Miniature Shelf Squatters are carved out of an inch and half by inch square block of basswood in the Whittle-Carving style of carving only with a knife. The first Shelf Squatters were carved twenty five years ago and for several years were one of the carving projects used in woodcarving seminars and part of carving shows display table.  As a novelty carving project, it served as a simple carving project for the practice of a variety of faces beginning with a square cornered block.

The two photos below are visual instructions for preparing the inch and half by inch square block for the blank to carve a face and head of choice.  Using a fine toothed hand saw cut a saw kerf at a slight downward angle cut about two thirds across the block to establish the base that will sit on the shelf.  The area under the saw kerf is marked at a ninety degree angle using a business card as a square.  The area to be remove under the saw kerf will be whittled away using the carving knife to begin getting the feel for whittle-carving a miniature-hand held block of wood.  In both photos there are examples of how the removal of that area will produce a squatter that will squat on the shelf at an angle in order to counter balance the finished squatter.

The three photos below are of a Pirate Shelf Squatter in three views for study purposes along with other individual Shelf Squatters that follow as close up facial studies.

[Click on Photos to Enlarge]

The final two photos are instructional facial progressive steps to aid in developing a visual understanding of the basic planes and angles of the facial features to guide the beginning stage for carving faces.  Every carving project is a practice for carving the next carving project upon which one builds a confidence to grow through observation and skill of doing the carving process. Imagination grows by imagining that if it can be imagined it can be.  Carving Miniature Shelf Squatter will aid the imagination of carving.