# Work In Progress - Hobo



## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Hello all. I started this carving this morning and am working though the roughing out stages. I dropped it on the floor and busted off the right foot. So while it is glue up and drying I decided to do a little WIP posting. Here are some quick shots of the first stages of the rough in. At this point just knives and a large Vtool have been used. This particular pattern is from a very old carving by the Swedish carving family of Trygg. There was the father and several sons. They were very well known for there flat plane swedish style of carving. Flat plane carving uses large bold cuts and much of the detail is painted on. This is not a flat plane tutorial however, I am carving this as I would attack any other band saw blank. A couple pics of the original Trygg carving which is dated about 1957 I believe. 

Thanks for looking as always!

Corey


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## wil141 (Feb 14, 2007)

that is really neat,wish i had the talent for that i really enjoy looking at your carvings.keep them comming.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Hi Corey,

You're not supposed to drop them until your finished :jester:

Looks like you have another masterpiece in the making. Looking forward to seeing it when you are done.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Thanks Guys. Bob, I was lucky it was a clean break and it glued back on fine. You won't be able to tell when it is carved. Here are a few more shots of roughing out the back side of the jacket. Still just knife work and a 3/8 V-tool at this point. Time for a nap!

Corey


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

So you make the poor guy stand there looking at all those knives!!! That is heartless!!
Corey I too really enjoy your work, How did you get started and did you pick it up on your own or did you learn from someone with experiencd? What kinds of knives etc. do you use? I could ask lots more questions but I will give you a break.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Thank you Xplorx4. I appreciate that. Well.... actually I wanted to learn woodburing and got one for Christmas 2007. I messed around with it a little but about that time Bob Noles here ( our favorite moderator ) was looking at carving stuff and showed me the Woodcarving Illustrated forum. One thing led to another and in Feb 2008 I got some basic carving tools and there yah go I was into it head over heels. So it is Bob Noles fault  
There is a guy on Youtube who has posted numerous beginners videos and I carved a little boot as my first project. YouTube - whittler0507's Channel
It's the one in the corner on my website. Carved several other little projects with Gene and just started carving projects from books etc. 
I have about 20 different knives from various makers. They are dedicated fixed blade woodcarving knives, made by woodcarvers themselves. I have about 5 or six knives that I use a lot. Several from Mike Shipley: Ozark County Characters Home Excellent knives. I also use a Gil Drake Knive for a lot of detail: Flat Handle Standard Detail Knife
Different knives have different purposes or at least for me, I use them to do different things or particular cuts. I also have a couple handmade knives that are a real favorite from a guy down in Tennesee, they are fairly flexible and I can use them almost like a gouge. That is what I used on the back of the hobo. Otherwise I have a mix of Ramelson, Denny, Gil Drake, Henry Taylor palm tools. Thanks for the interest. 

Corey


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi Corey,

As usual, you've done a wonderful job my friend.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Thanks Ken for the kind words, I appreciate it. 

Here are the final pics for today. I have tweaked the back side a little more. Introducing a couple of gouges into the carving at this point. Next I will finish the arms except for wrinkle details, set the hands into the pockets properly, rough in the shoes and finish pants all except the wrinkle detail. Separate the jacket from the shirt and set the collar in place. When all of that is done, then I will start roughing in the head and face. 

The tools used so far as shown in the photo from left to right, Alan Goodman 1 3/8 straight knife, Mike Shipley 1 3/4 Detail, Alan Goodman 1 1/2 upsweep knife, 2 Cherries 10mm V-tool, Gil Drake #2 5/8" Gouge, Denny #7 - 3/4 inch. 

