Pumpkin Faces carved in basswood block measuring 1 and 3/4 inch by 1 and 1/2 inch by 1/2-inch-thick using the new SUPER BEE #28  WOOD BEE CARVER ~ Signature Series Knife made by HELVIE KNIVES. The progressive steps show the various stages in developing the major landmarks of opening up the face to receive the detail carving. The curved cutting edge of the SUPER BEE knife allows for slicing cuts to make distinctive and deep details with a slice and roll action. Artist oil paint thinned with boiled linseed oil was used to color each pumpkin jewelry pin.

Pumpkin Face carving steps using a SUPER BEE signature series knife designed by the WOOD BEE CARVER. First face on left has black vertical line drawn down the middle third of face with red horizontal line across to illustrate where to carve a notch on either side of the center line to form the eyebrow notch (a notch is two angled cuts that meet at the bottom of the first cut to form a ditch or groove} The red V represents the nostrils of the nose that will be cut on either side of the center line with a small notch cut.

Second face shows the red outline of the sculpted slicing cut across the grain to hollow out under the eyebrow notch in preparation to receive the opening up of the eye mound in the third face.

The third face shows the red outline of the three cut triangular cuts to form an opening for the beginning of the eye mound as well as the nose nostril and smile line on either side of the center line and the bridge of the nose.

The fourth face shows the eye mound formed with a notch cut across the bottom of the eye mound beginning at the bottom of the triangular opening and extending across the top of the cheek bone to the outer edge of the eye mound with the second cut of the notch cut forming the ridge of the top of the eye lid. The smile line has been extended as a wide curving and slicing cut from the top of the nostril on either side of the center lines to make a deep ditch in which to shape the rounding of the mouth mound down into the bottom of the smile line ditch. The horizontal ridge across the mouth mound prepares an area in which the mouth will be opened up with horizontal notch cuts on either side of a center line to form the opening of the lips which is followed with continued shaping of the area under the bottom lip with slicing and rolling cut.

The  picture below show  more detailed progressive steps involved in carving a face into a pumpkin face. This visual tutorial cupped with the viewers imagination can figure out the necessary cuts to begin to experiment in carving faces in wood.  Woodcarving is a learn by doing and the only way one learns to carve is to carve. “Keep carving and carving will keep you carving.” (the OLD Carver sez.)