Carving a Detailed Dove Wing Study
Complete Tutorial
Welcome to my two-part video tutorial on carving a dove wing. The purpose of this video series is to demonstrate the essential skills and techniques necessary for bird carving. One of the most defining features of any bird is its feathers. Once you’ve mastered the general process of carving these intricate features, a multitude of creative possibilities opens up for wood carvers interested in sculpting birds.
This project focuses specifically on carving the wing for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it involves sculpting various types of feathers, providing excellent practice with diversity. Secondly, carving just the wing requires considerably less time compared to crafting an entire bird with intricate details. However, the end result is still a finely finished sculpture that looks impressive when mounted in a box frame, serving as a captivating “Wing Study.”
Continue watching with Part 2, below.
So far we have carved the feather groups along with the individual feathers. Here in Part 2 we shall be working on the finer details and I’ll be giving plenty of tips and shortcuts on how to achieve this. Towards the end we will be working on finishing techniques and the mounting of the finished carving in a box frame.
Resources.
Please use the link below to download and print off the “Dove Wing” template.
Timber Used.
European Lime Wood.
Similar/alternative materials:
American Basswood, Maple, Sycamore, Ash, Holly.
Tools Used:
This list of tools is not in any way a rigid requirement, but they are listed to give an idea of the tools that can be used and are just the ones that I happened to use on this occasion.
32mm number 9 straight gouge
32mm number 6 Fishtail
30mm number 2 straight gouge
1″ number 9 straight gouge
1/4″ 60 degree straight V-tool
3mm number 9 gouge
20mm number 1 straight chisel
6mm number2 fishtail
Swann Morton number 4 scaplel handle with number 26 blade
Abrasive: grades 180, 240, 320, 400.