OOOOOOPS!!!!Yep, I did a big oops alright. I failed in my design despite researching my subject thoroughly? I don't know how I managed to get it into my noodle that Moray Eels have an upper and lower fin. I am simply flummoxed by that misbegotten notion. It is a cardinal rule to always have a photo nearby when carving to keep reminding yourself of certain features and aspects of the subject. My printer happened to be playing up at the time, which meant I did not go back and check on a photo as often as I should, resulting in the extraneous and superfluous fin on the bottom of my eels. Much to my shamefaced chagrin, I had to go about removing said fins I had been toiling to perfect. I am very surprised that no one on the woodcarving site I attend picked me up on it. Not to despair as I have now corrected the oops and gotten on with finishing my piece.
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FinishingAnyone who has been following this series of wood carving demos will be aware of the types of finishes I was intending for this piece. What I ended up doing was applying a coat of Danish Oil to the Eels once I was finished Sanding. When that dried I added a sheen of Carnuba Wax, which I utilised to give the eels a healthy, warm shine. I used many shades of green, black, grey, yellow and ochre to achieve the effect of imitating 'living rock', with the base. I used my wonderful Easter weekend in the mountains to finish all bar the final stages of this piece.
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Final TouchesBack home and I guess it would be around my 7th day on the project, I have glued in place the 'coral'(Tea Tree) and the piece of driftwood posing as a branch of black coral. I have puttied the holes and touched them up with various paints etc. With the exception of signing the bottom and maybe placing cushioned protector pads to the base, it is completed. I am a little concerned about several large cracks developing in the base, but that is part and parcel of the experience of carving with timber. Having averted sure and certain disaster once I carved off the offending fins, I am reasonably satisfied with the outcome. I hope you agree.
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