![\"allen-stichler-tree-carving\"](\"http:\/\/stichler.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/WP_20141018_003.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe hat and the hair was to match the drummer’s, except with a design of stars on the hat rather than a moon.<\/p>\n
I debated for a while about the best way to carve the strings; ideally they should be made to be raised off the guitar neck, but with such a small area to work on it could end up a real mess and just look very unclear. Also there would be a concern over very thin long strips being durable over any length of time. I’m not aiming for realism with this carving, the designs are quite stylized, and so I thought just a suggestion of the strings would work. I’m still pondering about the absence of frets; I tested carving horizontal lines (the strings) crossed by vertical lines (the frets) on a small part of the trunk, but it put strain on the spaces between the strings. Looking at the photos now I think the guitar does need the frets, and I can’t think of another way to do them. I’ll try it next time.<\/p>\n I’d been given a CD by Freddy James, “The Doctor”, which featured a drawing of a 1937 Dobro on the cover ~ and it was requested this was to be the model for the carving.<\/p>\n The musician carvings have to work together, and with the drum on the other stump being very simple, I didn’t want to overdo the detail on the guitar. Also, I didn’t want the guitar to be the main focal point, standing out above all else.<\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 I gave him a diamond pattern on the edge of the cloak, and added the guitar strings.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n