'Short Eared Parliament' (Phase 48) by Shane Wilson
April 13, 2013 Categories: Short Eared Parliament
'Short Eared Parliament' (large flying short eared owl - back wing and tail complete) by Shane Wilson
The tail and back wing of the large flying owl are now complete.
Since my intention is to create the impression that the back wing recedes into the sculpture away from the viewer, the definition of the carved elements along this wing are less emphasized (less sharp) than the elements in the forward wing. It is a fine line, because it is necessary to retain enough punch in these elements to register the design as a wing.
While I think I have struck an appropriate balance, it should become clear if modifications to further lessen the emphasis on the back wing will be necessary as the body and head are completed in the coming weeks.
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'Short Eared Parliament' (large flying short eared owl - back wing and tail complete - detail) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (large flying short eared owl - back wing sketched and tail roughed in - detail) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (large flying short eared owl - back wing contour roughed in and tail sketched - detail) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (Acrylic Stand - Design) by Shane Wilson
April 08, 2013 Categories: Short Eared Parliament
Tom McCaw, Industrial Plastics and Paints in Nanaimo, British Columbia, is designing a clear acrylic stand for ‘Short Eared Parliament’. There are four different design possibilities, though my preference is the one featured above.
'Short Eared Parliament' (acrylic stand proposal - detail) by Shane Wilson
Much will depend on the actual physics of the completed sculpture. The stand is designed to support the weight of the sculpture on the two antler shafts. Since the upward distribution of weight along the antlers will cause the sculpture to tip forward, a small central stop will be added to steady the skull just behind the tipping point in order to present the carved surface of the sculpture at an optimum viewing angle.
'Short Eared Parliament' (acrylic stand proposal - design variations) by Shane Wilson
When the sculpture is completed the precise tipping point will be calculated and the best support profile chosen.
'Short Eared Parliament' (acrylic stand proposal - detail) by Shane Wilson
Much will depend on the actual physics of the completed sculpture. The stand is designed to support the weight of the sculpture on the two antler shafts. Since the upward distribution of weight along the antlers will cause the sculpture to tip forward, a small central stop will be added to steady the skull just behind the tipping point in order to present the carved surface of the sculpture at an optimum viewing angle.
'Short Eared Parliament' (acrylic stand proposal - design variations) by Shane Wilson
When the sculpture is completed the precise tipping point will be calculated and the best support profile chosen.
'Short Eared Parliament' (Phase 47) by Shane Wilson
April 05, 2013 Categories: Short Eared Parliament
'Short Eared Parliament' (large flying short eared owl - wing) by Shane Wilson
I learned something about flight and the wing during the carving of this large wing on the nearest flying short eared owl.
The wing is an arm with two fingers. The large primary feathers attach to the larger of the two fingers while the secondary feathers attach to the forearm.
But the most extraordinary thing I learned was that the short eared owl’s wing is duplicated, that it has a miniature second wing called the alula, attached to the second finger, which is used with great precision like a spoiler in low speed flight to add lift and control.
All birds have the alula, but the short eared owl seems particularly gifted at its use.
'Short Eared Parliament' (Phase 47 - right antler) by Shane Wilson
While roughing out the marginal wing coverts, it occurred to me that the covert feathers seemed to resemble scales. I wondered if there was a connection and was pleased to discover that, indeed, feathers are thought to have evolved from scales. How marvellous!
'Short Eared Parliament' (Phase 47 - right antler, low angle) by Shane Wilson
Of all carvings in antler, the vast majority feature birds. And of those birds, the vast majority are eagles carved with wings extended in flight. (This is perhaps due to the natural large eagle-wing shape of the antler in proportion to the eagle-head sized antler base and coronet.)
It follows that feathers are the most commonly carved objects in antler. Usually they are represented in minute detail with every barb meticulously carved. Though a legitimate approach - this level of detail in antler may create a literal version of the bird’s anatomy - the sense of the whole, living bird (the proverbial forest) tends to get lost in the treatment of the individual feathers (the proverbial trees).
As one possible solution to this problem, I have carved variously angled, contoured planes on the surface of each grouping of feathers to indicate dimension and life. The flow of light and shadow over these surfaces creates the effect of feathers as they might appear in flight on a living bird.
