Wood Project Reflection

At first I started my wood project by sanding everything down with a sanding bit on a dremel. My first time working on the project I began experimenting with different parts of the piece to see what I wanted to work on first. In the beginning, I decided to work on things surrounding the snake. During the process, I consistently smoothed out the snake. I created a small tunnel underneath the snake and a slightly larger tunnel underneath the belly of the second snake. These tunnels helped define positive and negative space. In my first plans for the snake, I wanted to create a pattern of snake scales, but then I discovered that the different values of the burl created its own pattern through its lines and shapes. When I chiseled out the snake tale/ second snake, I found contrast between the snake/animal side of the piece and the other, more human side. The contrast created a kind of balance that helped with the unity of this form.
These cave burnings were not very difficult to complete, but did take a few more minutes than I first thought it would take so I could go over it and make it clear. I also had got a suggestion from my dad to add eggs to the snake like it was protecting them. This idea I had been brewing in my head so I did this instantly. However at first I only added the snake eggs to the burning. I noted that the large snake need something more, so I decided to add the eggs there. The larger eggs were harder to chisel out because the wood was again, quite dense. This theme carried throughout the piece. My next main goal in this piece was to figure out other tools that might work better for various jobs. I fold that the best tool for making thin lines was most definitely a small cutting