This is a gallery of six Half Pint Indians, each with individual characteristic that in their appearance and pose tell their own story.
Hobos of a nostalgic era of long ago and fixed in our memories are delightful subjects for a carving projects. Hobos were traveling characters who traveled from town to town and all over the country in the tradition of itinerate labors in search for work as a way of life. Cedartown Hobo was carved in a six inch by two inch square block of basswood in Wilmington, Ohio and is now living in Cedartown, Georgia to carry on the traveling way of life.
Six-inch-tall cowpokes carved as the Bunk House Five were carved in August, 2024 and now have been carved as the three-inch-tall Half Pint versions. Six-inch-tall figures are carved in the one-inch scale of an inch equals a foot. Half Pint figures are carved in the half inch scale equals a foot making them half sized to six-inch figures. The other difference is the coloration finish of Half Pint in monochrome one color of Raw Sienna oil paint while the six-inch figures are polychrome of multi color of artist oil paint. The monochrome of one color amplifies the texture of the carved surface making “texture is color” effect.
The Wood Bee Carver has reached that age-old age of 84 with its “slowing down stage” of activities. Wood carving has been central and active part of creative endeavor for fifty years. “Carve to stay Sharp” is my way to keep carving skills up and running since I no longer teach or do carving shows.
This Gallery is a presentation of recent carvings of Favorite Carving Projects in their Dressed Up coloration. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” as the old saying goes and this Gallery will be without words other that these six subjects have been carved several times over the years reminiscent of favorite subjects carved in the Whittle-Carving style of knife carving.
The two photos above are presented for comparative study with the goal to “see to study and study to see.”
Progressive Steps in the progress of Whittle-Carving of the “Nite Lite” character. The Half Pint format uses the scale of a half inch equals a foot. “Nite Lite” is the title of a three inch Half Pint carving depicting an old man wearing his night shirt, night cap and carrying a candle on his way to bed.
Half Pints are three inch by inch square carvings of various figures and subjects that utilize the half inch scale equals a foot of the proportions of a figure. They are slightly above the miniature two-inch size. A monochrome oil finish of Raw Sienna artist oil paint thinned with boiled linseed oil give a soft glow to the surface that allows the faceted texture of the slicing knife cuts to create a texture of color.