"Dory" started out as usual, a block of wood. But, how was I to pose the little blue fish?
Oh well, I'll figure that out when I get there.
As she begins her transformation I plan to simply set her on a small pedestal.
Being my first "fish" carving I plan to keep her fins close to her body to reduce the chances of breaking them.
Above all I struggle with her eyes and mouth as those two features give her personality.
Decision time! I cut off her tiny pedestal and opt to give her a "sea bottom" scene.
(This too was my wife's idea.)
Once the sea plants were glued in most of the paint would need to be applied before I glued "Dory" in position.
I used a mixture of saw dust and wood glue as a filler for the transition between all three figures.
I inlay a short sea plant, a larger one and "Dory" in the roughed out "ocean floor."
The now thinned area where "Dory" is glued onto the base can easily break. "Dory" needed another contact point for additional strength.
The plan was to strengthen "Dory" with another glue point on her left side. Her left fin is "fitted" to the tall sea plant and glued.
... and voila!
Now that does it! But something just isn't right. I take a minute out to contemplate what to change and it dawns on me, its her smile (or lack of one).
I took a fine burr to her jaw to add more shape and what a difference.
Here's the finished "Dory."
