Learning to Carve

I'm a beginner when it comes to carving. I've been sculpting since about 1998. I sculpt with polymer clay, making pendants, dolls, and tiny figurines. I primarily sculpt dragons.

I did try sculpting with clay that had to be kiln-baked back in 1993. I don't know if the sculpture I created was ever actually baked. It was in art class. I had zero control of the kiln and I'm lucky I was even allowed to sculpt as that art class seemed to dole out allowable projects based primarily on gender. Female working with an airbrush? Unheard of. Weaving? Sure, but there was only one loom. Jewelry-making with wax molds? Good luck. I spent most of my time in that class working on drawing with charcoal. But I did sculpt one thing.

Technically, I sculpted a huge dragon with play-dough when I was young. It sat on top of my mom's cabinet for years. Further back than that, I made little hats with floral toppers out of mud.

I have been eating a fair number of avocados of late in an attempt to take in healthier foods. I threw away several pits before realizing I could carve them. Sculpting is very different from carving. When I sculpt, it's an act of building up and carving is the opposite, an art of taking away. It's a new way to think.

This is the first avocado seed I peeled. It's rather pathetic. TINY. My attempt to sculpt it fresh didn't go well.

Meet my rather ugly flower.

I am definitely not ready to tackle dragons yet. This doesn't even look like a dragon.

These were created a few days ago. I knew the avocado pits would shrink, but these shriveled beyond recognition.

After an order from Safeway delivery that went awry , with super squishy avocados not fit to eat, I have these three pits to work with now. I've already tackled one today. They were taken out on Friday and it's now Sunday. In Colorado, this might be long enough to wait in order to successfully sculpt.

Aren't they lovely? I know I'm not ready to take on making a dragon yet. It will happen. I have found it difficult to locate videos or articles about the best way to treat an avocado seed after and during drying. That will come along as I work on learning this new thing.

I already make jewelry. I wanted to make unique pendants and recycle from nature at the same time.

I am not displeased with the results so far. Fingers crossed that they dry well. I will get linseed oil and some sandpaper to work on them. I might even have sandpaper here somewhere.

I'm sure I drive my other half crazy because it's always some new thing and I obsess about said new thing until I conquer it. Do you do that too?