Cobra head detail lines laid out.

The mermaid’s left hand also gets some attention!

Dolphin #1 needed some repair to its face & I made some eyes from Cocobolo. The eye socket cut & fitting the eye.

A close up showing the eyes turned on a lathe out of Cocobolo.

My first attempt at the Cobra head...not!

Another few hour’s progression of the mermaids face.

Dolphin #1 shows cracks filled in its nose & obviously needs the mouth fine tuned.

The Cobra has changed quite drastically with the mouth open, much improvement.

A forked tongue added out of Cocobolo for a more realistic representation

My first “sort of human” looking face. Need some major practice still!

Gluing with epoxy, the fins made previously. Trying to get them in symmetrical position.

Another view from above.

Fine sanding for hours on end with the dual action & 180 grit paper.

Finished with 2 generous coats of oil mixture!