One of the exercises used in teaching the Rule of Three of Facial Proportions and how to open up a block of wood with the primary landmarks of a face uses the progressive steps face study depicted in the photo above. Each step is demonstrated by the instructor while the students carve each demonstrated step. The demonstrations cover the basic steps of 1 through 5 in the photo above with additional demonstrations by instructor of a variety of the mouth with or without teeth. The finished detailing as depicted in step 6 is done by each student at a later time. The instructor’s demo face studies accumulate following each class which are finished with detailed carving at a later time to complete each face. The result is the variety of faces as depicted in the following photos. Read the rest of this entry »
The WOOD BEE CARVER often says “every carving project is a learning experience and journey.” LADY KNITTING is a new carving project that began with a mental picture of a lady sitting in a chair while knitting. Research was made to search for photos of hands holding the knitting needles and a woman sitting in a chair while knitting. Such research put the mental picture in clearer focus which would guide the shaping of the block of wood into the basic form of a lady knitting. “Design by carving” is the process of allowing the design of the concept to develop during the modeling or roughing out stage of the carving process. Such a design took into consideration the shape of the chair, how the female figure would be seated in the chair, the position of her arms and hands holding knitting needles in the act of knitting and the shawl being knitted in the front of the hands with a ball of yarn behind the hands. Read the rest of this entry »
The WOOD BEE CARVER often says “every carving project is a learning experience and journey,” and advises that the second and third time one carves the same themed carving, learning takes another path to discoveries. This approach allows the carver’s creative sub conscious to guide the carving process with fresh interpretations of a familiar subject. MOTHER AND CHILD II is the second version of a similar carving as described in the December 27, 2015 posting entitled MOTHER AND CHILD Study which can be reviewed as a frame of reference comparison. In this latest version the pose is opposite from the first version as well as texturing of slicing cuts presents a fresh interpretation. In other words, the second version is not an exact copy of the first making each one unique in appearance. The photos below will show the carving from various angles. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by: woodbeecarver in Knives
The three SIDE KICK knives were put to the test in carving the basic form of a woman sitting in chair knitting. Each knife used a variety of slicing cuts to shape a six inch by three inch square basswood block. The result is a large basic form or rough shape of the knitting lady ready to be refined with detail carving. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by: woodbeecarver in Knives
The term “Side Kick” normally refers to a unique relationship between two people and means such things as a confident, a partner, a companion, one who helps, an assistant, a wing man, a go to guy, best friend, straight man in a comedy due, one who compliments the other by doing what the other cannot do, one who in content to give the other the limelight and a duo team. Famous Side Kicks were Tonto as Side Kick to Lone Ranger, Gabby Hayes as Side Kick to Roy Rogers, Ed McMann as Side Kick to Johnny Carson and Robin as Side Kick to Batman. Read the rest of this entry »
The year was 2011 and a patron requested a commission carving of Harriet Tubman. Such an iconic historical figure whose contribution to freedom and consciousness to the moral character of our nation’s greater good is a humbling charge to memorialize in a wood carving. To add to the pressure of accomplishing such an endeavor is to understand the love, honor and respect the patron had for Harriet as a hero to her people as well as all she accomplished for her race and for women’s suffrage. A daunting task that required study and research by the carver to come to know Harriet Tubman as one who lives on through her humanitarian acts of bravery to lead many of her people to freedom from slavery by way of the Underground Railroad and moral leadership as an abolitionist and suffragist. The U.S. Treasury on April 20, 2016 honored her memory with the announcement that Harriet Tubman will be the new face on the twenty dollar bill by 2020. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by: woodbeecarver in Knives
The VIPER III is the third and smallest version of the VIPER series of the Wood Bee Carver Signature Series. The design of the curved cutting edge and the downward angle of the snaking shape of the blade allows it to snake its slicing action into areas difficult to reach. Even though the one inch small blade has all the appearance of a “detail knife” yet it is an “all purpose” carving knife. The small radius of the curved cutting edge slices smaller chip removal than a larger radius blade while still being capable to removing a lot of wood in the shaping process in a small package. It is very versatile when carving small carving projects as well as being functional for taking small cuts in the shaping of a larger carving project. Once the carving project is carved to its basic form, the VIPER III continues to carve in the details with precise slicing cuts. The accompanying photos are examples of VIPER III used to carve each completely using only this one knife. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by: woodbeecarver in Knives
The knives pictured above are left to right: VIPER II, VIPER, DRAGON, SIDE WINDER and SIDE KICK.
The WOOD BEE CARVER has been primarily a knife carver for over forty years and during this journey knife blades and handles have been developed through experimentation of trial and error discoveries of what carved the best. A curved cutting edge produces a slicing cut and is the most efficient in reaching into areas that a straight cutting edge cannot reach. Read the rest of this entry »
