Mermaid Piece

About a week ago we had the last meeting of my summer woodcut class in Belmar.  That was after we had skipped a week for Independence Day, and one of my students asked me if I had done any new prints since our previous meeting.  No, as all my spare time was taken up by class preparations and seeking a new summer job.  I have spent the past two weeks attending trainings for that job.  But those end this week, the class is over, so it's time to get thinking about the next project.

I don't have another print in the works quite yet, but I do have a project going.  Back in the spring my brother and his wife requested something beyond just the usual saint print, which I completed a few weeks ago.  What they want is a relief sculpture of a mermaid, which will eventually hang in the bedroom of their new daughter.  Well, relief is my specialty.

Karen gave me a sample image, which I redrew onto a piece of birch plywood, and set aside.  Have some time now, so I may as well get going on it.  Today was the next step, using a sabre saw to start cutting out the rough shape of the figure.  Results are below.

Using the electric saw could only get a rough cut at this point.  For the detail areas around the face and hands I'll need to cut with my coping saw and other more delicate tools.  And when the shape is finished, I can use my gouges to give form and depth to the body.  I don't know if they have a plan for the surface or not- natural wood, hand coloring, etc.  But I need to get the cutting and carving done before I worry about any of that.