JESSE of the animated movie Toy Story series is an animated cartoon character.  Carving  JESSE as a caricature of a cartoon character is a reversal of what is commonly understood about caricatures.  A caricature is an exaggeration of realism that sometimes appears to be almost a cartoon interpretation of the real thing.  Caricatures and cartoons are separate forms of art and interpretations while having similar characteristics.  Caricature carvers often will study cartoon drawing as reference for exaggerating a realistic human face and figure.  Sometimes a caricature carving will tell a cartoon like story in its visual appearance.  That said, a caricature is still a caricature and a cartoon is still a cartoon standing on their own merits.

A caricature carving is intentionally designed and carved to be a caricature  in order to emulate a humorous visual story.  A caricature is never a carving that has turned out bad, thus making it a caricature as is so often said by an amateur carver who says, “If this carving does not turn out to be a realistic cowboy at least it can be a caricature cowboy.”  A bad carving does not make a caricature even though a poorly designed and carved caricature can become a bad carving.

A caricature is determined by either its style or theme.  Andy Anderson, Emil Janel and Harold Enlow wrote the book, so to speak , on a style in  caricature carvings inspiring carvers to learn a style of caricature carving.   But within that style of caricature carving there developed the theme of caricature carving which has branched out into many other styles of caricature carving.   Some caricature carvings are very exaggerated while others are very subtle in their caricaturization, thus remaining true to the theme more than the style of certain types of caricature carving.

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GO-BY’S are in essence  “models” used for comparison during the carving of a given subject.  Some GO-BY’S are  carved to basic form and others are completely carved to give a before and after appearance for study and comparison.  Often GO-BY’S are used during a class setting where students can study the intricate and subtle carving cuts as well as the basic overall design of the basic form as well as detail finishing touches.  The two photographs above offer a variety of subjects that are carved to the basic form of a Santa, old geezer with pipe and crooked stick, a carpenter, a wizard and a gnome shown in a front and rear view.

In the following photographic journey are various GO-BY’S that are being used in scheduled classes and are offered here as a photographic study. (click on each photo to enlarge and then back arrow to return)  A photographic study is to allow the picture to speak a thousand words by visually studying each carving in an imagination carving mode imagining how each was carved out of a square block of basswood using only a knife in the Whittle-Carving style of the  WOOD BEE CARVER. Read the rest of this entry »

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The WHITTLE FOLK ART  certificate serves also as an educational tool for classes that the WOOD BEE CARVER  teaches.  Whittle-Carving  is carving only with a knife as an exercise in one of the most common forms of Folk Art.  The certificate states the Motto of the WOOD BEE CARVER  as “Would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood.”   Next comes the  WOOD BEE CARVER’S Rules  of one line lessons that are extremely important to the practice of Whittle-Carving.  The first four deal with the importance of “slicing with the cutting edge” as being the most efficient cut with a knife (as it is with any carving tool). The other sayings on the certificate hold significant meaning worth thinking about, but for this posting the central theme is that of learning to “slice with the cutting edge,”  as often as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

MAGNETIC FACES  are carved out of a half inch thick  by one and half inch by two inch block of basswood as an exercise in face carving.  Every carving project should be seen as a learning experience or a practice piece in which the carver learns to stretch one’s imagination and carving ability.  These particular faces  have a magnet epoxied into the back  and will serve as examples of face carving for  instructional purposes.  Such faces could also receive jewelry pin backs so they could be worn on clothing.  For this particular exercise they are simply examples of faces carved with a knife in sculpture relief or half round carving.  Each one is an attempt to carve a different feature, a certain look and a trial run of carving a different face each time. Read the rest of this entry »

Rick Jensen is a good carving friend who is known among carving circles for his expertise in carving and teaching how to carve whimsical houses out of cottonwood bark.  He teaches all around the nation and has authored a book entitled “Carving Tree Bark.”   He is a popular teacher who has influenced untold number of students who go on to create their own unique designs of tree bark houses.  His fun loving personality, good sense of humor and generosity of spirit endears him to all who call him friend and beloved carver.  When I asked him if I could use his image for an instructional posting he more than graciously agreed which is just like his passion for encouraging carvers to experience the joy and satisfaction of carving.  He is sometimes known by his nick name of “Bark Boy” but even more he is known as a respected carver, teacher, judge and all around nice guy.  In studying his face in the photograph one will notice a strong face with character and a smile of friendly welcome. Read the rest of this entry »

Artist author and instructor Andrew Loomis influenced several generations of budding artists and his work still is influential.  The plate to the left is one of his illustrations of facial planes to help in viewing the basic shape of the human face.  If one is to become comfortable with carving faces in wood, one needs to be able to see the human face in various ways to fix an image in the mind.  It is part of what I mean when I say, “Think inside the Block,” (the Block Head as well as the Block of wood)  as being able to see in the mind first the basic shape of the human face.  It is the mental image that guides the carving hands and tool to shape the wood into a human face.  By using a study of facial planes both visually and carving facial planes the carver will be able to carve to shape a face that looks natural and pleasing. Read the rest of this entry »