The iconic image of an aviator is a Fly Boy wearing a leather helmet with goggles, a leather jacket with sheep skin lining and the proverbial scarf blowing in the wind.  This aviator was Whittle-Carved out of a six inch by inch and half square block of basswood using only knives to shape the wood.

The gallery below will present panoramic views of the aviator in order to view this carving as if holding it in your hand and turning it around to see the various intricacies of design in the outfit and pose. Notice that there is a subtle sense of movement in the use of “no straight lines” in the flaring of the clothing with its folds, wrinkles and texture of the pose. The head has a slight turn to implies a pensive look of the face and eyes scanning the distant horizon. The colors are subdued to suggest the uniform of purpose rather than the flash of a show off flair.

The next portion of the photo gallery is to view the progress development of the carving process in its various stages from carving the basic form and on to the final detail carving. The first two photos are of the beginning stage of carving the basic form of the head and head covering.  Once the head is established then the body proportions can be drawn with horizontal lines at the shoulders, the waist and the mid knees to indicate the Rule of Three for Body proportions.  Within these three proportions the landmarks of the arms, legs, feet and clothing borders are drawn to become a visual guide for carving the body proportions to their basic form. The last three photos will show the aviator carved into its final detail presentation ready for the coloration process.  Artist oil paint thinned with boiled linseed oil provides the color that is then followed with a finish of DEFT, a brushing lacquer.

The Aviator is ready to fly the friendly skies of imagination.