The carving project that is the subject of this posting is the “SHAPE UP” carving of five cowpokes in succession but one at a time to complete the project. Each is carved using a six-inch-tall by inch and half square basswood block.
This commission carving of Uncle Sam was carved in a basswood block seven inches tall by two inches square in the Whittle-Carving Style of carving using only knives to shape the figure. Uncle Sam with Scroll and Cane is an interpretative pose of this iconic figure.
This Gallery is of a nine inch tall Calvary officer and a six inch tall Calvary soldier. A detailed description of the process for carving these two carvings can be viewed by clicking on “SHAPE UP the Calvary”
This carving project is the carving of two Calvary soldiers, one is nine inches tall by three inches by two inches while the second is six inches tall by two inches square blocks of basswood.
HEART in HEART is a carving project that inlays a carved heart inside another carved heart using contrasting wood. In the examples of the heart jewelry pin and necklace a carved basswood heart is inlayed into a butternut heart. The other example is a standing plaque with a basswood heart inlayed into a mahogany heart.
The Uncle Sam Five carving project is a commission of five different poses of the character Uncle Sam. Each one begins with a six and half inch tall by inch and half square block of basswood. The SHAPE UP process begins with the guiding concept of the Rule of Three for facial proportions and body proportions. The Wood Bee Carver has used the Rule of Three proportional guide since 1995 for carving and for instructions purposes for figures of various sizes since it is a “proportional” measurement of visual divisions of using eyes rather than a measuring rule.
Vintage Views are nostalgic views of early carving projects of a carving journey begun around 1975 as a budding hobby rekindling childhood memories of whittling as a playful activity of creative exercises of imagination. Many of these early projects were done in a casual schedule of spontaneous inspiration in a slow methodical process of learning while doing by shaping a block of wood with a knife. Many have not been seen in public other than at “show and tell” at carving club meetings and reflect early attempts of doing the best one could do at the time with the level of skill and design reflective of growing with experience.
