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CY CLONE is carved out of a six inch by an inch and a half square block of basswood. The pose is of an old geezer in deep thought as he holds his hands behind his back. The mental image of Cy Clone had been napping in the study hall of the sub conscious for a good many years. A smaller version was carved ten years ago as a study go-by which also took a nap. The idea woke up to become a current carving project in preparation for class go-bys. The photographs above begin with a completed Cy Clone. Two instructional photos of how the block is opened standing beside a carved example are in the middle. The final photo is of a completed Cy Clone with two versions of carved to form examples of Cy Clone. The original idea came from Harold Enlow’s 1989 book on carving hobos. Some carving ideas take a while to work their way from an observation to an imagination of a carving subject and finally to reality. The photographs that follow are for study using observation, imagination and comparative visual instruction. Read the rest of this entry »
JESSE of the animated movie Toy Story series is an animated cartoon character. Carving JESSE as a caricature of a cartoon character is a reversal of what is commonly understood about caricatures. A caricature is an exaggeration of realism that sometimes appears to be almost a cartoon interpretation of the real thing. Caricatures and cartoons are separate forms of art and interpretations while having similar characteristics. Caricature carvers often will study cartoon drawing as reference for exaggerating a realistic human face and figure. Sometimes a caricature carving will tell a cartoon like story in its visual appearance. That said, a caricature is still a caricature and a cartoon is still a cartoon standing on their own merits.
A caricature carving is intentionally designed and carved to be a caricature in order to emulate a humorous visual story. A caricature is never a carving that has turned out bad, thus making it a caricature as is so often said by an amateur carver who says, “If this carving does not turn out to be a realistic cowboy at least it can be a caricature cowboy.” A bad carving does not make a caricature even though a poorly designed and carved caricature can become a bad carving.
A caricature is determined by either its style or theme. Andy Anderson, Emil Janel and Harold Enlow wrote the book, so to speak , on a style in caricature carvings inspiring carvers to learn a style of caricature carving. But within that style of caricature carving there developed the theme of caricature carving which has branched out into many other styles of caricature carving. Some caricature carvings are very exaggerated while others are very subtle in their caricaturization, thus remaining true to the theme more than the style of certain types of caricature carving.
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CAVEMAN was a recent carving project carved using only a knife to experiment with using the tip of the blade to texture the animal skin sleeveless robe the caveman is wearing. Also, his face was carved to emulate a larger jaw structure to his skull and his hair is long and scraggerly to depict his caveman characteristics.
Every carving is a learning project and every new carving subject compels one to discover how to carve into wood what the imagination envisions. CAVEMAN was carved out of a four and a half inch tall by an inch and a half square block of basswood and finished with artist oil paint and boiled linseed oil. The four photographs offer a visual study of a carving project that is “so easy that a carveman could do it.” “Yabba-dabba-do”
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WHITTLE FOLK EGGS are caricatures carved into a basswood hen egg that shows the head, arms and trunk to right below the belt line. The subject being displayed in this photo essay is a “motorcycle dude” in that he has his hands on his handlebar mustache. He has a braided pig tail on the back of his head underneath a bandanna head covering while his pants are held up by his suspenders. All those little touches adds character to the caricature. Each is carved using only a knife in the Whittle-Carving style of the WOOD BEE CARVER. Read the rest of this entry »
Abraham Lincoln’s likeness is carved in cottonwood bark as a commission carving for a very good friend who is also a carver. While most carving done by the WOOD BEE CARVER is carved using a knife and carved in basswood, yet on occasions other carving tools and wood will be used. Every carving project is a learning experience especially those outside the comfort zone of the familiar.
The carving tools used for this project were made by Everett Cutsinger who for years has made carving tools out of flat or spade boring bits. He is a craftsman with steel and tempering in his own right and using his special made tools are a joy to use. Good and sharp tools make any carving project a dream come true as there is a special thrill to watch, feel and hear the tool slicing through the wood on its path to shape a carving creation.
The photographic journey that follows will expose some of the major landmarks on the progress of BARK ABE on its way to its final destination as a completed carving worthy to be hung on the wall.
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Nine members of the River Valley Wood Carvers participated in a Whittle-Carving class in Taylor Mill, KY April 14, 15 and 16, 2011 becoming the latest group of Survivor Students of the WOOD BEE CARVER’s approach to carving only with a knife and a square block of basswood. Pictured in the photograph are ( front row left to right): Mickey Huston, Ed Stover, Bob Manning (second row) Don Potter, Bill Wright, Dick Middleton (third row) Barry Pennington, Jim Clear and Rob Witzke.
During the three day class the students learned the A-B-C’s of Face Carving through the exercise of carving a Three Version Face Study Stick (as is described by that title under “Cool Links”) and by carving a full figure of choice from the variety of Go-By examples of clowns, hobos, old geezers, cowpokes, Civil War soldier, sea captian or a cowpoke bust.
Each student stayed right up to the end to receive the recognition of being a SURVIVOR STUDENT of Whittle-Carving adhering to the WOOD BEE CARVER’S motto: “Would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood.”
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GO-BY’S are in essence “models” used for comparison during the carving of a given subject. Some GO-BY’S are carved to basic form and others are completely carved to give a before and after appearance for study and comparison. Often GO-BY’S are used during a class setting where students can study the intricate and subtle carving cuts as well as the basic overall design of the basic form as well as detail finishing touches. The two photographs above offer a variety of subjects that are carved to the basic form of a Santa, old geezer with pipe and crooked stick, a carpenter, a wizard and a gnome shown in a front and rear view.
In the following photographic journey are various GO-BY’S that are being used in scheduled classes and are offered here as a photographic study. (click on each photo to enlarge and then back arrow to return) A photographic study is to allow the picture to speak a thousand words by visually studying each carving in an imagination carving mode imagining how each was carved out of a square block of basswood using only a knife in the Whittle-Carving style of the WOOD BEE CARVER. Read the rest of this entry »
JESSE of the animated movie Toy Story series is an animated cartoon character. Carving JESSE as a caricature of a cartoon character is a reversal of what is commonly understood about caricatures. A caricature is an exaggeration of realism that sometimes appears to be almost a cartoon interpretation of the real thing. Caricatures and cartoons are separate forms of art and interpretations while having similar characteristics. Caricature carvers often will study cartoon drawing as reference for exaggerating a realistic human face and figure. Sometimes a caricature carving will tell a cartoon like story in its visual appearance. That said, a caricature is still a caricature and a cartoon is still a cartoon standing on their own merits.
