I am basically finished with the hull of the Diana after about 2 1/2 years.  I am now at the finicky artistic details that take so long.

Now when you think of a sculptor and he describes his technique as chipping away all the pieces that do not belong to the finished image.  Now try that when the image is 2 cm long.

So I have started with the easy pieces. The lions and the figure of Apollo on the stern.  How do you get 3 dimensional carvings with wood that is only 1 mm thick?

You use dental bits and try to get the image.  When the foreleg on the lion shatters you just start again.  Multiple chances.  These will look much better when covered in gold.

Now these are the easy pieces.  I am working my way up to the stern figures and then in a few weeks will attempt the figurehead.

In the future, no one will try to carve this out of solid wood.  A 3 D printer will just make perfect images.

Still I hope Kelly and David will appreciate that I did these the old fashioned way.  A dying art.

lions