The carving of Pete Rose was done for Rich Smithson of Helvie Knives.  It was carved from a two inch by three inch by seven inch block of basswood.  Knives used for this carving were Helvie Knives from the WOOD BEE CARVER Signature series.

Painting the Pete Rose figure included using acrylic color White for the uniform since using White in oil colors does not do as well. Once the White acrylic is applied then the entire carving receives the base coat of artist oil paint Raw Sienna color mixed with boiled linseed oil.  This base coat softens the harshness of the acrylic White and also becomes the color of the flesh areas of the carving. Artist oil color red and black colored the rest of the uniform and shoes.  Once the oil finish dried in a couple of days an application of Deft, a brushing lacquer was applied.

The pose and stance of the baseball figure was developed during the carving to form process from a square block of wood.  The photographic journey shows the stages of development.  The first photos shows three knives used in the initial carving of the basic form which include knives # 7 Honey BEE,#2 with scimitar blade shape and the # 9 the Killer BEE with large blade. Notice that as the wood is being shaped that the various areas of the carving are getting smaller and thinner as they are whittled to the shape required. 

Of special note, observe the planes and angles of the form of the hands holding the bat as well as the planes and angle of the face.  The knives used for the refining of basic form to lay in the planes and angles were the # 7 Honey BEE and the # 10 Hornet BEE knives as shown in the respective photographs.

Carving from a square block of wood allows for the creative process to guide in the shaping of the wood towards the basic form.  As the wood is slowly removed with each slice of the knife blade the design of the carving slowly emerges.  Variations and changes in the initial design will occur as the carver’s creative imagination begins to see and guide the development of the carving. 

Ninety five percent of a carving is carving to its basic form and the last five percent is carving in the final details.  The detail carving stage is the “reward the carver pays himself for having a good foundation,” as the late John Burke was fond of instructing.

During the planning and imaginative stage before any actual carving takes place it is helpful to do research by studying images of the subject to be carved to have a good mental image to guide during the carving process.

Carving a baseball figure with its unique stance and pose is a challenging project, but then it is the challenging projects that push any carver to grow in the carving experience.  As the Old Carver sez, “Keep carving and carving will keep you carving.”