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'Short Eared Parliament' (large flying short eared owl - marginal wing coverts roughed out) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (large flying short eared owl - primary and secondary feathers and coverts roughed out, beginning on alula feathers) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (large flying short eared owl - wing outline trimmed and feather pattern outlined) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (Phase 46) by Shane Wilson
March 08, 2013 Categories: Short Eared Parliament
'Short Eared Parliament' (lower flying short eared owl - final detail) by Shane Wilson
When I embarked on the bird watching component of this project, unsuccessfully as it happened, I met one of Nanaimo's more notable bird watchers and bloggers, who went by the moniker Brit Birder in BC. Asking him about the short eared owl, he recalled a rather grizzly tale involving the mobbing of the only short eared owl he had seen so far that year. The account appeared in his blog:
"I noticed something of a commotion going on some distance away, involving around 40-50 ravens. They were all flying around, quite high and seemingly excited by something. Getting my bins on them, I noticed a short-eared owl amongst the melee. The ravens were relentlessly mobbing the owl, which was flying around in small circles, in a panicked state. Convinced that the shortie would soon break away and head for cover, I kept watching, fascinated. Suddenly a sub-adult bald eagle flew through the flock and grabbed the owl in its talons. It flew up, mangling the owl in the progress, and then spiralled downward, eventually releasing its limp victim, which fell toward the ground pursued by a mob of murderous ravens. Very curious behaviour, and not a little depressing! I've seen owls mobbed by all manner of things in the past, but this is without doubt the first time I've seen such a brutal, and terminal, finale."
Clearly the short eared owl is not an apex predator, sitting proudly atop the estuary or meadow food chain. Loss of nesting habitat from development also poses a threat for the short eared owl.
This little fellow's backward glance hints at the vulnerable aspects of the short eared owl's life.
'Short Eared Parliament' (Phase 46 - right antler) by Shane Wilson
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In this phase, the principle challenge was to create a believable head with a sense of volume and direction. The curve of the antler moves away from the viewer and thins considerably making this extremely difficult, especially given the much larger thickness available for the back and tail feathers.
'Short Eared Parliament' (lower flying short eared owl - final detail from side) by Shane Wilson
The fact that the head is rotated backwards on less than a 3/4 viewing angle was also a cause for concern when 'reading' the carving. A literal rendering of the reference image left the impression of a head deformed. To remedy this, I rotated the head back slightly toward the viewer, hinting subtly at the backward orientation by pushing the carving of the left side of the head (from the viewer's perspective) almost to the back of the antler, and reduced the head's diameter on that side slightly, drawing the eye back toward the beak. (For other facial 3/4 relief carving treatments check out this Q+A on antlercarver.com.)
The final challenge was to carve the eyes in such a way that they gave the correct impression in relief of a binocular backward glance. To accomplish this, both eyes are slightly indented on the left side.
'Short Eared Parliament' (lower flying short eared owl - head roughed out, with slight rotation back toward the viewer) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (lower flying short eared owl - head provisionally roughed out) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (lower flying short eared owl - wing and tail complete, back feathers roughed out) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (lower flying short eared owl - major planes blocked out, primary wing feathers roughed) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (lower flying short eared owl - major planes laid out in pencil crayon) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (Phase 45) by Shane Wilson
February 14, 2013 Categories: Short Eared Parliament
When these owls fly for the purpose of finding a meal, they give the impression of incredible lightness and agility, their impossibly long wings more butterfly-like than bird. They dip, twist, and skim low over grass and short brush before popping up, then dropping down on an unsuspecting vole or snake.
Short eared owls are diurnal, hunting in the morning and evening when the low sun casts their shadows away from the ground beneath their flight, disguising their presence while exaggerating the forms of the creatures they hunt. Brilliant birds.
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Despite many hours of bird watching at the Nanaimo River Estuary Reserve, where short eared owls spend their winters, I never spotted a short eared owl.
On the day before I began carving this flying owl, on my daily walk through a light industrial area far from the owl's reputed wetland home, I spotted strange movement over a back-filled gravel and scrub lot. I knew right away that it was a short eared owl. It is said that chance favours the prepared mind, but wow, what a gift! I stood spellbound for an hour while the owl hunted and rested, hunted and rested, unconcerned by my presence.
This is that owl.
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl, close) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (Phase 45 - right antler) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl - final detail) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl - body, wings and tail feathers refined, face blocked out) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl - body, wings and tail feathers roughed out) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl - major planes blocked out) by Shane Wilson
Short eared owls are diurnal, hunting in the morning and evening when the low sun casts their shadows away from the ground beneath their flight, disguising their presence while exaggerating the forms of the creatures they hunt. Brilliant birds.
**********
Despite many hours of bird watching at the Nanaimo River Estuary Reserve, where short eared owls spend their winters, I never spotted a short eared owl.
On the day before I began carving this flying owl, on my daily walk through a light industrial area far from the owl's reputed wetland home, I spotted strange movement over a back-filled gravel and scrub lot. I knew right away that it was a short eared owl. It is said that chance favours the prepared mind, but wow, what a gift! I stood spellbound for an hour while the owl hunted and rested, hunted and rested, unconcerned by my presence.
This is that owl.
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl, close) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (Phase 45 - right antler) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl - final detail) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl - body, wings and tail feathers refined, face blocked out) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl - body, wings and tail feathers roughed out) by Shane Wilson
'Short Eared Parliament' (upper flying short eared owl - major planes blocked out) by Shane Wilson