Whittle Doodles are an exercise of imaginative free hand carving in a block of wood using only knives to carve a variety of whimsical subjects in the round, shallow and deep relief, chip carving and incised carving in a Whittle-Carving style. The blocks of wood used can be a variety of sizes from an inch square up to a four-inch square by fifteen inches tall. In this latest version called “Whittle Doodle Extreme” the basswood block measures eleven inches tall by just shy of four inches square. The term “extreme” describes both the size and the variety of carved subjects and styles of carving using only knives to do the carving.
FARM GOTHIC is a parody on the iconic Grant Wood painting “American Gothic,” that is a depiction of a farm couple. In this case the farmer is holding an ear of corn and the farmer’s wife is holding an apple pie inscribed with a wheat design on the upper crust of the pie.
“Quaker Meeting” is a nostalgic interpretation of a husband and wife of the Religious Society of Friends or Quakers. Each figure was carved as a single carving and then mounted together on a base for permanent display.
The Red Beard Pirate has been an often repeated carving subject and on this version this pirate will be the subject of a tutorial on the SLOW and EASY method of carving. The first photo gallery will be of the finished and painted rendition of the Red Beard Pirate. Which will be followed by a verbal descriptive tutorial with additional photos of the Slow and Easy carving process.
The unique style of carvings created by Mark Akers are eye catching in their crispness of detail and whimsical signature as is evident in viewing the photo gallery below. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” so let each picture speak to you by studying each with an observant eye of creativity.
Gunny Sack Hobo was carved for Matt Altland who made a couple of knives for me through his knife making business Deep Holler Knives. Hobos were traveling labors who traveled from place to place is search for work and a better life. In their idle time many would pass the time by whittling and carving novelties to trade for food and necessities. The character of a hobo is a natural carving subject.
The Dragon Slayer Knife Cube is a holder for a knife whose blade is inserted into a slot in the top of the cube. The four sides and top in a three-inch cube of basswood is carved in a combination of relief carvings, chip carving and a simulated tattoo texturing.
Carving is an art form and art in its various forms is basically an “interpretation” of the imagination of the artist. Woody of Toy Story is a cartoon figure toy who became the subject carving project interpreting Woody as a caricature figure. In 2011 Jesse of Toy Story was carved as a caricature and now Woody has been carved to join Jesse as a caricature figure.