Abraham Lincoln’s likeness is carved in cottonwood bark as a commission carving for a very good friend who is also a carver. While most carving done by the WOOD BEE CARVER is carved using a knife and carved in basswood, yet on occasions other carving tools and wood will be used. Every carving project is a learning experience especially those outside the comfort zone of the familiar.
The carving tools used for this project were made by Everett Cutsinger who for years has made carving tools out of flat or spade boring bits. He is a craftsman with steel and tempering in his own right and using his special made tools are a joy to use. Good and sharp tools make any carving project a dream come true as there is a special thrill to watch, feel and hear the tool slicing through the wood on its path to shape a carving creation.
The photographic journey that follows will expose some of the major landmarks on the progress of BARK ABE on its way to its final destination as a completed carving worthy to be hung on the wall.
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WHITTLE DWARFS are whittle (small) whimsical carvings adapted from the magical art world of my good friend Don Stephenson. His drawings of three Dwarf Wizards serve as a backdrop in the photograph of the two Whittle-Carved Whittle Dwarfs. Whittle Dwarfs began as a one and three quarter inch tall by one inch square block of basswood and are whittled into the basic form of Don Stephenson’s drawings. There eyes are covered by their head covering reminiscent of Don Worley’s “No See-Ums” face creations. These Whittle Dwarfs are fun to carve, cute to have sitting around on a table or shelf, lend themselves to whimsical imagination and utilize those little scraps of wood that are too good to throw away.
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Hobbit characters have been popular ever since they first appeared in the writing of Tolkien and subsequent movies. A friend commissioned a carving of a Hobbit which was a new subject for this carver. So the research process that follows the initial idea for a carver began by first going to the Internet research box like Google, Yahoo and Bing. When doing such research always add the word “images” following the subject being researched in order to go to a site dedicated to innumerable images. Next step was to contact my IDEA MONSTER, Don Stephenson who knows about a lot of subjects that he can draw on a sketch pad. He drew up several examples of Hobbits on paper, then drew a Hobbit on the note he included with the drawings, then drew a Hobbit on the cardboard insert for support in the envelope and finally drew a Hobbit on the shipping envelope. Photographs of his drawings are displayed below. Read the rest of this entry »
EGG NOGGINS are heads and faces carved out of a basswood hen egg to be used as a bottle stopper, a bobble head, mounted on a base or free standing on its bottom (as in the first photogrpah on the left.) The variety of faces to be carved is under the freedom of imagination and the experimentation of the carver. Egg Noggins are excellent for the practice of carving faces since the head and face is basically round and egg shaped. Basswood hen eggs cost an average of one dollar each from woodcarving vendors through their catalog or at woodcarving shows as well as Woodcraft stores. Also use only basswood hen eggs as some eggs are made from harder wood making for difficulty in the carving process. Read the rest of this entry »
Bobble Head Santa was the subject of a posting on November 28, 2010 which was the beginning of a fun project. The four photographs above are of a second Bobble Head Santa. Every carving project is a learning experience in that while one is carving, one is also learning innovations one can make in carving a second similar project. Thus there is great value in repeating a project subject over and over again to learn from each one. No two will be exactly alike since the creative process is continuously making revisions and subtle changes to enhance the over all appearance. The procedure used for carving a Santa Bobble Head can be duplicated for any other theme as is illustrated in the second bobble head that follows.
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As a follow up of the “Silent Auction” project for Artistry in Wood Show in Dayton, Ohio of carving a duck-that-is-not-a-duck out of a duck body rough out the photographs to follow will give an example of the creativity and imagination of wood carvers. Some carvers stayed fairly close to the original shape while carving thier imaginative ideas. Others carved away a lot of the excess wood to present a carving that fit into their realm of expertise. All in all it was a fun project with the proceeds from the silent auction being divided between the United Rehabilitation Services and the carver. United Rehabilitation Services is the chaity that the Artisty in Wood and Dayton Carvers Guild donate at least $5000 a year as a way to give the gift of carving back to the community in a very helpful manner. Woodcarvers are not “chiselers” but are generous in more ways that just carving. Read the rest of this entry »
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On this Veterans Day, 11-11-10 this posting will be a variety of carving projects carved and completed in the first half of the eleventh month. They include caricature faces carved into jewelry pins, Santa Pin Heads, two Pirates (three inches tall), two Cowpokes (six inches tall), three Civil War Soldiers (six inches tall), one miniature, a Santa Egg and a Santa Jewelry Pin. The photographic journey that follows speaks for itself. Read the rest of this entry »
The Artistry in Wood Show at Dayton, Ohio on November 13 and 14 2010 will include a “silent auction” of carvings carved from the body of a duck rough out. Participating carvers are to carve a “duck-that-is-not-a-duck” so the imaginative outcome should be very fun as well as interesting. The WOOD BEE CARVER chose to carve a relief portrait of an Indian with the tail feathers of the duck rough out becoming the feather head dress for the Indian. In the photograph at the left, the rough out has a rough pencil sketch of the face of an Indian penciled on what would be the back of the duck rough out. It appears that the rough out is made of tupelo gum wood since it is extremely hard and resists hand powered carving tools. It became necessary to spray a mixture of half water and half denatured alcohol or rubbing alcohol to soften the wood enough to use palm gouges.
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WHITTLE DWARFS are whittle (small) whimsical carvings adapted from the magical art world of my good friend Don Stephenson. His drawings of three Dwarf Wizards serve as a backdrop in the photograph of the two Whittle-Carved Whittle Dwarfs. Whittle Dwarfs began as a one and three quarter inch tall by one inch square block of basswood and are whittled into the basic form of Don Stephenson’s drawings. There eyes are covered by their head covering reminiscent of Don Worley’s “No See-Ums” face creations. These Whittle Dwarfs are fun to carve, cute to have sitting around on a table or shelf, lend themselves to whimsical imagination and utilize those little scraps of wood that are too good to throw away.
