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As always, the chainsaw and grinders' work was never done.
And there was no escaping the dust or the idea that once you combine the sawdust, mask, headphones and glasses-- you can spend hours being pretty uncomfortable.
And then it is time for the head. In this case, an early coat of a basic flesh color is painted on to make it easier to see the final figure.
Doing the head before the body was not something I had done before this but I promised the Gaylord folks that I'd do the head sooner than usual, in order to get them a feel for the final product, because, remember, they had not seen the head until these photos went out.
Now, after about 6 straight weeks of work, I am beginning to feel that I can conquer this piece. I am pleased with the overall pose and just feel on track and in control. It may sound foolish, but trust me when I say that you don't always feel "in control" of your own piece!
One of the tricks of the trade is that Babe is in two pieces until darn near the end. It makes so many things easier to accomplish. And it usually shocks you to see him unhinged like this, but I think that is a growing testiment to the reality of the piece. If it seems odd to see him like this, then to your mind, it is less a block of wood and more a statue of a man. It's a good thing.
And here is my little baby boy, Thomas, having his first look at the Babe on the day that Babe gets his uniform number 3 carved in.
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