A commission by a friend to carve a realistic likeness of his daughter and son from a photograph presented a challenge.  But then, if any carver is to grow and stretch in ability, then that carver musters up courage to tap into the reserve of carving experience to try to carve a reasonable likeness.  Such a challenge goes back to what Dave Sabol once said in a class when he stated that every carving project is a practice piece and is a learning experience, so relax and and do the best you can.

My friend wanted the carvings to be in a basswood tree limb just like the “Tree Noggins” that I have carved for years.  So, the pieces of wood were about and inch and half in diameter and four and six inches  tall respectively.  Using Drake gouges for most of the carving with some knife work was a change of pace from my normal “Whittle-Carving” with only a knife.  But then it is a learning project and a challenge, so away we go.

The two realistic faces carved into a basswood tree limb give a rustic framing to the carved faces.  Using the photograph as a guide to try to capture the features of each one was a challenge that in the end result  in being a half way likeness.  Howard Feed and Wax was applied to the carving and the bark of the basswood limb.  Finishing it with  only wax  allows the carved features to speak for themselves.  This carving challenge was well worth the journey that will be traveled another time. This challenging experience illustrates once again my philosophy that says, “Would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood.” The only way we learn is to try and the more we try the more we learn.  What a journey this woodcarving experience is while having fun and making some of the best friends in the process.