The Wood Bee Carver normally carves from a block of wood and seldom carves a rough out since there is a difference of creative approach in the carving process.  With a rough out the basic shape has been determined and the carver carves in the details within the confines of the predetermined design, kind of like coloring within the lines in a coloring book.  Some creative license can be applied in the detail portion of the carving process so that the finished rough out carving does not look like every other rough out carving of that subject.  In the case of DaRokk, instead of inserting a spear in the left hand of the caveman, a rabbit was carved and inserted in the back of the left hand.

Photo on left shows the outline of a rabbit drawn on a small block of basswood.    Instead of cutting out the rabbit on a jig saw, the rabbit was whittle-carved to its basic shape from the block of wood.  Using only a knife creates a more natural way to shape the rabbit by allowing the knife to get the feel of the sculpturing process.  The photo on the right shows the carved rabbit in position behind the fist of the left hand. Before the hind legs are inserted into the left hand, the legs are strengthened by drilling a fine hole through the leg mass into the body in order to insert a stainless-steel wire embedded in epoxy.

The left photo shows the tips of hind leg paws are carved inside the fist between the thumb and index finger.  The middle photo shows the opening in the back of the fist carved to receive the hind legs of the rabbit. The photo on the right shows the rabbit with hind legs securely glued inside the closed fist.

The next series of photographs show the painted version of DaRokk holding the rabbit and various views.  Notice the fur texturing of the tunic and how the fur was carved by inserting the tip of the curved tip of blade into the tunic in a random pattern of subsequent cuts.  Occasionally some of the cuts were enlarged to give the appearance of uneven levels of fur.

The final photo shows the knives that were used to carve DaRokk using a variety of the WOOD BEE CARVER Signature Knives made by HELVIE KNIVES.  Left to right of these Blues Brothers are BUZZ BEE, BUZZARD BEE 2, BUZZARD BEE, BUSY BEE 2 and LITTLE STINKER 5 (Detail knife).

The DaRokk rough out may be ordered from HELVIE KNIVES on their web site http://www.helvieknives.com under RoughOutStore.  Knives maybe ordered off the same web site or by calling 765-675-8811.

Carving from a rough out can be a challenge but every challenge becomes a fun learning experience in creativity.  Have fun carving and the more one carves the more fun there is to be experienced.