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Portrait of Jesus
16" diameter
European Steamed Beech
Clear Finish
2" thick, carved to depth of 1.25"

This carving started with a photo taken of a family friend... a seminary student... whose appearance fit the image I had in mind for this portrait of Jesus. My friend, Peter D., willingly wore a costume for the photos and posed for about an hour as I took picture after picture.

I wanted to portray a calm resolve in the face of Jesus, the resolve He had when "he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem". The crown-of-thorns border reminds us of what was waiting for Him there. 

On the rear of the carving is the following inscription from Hebrews 12:2: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
The bold text is the actual inscription, set in context of the verse. FYI, I have now carved the entire verse 2 of Hebrews chapter 12. It took two carvings to even begin to capture the message. 

Sometime soon, I'd also like to tackle Hebrews 12:1 which reads:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
The picture of the artist (me, above) and the carving was taken beside an open door, where the cross-light is strong.
Directional light - as opposed to dispersed light - is needed to properly display a relief carving.
The clear finish used (sanding sealer/wax) produces a satin reflection that allows every tool-mark to be seen.
The two pictures above show the relative size of the carving. The inscription carved into the back of the carving is from Hebrews 12:2.
I decided to tool-mark the entire back side of the carving instead of sanding it smooth. In my opinion, the carved surface is classier.
A couple of screws and a wire allow the carving to be hung securely.
The photo of the model, above, was taken with a digital camera, using a tripod. Steady shots are so important when taking photos that will be used as reference in a carving. Whenever shooting portraits I always look for indirect lighting that does not produce dark shadows and high contrast.

The photos below are LINKS to larger images. Click on the photo you wish to view in a larger format.
The pattern, below, starts with a detailed tracing of an enlarged color photocopy of the original photo. Photocopying allows for proper scaling and cropping of the photo.

Several drawings are needed before the line drawing takes on a more refined look. The crown of thorns is stylized and drawn completely by hand. It took several attempts to produce a perfectly repeating pattern that fit the circular format of the carving. Notice the layers on the lower perimeter of the figure, and how they overlap the crown-of-thorns.

Depths, signifying the routering depths, are added to the pattern last, and indicate the highest point in a particular area.

A light table is invaluable in the design process, allowing drawings to be superimposed and traced from one layer to another. Full-sized photocopies of the pattern need to be made in order to permit cutting of the pattern as it is traced from one layer to the next as the carving process unfolds.