Steer Skull

This piece was an interesting challenge and a deviation from the typical pieces I’ve made. The majority of the skull is carved out of a single piece of walnut wood. This is very different from what I typically do because it demanded that I sculpt curves and contours from a square block to form a natural bovine skull shape. The horns were an additional challenge which alone have a very distinctive shape that I was trying to mimic. I used a belt sander to slowly remove material in order to create the horn shape.

After final shaping and sanding, I added paint to show off the curves and contours of the shape with the goal of creating a realistic final appearance. The final step was to add oil which had the effect of darkening the wood tones accentuating the curves of the head and horns. I am thrilled with the final result. It feels very authentic.