Wolf Totem Hiking Stick

[Steve in VA]

I don’t do much hand carving, but decided that I’d like to try a few pieces this winter. I got a used book - Carving Wolves, Foxes, and Coyotes - that helped me immensely. I then used my pyrography pen and acrylics to paint the face and decorate the rest of it. It’s capped off with a copper tip and finished with Danish Oil.

I’d love to hear your honest critique and tips on how I can improve on the next one.

 

[Steve in VA]

A few more detailed pics as it’s fully decorated around the entire stick with symbols.

 

[Mike Hill]

Superb!

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

Very detailed for a hiking stick! That one would be a city stick. I would be wary of damaging that one. The carving is excellent for a hiking stick. I have seen very few dogface sticks. Plenty of snakes, several duck and eagle, and the occasional wood spirit, but can't recall too many wolf/coyote/fox heads

 

[Tom Smart]

"Branching" out, Steve? Very cool! That's a lot of work.

What's the wood?

 

[Nature Man]

I really like it! Sure has an Indian flair. Is there a meaning behind the collection of symbols you have used? Your carving skills are beyond elementary! Chuck

 

[SENC]

Very cool, Steve! No critique from me, I love it!

 

[Eric Rorabaugh]

Well that's cool!

 

[JD1137]

Beautiful job Steve - I hope I can find some time to try something like that and hope it would end-up half that good. Excellent.

 

[trc65]

Wonderful work! Do the individual totems have significance to you, or were they chosen for artistic reasons?

Not a critique, but an observation, I'm sure you could make the carving more "lifelike", but if you had, wouldn't have fit on a totem "stick" stylistically. It fits the theme/style of the other totems well.

 

[Steve in VA]

"Branching" out, Steve? Very cool! That's a lot of work.

What's the wood?

Trying to Tom! I’m not sure what type of wood it is. It’s been around for many year. The wolf’s head is basswood though.

 

[Steve in VA]

Wonderful work! Do the individual totems have significance to you, or were they chosen for artistic reasons?

Not a critique, but an observation, I'm sure you could make the carving more "lifelike", but if you had, wouldn't have fit on a totem "stick" stylistically. It fits the theme/style of the other totems well.

Thanks Tim! They do have some significance for me, though many of them can interpreted many different ways.

I appreciate the observation on the realism and hadn’t thought about it that way. You’re probably right about it, but I was going for the most realistic look I could get. I need to work on my painting of hair to get the fur down much better than it is. I never really painted much - other than with a roller and much bigger brushes

 

[Karl_TN]

This walking stick has great character. I lke it.

 

[trc65]

Thanks Tim! They do have some significance for me, though many of them can interpreted many different ways.

I appreciate the observation on the realism and hadn’t thought about it that way. You’re probably right about it, but I was going for the most realistic look I could get. I need to work on my painting of hair to get the fur down much better than it is. I never really painted much - other than with a roller and much bigger brushes

I've never done much painting other than eyes on a couple turned cats and I spent over an hour practicing for them, still weren't that good. Think the fur may be where you need a really old brush! You know, the ones that only have about one hair left!

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

You might try using a wire brush on a piece of scrap and then you coat it with a base color, followed by dry brushing your highlight color. The texture will then make the fur instead of trying to create it using paints only

 

[Steve in VA]

You might try using a wire brush on a piece of scrap and then you coat it with a base color, followed by dry brushing your highlight color. The texture will then make the fur instead of trying to create it using paints only

That’s a great idea and I may play around with that for the next one! I watched a number of videos on YouTube on painting fur, but just couldn’t get it right and nearly as fine as I wanted to.

I think I’m going to try a bear for my next one. Thanks for the suggestion!!