Rich, Holli and daughter Skylar Smithson are owners and manufacturers of Helvie Knives  which includes their signature series.  The carving of Cinderella  utilized three Signature Knives in carving a ten inch tall Cinderella on a two and a quarter inch by four and a quarter inch base.  Skylar especially likes the Princess characters of Disney creation and is the recipient of this carving to add to her collection as a three and half year old who loves wood carvings.

Every carving project is a learning experience in which the carver attempts to create the best features of a particular subject.  Carving the female face is more of a challenge than doing a caricature of a male face because female features are soft while the male face has hard lines.  So even though Skylar immediately recognized the carving as being Cinderella by saying “It is HER,” yet from this carver’s perspective the face is not as soft, feminine or as youthful as had been hoped.  So it is back to trying again on the next feminine project to carve the face closer to as it should be.  This is another example that carving is an every growing and learning experience with each carving being simply a “practice piece” from which to continue to do one’s best.

The photograph gallery shows various views of the carving of Cinderella to serve as a study of carving female figure and facial features as well as a benchmark for comparison with realistic features.  The Painting Softly method of using boiled linseed oil and artist oil paint mixed together into a thin stain was used for the coloration of this carving followed with a coat of Deft brushing lacquer.

One final thought is to never turn away from doing challenging carving projects of experimenting out of one’s “comfort zone” of carving only the familiar.  Expand the carving horizon by stretching one’s imagination and carving ability to reach another rung of the carving ladder of creativity.  Sooner than later any carver will experience improvements in greater challenges.  Any carver who is not challenged  remains a “chip maker,” rather than a carver of imagination.  Imagination is the dream chaser that reaches for the stars.   The WOOD BEE CARVER’s motto remains “would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood.”