The Gunslinger Caricature was carved out of a basswood block seven inches tall by three inches square.  The original design was done by Chris Hammack who carved the caricature and its photo became the front of a greeting card.  A wood carving friend shared the photo with me.  The unusual posture of the gunslinger presented a challenge to carve.  Carving gouges were used to carve the basic form with knives used for the detail carving.

The six photographs above are to study the basic form of the gunslinger using the original photograph of the caricature as a guide for the basic posture.  Carving gouges were used to carve the caricature to its basic form.  Knives were added to do the detail carving as will be evident in the next series of photographs of the completed carving.

This interpretation of the gunslinger makes him  younger than in the  photograph of the original caricature carving.

Every carving one does becomes a learning experience, a challenge to one’s ability and a stretch to one’s imagination to create a carver’s interpretation that fits the style and personality of the carver.  A carver uses many sources for study and inspiration but in the end carves a carving that reflects the carver’s own personality in what is called, “Carving one’s own niche.”