These two Scottish Golfers wearing kilts were carved as commission pieces.  One was a gift to a friend and the other was for the commissioner.  Each was carved out of basswood six inches tall by one and three quarter of an inch square using traditional carving tools.  The pose of each one is a challenge to carve legs crossed while leaning on a golf club, head turned slightly and other hand holding a pipe. The stripes to form the plaid effect were drawn first with a pencil to follow the contour  and folds of the kilt and then wood burned.

The first series of photographs will be the golfer who will be wearing the red kilt but for now is the bare basswood.

Three panoramic views of the golfer before and after painting.   The plaid effect has received the wood burning procedure on the bare bass wood carving and then appear to be the black striping in the red kilt in the painted carving.

Above are the before and after photographs to make a comparison study of bare bass wood and painted carving of the Scottish Golfer wearing red plaid kilt.

Carving the second Scottish Golfer wearing green plaid kilt adjusted the pose to be looking in the opposite direction from the red plaid kilted golfer as well as having different legs crossed.  Also, on this second carving additional embellishments were added to the hat and the kilt carry-all pouch.

These three photographs show the progression from partially carved, carving completed including wood burning of plaid stripping and finally the painted carving of the Scottish Golfer wearing a green kilt.  The two knives in the first two photographs were made by Bob Barts of Jamestown, North Carolina, who makes a very fine line of carving knives that I highly recommend. www.bobbartsknives.com

Three panoramic views of the before and after appearance of the second Scottish Golfer wearing green plaid kilt.

The two golfers were painted using the “Painting Softly” method described at the left under “Navigation.”

Even though these two carving subjects are similar, yet each one was a challenge in and of itself  in that every carving project is a new journey of creativity.   Each golfer has a personality of his own besides the color of the kilts which is what makes the journey of carving a discovery of the mystery of the cooperation of the creative sub conscious with the craft and skill of carving.  Carving becomes then a journey of adventure and wonderment that can not wait till the next carving project.  At least that is my experience played over and over again and loving every minute of it.