Carving a nicely creepy chair back on the gargoyle chair

My current labour of love is to reconstruct my 1994 gargoyle chair into a new thronereal version with much better arm and back support. I have a special fondness for the original but I have to admit it has always looked much better than it felt to sit upon.

Before...

Here is the original chair as completed in 1994. It's one of my favourite things I have made.

Vision...

Here's my first design sketch that shows how I was hoping to re-imagine it.

...and here's another more developed design.

After...

Well, partly after. Here is where I am with it after a few weeks of work.

Front

and back

Looking good!