11
Jun

SPLIT PERSONALITY

   Posted by: woodbeecarver   in Noggins

SPLIT PERSONALITYA “Tree Noggin” is the name of this style of Whittle-Carving using a basswood tree limb.  Carving through the bark to reveal the inner wood on this particular Tree Noggin revealed two colors of wood.  One half was honey brown and the other half was creamy white.  Basswood can be either color but seldom are the two colors combined in the same limb.  Definitely a “split personality.”

So in carving a face into the limb the curvature of the mouth on the dark side is a frown.  On the light side the mouth is a smile.  Looking at the face straight on, the mouth looks like a crooked and side way letter “S”.  Looking at the profiles in the next two photographs one can see the dark side and then the light side with special notice of the curvature of the mouth.

SPLIT PERSONALITYSPLIT PERSONALITYThe dark side profile of the first photograph shows the mouth with a frown.  The light side profile shows the mouth with a grin.  This carving is an example for each of us to be aware that sometimes we may frown and other times we smile with a grin.

Remember that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile.  Carvings help us to look on the light side of life.  This may be a clue to we carvers that the more we carve, the more fun we have and the more fun we have brings a grin to our inner being uniting any splits in personality.  So pull yourself together and smile at life and the discoveries that can be made under the bark or behind the frown.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 11th, 2009 at 1:10 pm and is filed under Noggins. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 comments so far

 1 

Don, that’s great. What’s the size of the limb, and is it green or seasoned? I’ve done some woodspirits, but they are bearded. I like the way you’ve taken the chin into the wood and tilted the head. Now I’m going to try a Tree Noggin! Like I didn’t have enough carving projects going. 🙂

Bob

June 12th, 2009 at 11:05 am
 2 

Second try at this. I don’t think WordPress likes me.

Don, that’s great! What’s the size of the limb, and is it green or seasoned? I’ve done some woodspirits, but they are bearded. I like the way you’ve taken the chin into the wood and tilted the head. Now I’m going to try a Tree Noggin! Like I didn’t have enough carving projects going. 🙂

Bob

June 13th, 2009 at 8:39 am

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