This little fella, called A Good Man, received his true colors the first week of June.  He had been carved in April using a carving knife made by Allen Goodman.  He stands three inches tall having been carved from a one inch square block by three inches.  He was carved exclusively with the Goodman knife in the “Whittle-Carving” style.

Several poses of A Good Man gives a good, all around view of this Whittle-Carving.  The last photograph shows the Allen Goodman knife used to carve this little fella.  Allen makes a fine carving knife that has a up-sweep cutting edge and the back of the edge has a slight “sway back” curve.  The design of this blade shape along with the springy flexibility of the blade allows for good slicing cuts and coming out of a cut without the back edge slowing down the cut.  A Good Man was carved as a test of the versatility of Allen’s knife and it certainly passed the test.  An Allen Goodman knife is a Good one. Read the rest of this entry »

The FOUR SEA CAPTAINS are the final results of the previous post entitled “Battle of the Knives.”  The sea captains have received the painting process called “Painting Softly,” as described in earlier postings. Read the rest of this entry »

Most carvers have more than one carving knife and if the truth would be known, we carvers have in unquenchable thirst for accumulating carving knives.  Among the several carving knives that a carver uses, which one is a cut above all the others?  Which knife maker makes the better knife is sometimes a question asked as the search goes on for the best knife. Read the rest of this entry »

Even though the WOOD BEE CARVER is primarily a knife carver, yet learning to carve using real carving tools and other  carving styles is a way to stretch one’s horizons.  As often as I have a chance I take a carving class for the experience of learning something new and challenging.

Every carver should consider taking a carving class from time to time for learning and inspiration.  We can read and study carving books and magazines, be observant at wood carving shows and participate in woodcarving club activities, but nothing takes the place of participating in a carving class.  One learns not only from the instructor but also from fellow students.  And besides it is a great way to makes good friends. Read the rest of this entry »

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The carving subject called “The Fundamentalist” has been carved several times.   The August 20, 2008 posting offers a tutorial on carving a six inch tall Fundamentalist. In this posting the approach will be to offer several photographs as a visual study in the various stages in the carving of two Fundamentalist, twelve inches tall.  A visual study is to study each photograph by allowing the eye and mind to explore the carving progressions imagining the carving process.  Sometimes this is the best way for self discovery rather than having everything spelled out without reading between the lines. Read the rest of this entry »

Snowmen are fun little carvings that seem to catch the imagination of anyone who has a memory of making a snowman out of the first snow during childhood.  In a way snowmen are one of the few positive things one can remember about snow unless one is fond of snow sports.  The snow I prefer is that of memory and of carved snowmen because I am like the fellow who said he likes the four seasons of Summer= Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer and Next Summer. Read the rest of this entry »

The WOOD BEE CARVER has always practiced “learning by doing” using the philosophy: “Would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood.” Within that philosophy is the awareness that “Woodcarving is more the journey than the destination,” which means that it is in doing the activity of carving that is more important that the completed carving. Read the rest of this entry »