PROGRESSIVE STEPS of a carving subject are a visual aid to visualize the development from the opening cuts through steps towards a completed carving. The examples used in this tutorial also contain the proportional divisions as a guide for laying out the major landmarks of the subject. With each Progressive Step illustration, the viewer is to study the progression of development to imagine what cuts were necessary to accomplish each step. While being a helpful reference tool, the greater function of the Progressive Steps illustration is to help the carver to develop the ability to see a carving develop in one’s imagination. Studying a Progressive Steps illustrations, the viewer realizes that one has to read between the lines, so to speak, when following each step and allow imagination to fill in the blanks in between each step. While these illustrations are of three inch tall figures, the same concept would apply to any size coupled with imagination.
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 Kneeling Magi completes the trilogy of the three wise men carvings. The previous two were standing nine inches tall while the kneeling wise man is six inches tall.
The “Destination” of the journey of carving a mountain man is the finished carving that is displayed in this beginning photographic gallery. After this first photo display the “Journey” portion of the mountain man project will be explained in written explanations and photos of the progressive carving steps towards to finished mountain man.
“Ancestry Gothic” is a recent commission carving project of an interpretative likeness of the maternal grandparents of a high school friend (class of ‘59) using only a couple photographs as a guide along with verbal memories of long, long ago.
The two Indian carvings are artistic interpretation of a warrior holding a spear and shield bearing the name “War Eagle” The other carving is an Indian presenting a peace pipe bearing the name “Lonesome Dove.”
FARM GOTHIC is a parody on the iconic Grant Wood painting “American Gothic,” that is a depiction of a farm couple. In this case the farmer is holding an ear of corn and the farmer’s wife is holding an apple pie inscribed with a wheat design on the upper crust of the pie.
“Quaker Meeting” is a nostalgic interpretation of a husband and wife of the Religious Society of Friends or Quakers. Each figure was carved as a single carving and then mounted together on a base for permanent display.
