Smiling Gentleman Portrait Relief

A warm, lifelike portrait of a smiling older man, sculpted in deep relief. This is a high-relief bust — not the tray or mandala its tags suggest — depicting a genial middle-aged-to-elder gentleman with swept-back hair, a lined forehead, laugh-creased eyes and an easy, friendly smile. His shirt collar is captured at the base, and the modelling of the cheeks, brow and hairline is detailed enough to read as a specific likeness. It is designed to be carved as a raised portrait on a flat backing, ready to hang or mount. That makes it ideal as a commemorative or memorial plaque, a retirement or milestone-birthday gift, a family keepsake, or a custom likeness piece for anyone who wants a loved one immortalised in wood. CNC notes • This is a fine, single-sided portrait relief — detail lives in small height changes, so a light, tight-stepover finishing pass matters most. • Rough with a 3–6 mm end mill, then finish with a 1–1.5 mm tapered ball-nose at a small stepover (around 8–10%) to keep the skin and hair smooth. • Choose a tight, even-grained wood — basswood, maple, cherry or pear — so fine facial detail doesn't tear out along the grain. • Mind the orientation of the grain relative to the face, and take a light final pass to reduce fuzz around the eyes and mouth. • Finish sparingly: sanding sealer and a satin oil or wax keep the features crisp — avoid heavy stain that would flood the fine lines.