Woodcarving

Another ancient folk art: wood carving. It's pretty much what it sounds like, but there's a myriad of ways to carve wood, from chainsaw to chisel. Anything from large, rough hewn cuts to smooth polish can be achieved. A fun thing to work with on this image was trying to simulate how a wood gouge cuts with the grain, as well as some traditional patterns that have arisen from it, like the little notches along the tail and the mane. I also enjoyed simulating that high gloss finish, that sinks down into any ridges and catches the light. On real wood the finish can really sparkle and make the wood glow.

Chris Pye
An example of a carved box
Windsor Wood Carving Museum
Bas Relief wood carvings