in any case, this is a conneticut style pattern i drew out after looking at a bunch of shang wheeler birds....really REALLY learned alot from this bird, and have moved to a more traditional approach, carving this bird with knives, a drawknife, and spokeshave after the initial bandsaw cut out.
bird was the last of my northern white cedar from maine, it's hollowed and damned near as light as a plastic, based out in ronans paints, and finished in grumbacher oil paints....put a bit more emphasis in the bill detail, carving in a little of the lower mandible and carving in both nostrils prior to painting.
headed to south texas as soon as the paint dries............and, i may be following shortly thereafter.
gator