Corey


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

nice bud


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

You've just gone from nice to lovely to great to terrific to amazing and now you're at brilliant Corey.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Thanks Bob and Harry, watch me muck it up! LOL

Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

A few more photos. Not a lot of progress tonight, to many interruptions. You may not be able to tell the difference but I did get the hands set in the pockets. Not really happy with it, it is what it is at this point though. Took too much wood off in front the his hands. I do that every time. Rounded up the shoulders some and around the neck area. Raised the crotch a bit. Need to rough in the head and hat so I can do the neck, collar and shirt. Anyway, a few photos.

Thanks!
Corey


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## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Another nice tread to follow.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Well finally got a chance to work on the hobo a little more. Tonight I began roughing in the hat and the also the face.

In these photos I have roughed in the cap and the hair, just a knife was used on this part.

Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

After roughing in the cap, I have began to shape the face a little bit. A knife and a vtool was used here. The vtool was used to trace around the ear and side burns. This way I don't scar the wood with deep cuts. By the way, this is a really nice piece of basswood, carves really nicely. 

Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

More progress, the ears are roughed in, neck is roughed in and shaping the neck a bit. Next I will start roughing in the rest of the face features...eye sockets, brow, mouth mound etc.

Thanks for looking!

Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Well today I carved some on it. My carving buddy Willy died this morning and I had to do something to keep my mind off it so I went down and started carving again on it. This old boy turned out with a very somber face, maybe it was the way I was feeling. Anyway, these first pics are getting the face roughed in. Eye sockets are roughed in with a 6mm #11 and along side the nose as well. Knife work sets in the nose angles and a 3/16 #9 sets the nose wings.

Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Starting to shape the nose further and the mouth mound, shaping the eye mounds as well.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

More shaping of facial features. The mouth mound is rounded and the mouth is cut in with vtool and knife. Shaping up the ears and hair a bit.

Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

The eyes are cut in with a knife in these shots.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

In the next shots, the neck has been shaped up, final shaping on ears, the jacket has been cut in. Also the face changes slightly in the photos to it's current state. As I said earlier, he really has a somber look. Thanks for looking. 

Corey


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## RustyW (Dec 28, 2005)

Corey, You are truly an artist. I wish I had the talent, and the steady hand, to do stuff like this. I am enjoying following the creation of this fellow.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Corey, you were right about the somber part, but you still made Willy proud. Nice work as always!


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## ebill (Jan 17, 2009)

RustyW said:


> Corey, You are truly an artist. I wish I had the talent, and the steady hand, to do stuff like this.


- I agree

- visited Corey's website this morning. An impressive collection of work for such a short time at the craft... "_started carving in Feb 2008_". 

- ebill


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Thank you Bob and Bill. Don't know if I will carve today or not. Just don't feel like it. Thanks again,

Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

RustyW said:


> Corey, You are truly an artist. I wish I had the talent, and the steady hand, to do stuff like this. I am enjoying following the creation of this fellow.


Thank you very much Rusty. 

Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Well at this point I am getting down to the final stages. Here I have began to rough in the shoes and do the final shaping, wrinkles and folds on the clothes. Knife work and several different sized gouges used here.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

It's almost finished here. Just have to finish the hair and clean him up a bit. 

Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Finally finished with the carving. All ready for painting here. He is about 6 1/2 inches tall and about 2 1/2 inches wide. Carved in basswood. 
Thanks for following along. I will post pics when he is painted up. 

Corey


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Corey,

He really turned out great under the circumstances. Can hardly wait to see him painted up.

Thanks for taking the time to share him with us less talented artists


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Bob said:


> Corey,
> 
> He really turned out great under the circumstances. Can hardly wait to see him painted up.
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to share him with us less talented artists


Thanks Bob! I am thinking about making him in a scene. We will see. It's my best piece so far I think. 

Corey


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Corey I'm going to have start nagging you like I do Bernie for turning. So you can teach how to carve excellent work.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Thanks Glenmore, carving is just practice and other than basswood, you don't need a ton of tools ( don't tell my wife that  ) 

Corey


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

That's amazing! Thanks for all the great pictures and being able to see this work in progress. You are extremely talented!


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