The little eagle’s head has been carved separate from the body. Why?
Tradition is one reason; I learned from others to carve the head and eye first so “The birdie can watch what you are doing.” But the primary reason is that it’s easier to complete the shape and back of the head when it’s not in place. A look at some of the detailed pictures shows that the head looks as though it’s fully carved, but it’s not. No one will ever see the reverse side, so we just create the impression that it’s there.
The body’s pattern has been cut out, so the next step is to attach the head to the body and begin”fairing” the head and body together. When finished, they’ll look like one. At that point, I’ll begin defining the shapes of the feathers, the feather veining, and the final details. After that, I’ll rough out the banner and add the lettering.
Will it stay natural wood with varnish, get painted, or be gilded with 23-carat gold leaf? Usually, that depends on who commissioned the piece and where it will go.
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I never knew it was not all one piece. Now I can’t wait to go to a show and see if I can tell. Do carvers take offense if I were to ask if it’s two pieces or one?
That’s a complex question. Almost all if Bellamy’s eagles were of two pieces, and the figurehead of the Lancaster was made up of nine. If you look at the picture of the large eagle on the wall ( the galeery in the post) that eagle must have had a dozen pieces.
But some are only one piece, and that includes at least three designs I have carved. So the answer is – it depends on the design.
Thank you, Lou. Probably best to ask general questions and let the carver tell me about it. All of these eagles are beautiful!
Wow…