Posted by: woodbeecarver in Noggins
Whittle Folk Tree Noggins are Whittle-Carved with a knife out of basswood tree limbs. Other carvers may call them “Wood Spirits” or “Tree Spirits” but the Wood Bee Carver has called them Whittle Folk Tree Noggins since he began carving them over twenty years ago as part of the “Folk Art of Whittling”
Tree Noggins were first carved as demonstration pieces at festivals and carving events since they are simple carvings that can be completed in a relatively short period of time. Observers of the carving demonstration can see before their eyes a section of a rustic tree limb transformed before they eyes into a “noggin” or head of a human figure. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by: woodbeecarver in Noggins
Whittle-Carving heads on wooden clothes pins gives a whole new meaning to the term “Pin Head” and yet the novelty of it seems appropriate. The wooden clothes pins were purchased at Hobby Lobby Craft Store and were made in China. The wood is fairly hard which requires a sharp knife that utilizes slicing cuts. The round ball at the top can be carved into a hat, hair or even a small head. The fun part is in the creativity of coming up with a different face for each Pin Head while letting your imagination and knife have a free rein. Read the rest of this entry »
Two more Whittle Doodles have been added to the Whittle Doodle page under “Main Menu” which can be accessed by clicking on “Whittle Doodle IV and VII and More” Whittle Doodles are free hand carvings done only with a knife to show all the fun and imaginative things that can be carved in a block of wood. Doodling with a knife in a block of wood is at the heart of what it means to Whittle-Carve.
These are my entries into the 2009 Caricature Carvers of America mail-in competition August 27 in Converse, Indiana. I have been entering carvings into competition since 1978 both as mail-in and as part of being a carving show participant. It is a good experience that every carver should do as an extension of the carving experience.
While encouraging carvers to both participate in wood carving shows and entering one’s carvings into competition, I often offer some of my thoughts about competition and judging. Read the rest of this entry »
Larry Piety of Berne, Indiana is a carving friend who I would like to introduce to the visitors of this web log. He is an accomplished carver and his wife Jeannie beautifully paints his carvings. Their partnership in the arts has been displayed for years at the FolkWorks GALLERY of Evanston, IL. http://www.folkworks.com/ with their annual Santa Carvings. Read the rest of this entry »
Jim O’Hara of Grove City, Ohio has been a carving friend for many years whose caricature carving have been an inspiriation to me. It is appropriate that he be introduced through this web log as a way of letting others know of his gift of carving. The photographs presented here cover several years at various wood carving shows and entries in the Caricature Carvers of America competition. Read the rest of this entry »
Charlie and Doris Leverett hosted a three day Whittle-Carving class in their North East Alabama carving studio July 24, 25 and 26, 2009. Participants gathered for a group photograph are (left to right – front row) Mike Lancaster, Charles and Doris Leverett, Tommy Hartline, and David Wilson, (back row – left to right) Don Mertz, Jason Garrard, George Walker, Chris Stevens, Harry Rutland, Frank Miller and Hugh O’Neal. Read the rest of this entry »
Whittle Folk Monks are carved from a three inch by one inch square block of basswood making the face approximately three quarters of an inch long and a half of an inch wide. The face is proportioned using the Rule of Three for face proportions with one third from hairline to eyebrows, one third from eyebrows to bottom of nose and one third from bottom of nose to bottom of chin. Whittle Folk Monks are carved only with a knife with slicing cuts and hard line cuts creating shadows to enhance the detail and simulate movement. Each face is carved to take on a personality of its own as is depicted in the photographic Face Study below. Read the rest of this entry »
