Charles and Doris Leverett hosted for a second time a three day Whittle-Carving class in their Northeast Alabama carving studio on July 16,17 and 18, 2010.  Eight students in the photograph are left to right, Hugh O’Neal, Terry Vance, Bob Zenoble, David Wilson and back row left to right: Murrel McCurley, Harry Rutland, Don Mertz, Charlie Leverett and Greg Douglas.

The three day class emphasised learning to “think inside the block” by learning to see a carving project within a block of basswood.  Several exercises were introduced to begin the process of  “seeing inside the block,” and opening the block to expose the carving subject.

The first exercise was carving a round ball in a square block and then using that round ball as an illustration of how the head of a carved figure can be turned to one side or the other as well as up or down.  Center guidelines were drawn on the carved ball to indicate the direction the face would be looking.  The sides of the ball were sliced off to illustrate that the human face is two thirds wide while the length of face is three thirds.  Planes and angles of the face were carved into the ball as the beginning stages for carving a face to its basic form.

The next carving exercise began with carving the hat of a cowpoke followed by the basic form of the head going up into the hat.  Once the hat and head are carved to basic form then the rest of the block is divided into the Rule of Three for body proportions and the cowpoke’s outfit can be designed.  While shaping the basic form of the overall figure of the cowpoke another exercise was introduced  using the “Face-Eye Study” that can be found under “Cool Links” in another part of this blog.

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Individual instruction and demonstrations were given to each student throughout the three day class as each student carved to refine their project.

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GO-BY’S were used for design examples as well as instructional observations .  Students carved right up till the last hour of the third day having their carving far enough along to finish it at home guided by the memory of experiences learned.  Woodcarving and learning are an ongoing and never finished endeavor that continues the journey while enjoying the people one meets along the way.

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Doris and Charlie hosted a delightful pork bar-b-cue on Saturday night with spouses invited to join in the social occasion that included ice cream and blue berry topping.

Here the class is gathered carving out a “Lunch” on the last day of surviving another fun learning experience in woodcarving as well as friendship that comes because of woodcarving.   One learns many things while taking a carving class much of which is carried home in the heart and inspiration of the carver,.  As important as classes are, yet each wood carver learns best by doing.  “The more one carves the better one carves,” so each student is encouraged to carve at least twenty minutes a day to keep on the cutting edge of creativity and familiarity with carving.

Thanks to Charlie and Doris for hosting another delightful and memorable woodcarving experience, “Alabama Style.”