carve a totem pole

However, I decided to use hand carving tools and take it very slow rather than using a chain saw and chisels. The finished project will be much more inspiring and I’ll learn how to create a masterpiece as apposed to cheap mimicry…

I have not yet begun to carve… and actually, I’m a bit nervous now that I’m getting closer to starting. It is such a fragile and yet potentially lasting canvas, that I would hate to mess it up. I found a website on totem pole making at http://www.totem-pole.net/, and so I will spend some more time researching this project before I go any further. So this will actually work towards my study daily goal as well…

The tree trunk is 22 feet 5 inches from top to ground and I have about 70 percent of the bark off of it now. Unfortunately I found some termites in it and so I am in the process of kicking them out while I finish cleaning the tree and doing my drawings. This is going to be fabulous and my ancestors will smile upon me for my labors in their honor. I am praying for them and the Great Spirit to send a bald eagle to nest on my land… Wouldn’t that just be the greatest?

I suppose that I should first determine how tall I want each segment to be and then I need to get an actual measurement of the height of the tree that I’ll be using. I think each segment should be at least 2 and a half to three feet tall so that each will be clearly discernable from a distance… What to start off with though, I’m thinking that it should start off with a circle or even a hole around which would be the pictograms of the ancestors that first came through to this world. I have included a picture of the base of the Wil’ Naq Oq Laxa totem which is exactly what I have in mind… I can worry about what to do afterwards once I have finished the base.

and so I have plenty of authentic material for working on a 20 foot tree in my backyard which the power company cut the top off of and trimmed all the branches. It is ideal for my purposes and I started working the bark off of it yesterday and sprayed it for termites today. Tomorrow, I will draw the templates onto its surface in preparation for carving…