carving doodles

Last night I decided just to doodle and just relax in the moment. So I opened the lower drawer where I keep a few pieces of scrap wood, got out the tools and started to doodle. The first one was obvious and made since with the shape of the wood. The second not as much, I started by shaping the wood some what and then started with a basic nose, nothing fancy, and built the rest from there. The nice thing about this is there is no pressure because this is scrap, this is left over from a rough-out and many people just throw these pieces away. I think I like the hair the most on this one and will remember how it was carved out for future projects, that's the nice thing about carving doodles. You try new technique and if it doesn't work no loss, no fowl. Visit the woodbeecarver's
site to learn from the true master of carving doodles and until then take a look at these.

Carpe diem carving 

three more carvings

I have been busy these last few days trying to get caught up on my carving. I will be setting up at a local church bizarre so am trying to get some carvings ready. Since my last post I have carved three more elves and soon will focus on carving a few Santa's to go with these. The thing I like most is the range I am getting with the caricature of all the ornaments. Even though they are similar (carved from the same rough-out) I like the wide range of expressions and features on each, hopefully so will the people at the bizarre. The carving in the lower row at the far left was an idea that my youngest thought would be funny. He has helped in the past with ideas, my favorite of which was, jack-o-Dan, the Halloween snowman. I have to say was a funny idea that came out really nice, thanks son.

Carpe diem carving

A view from the window sill

One spring day a plant began to grow in the flower bed.  It began small, almost unnoticeable to the farmer who worked the land. He normally grew plants to feed his family and his livestock but this plant had a look that made him smile so the young plant would grow in the soil, just because. The seasons came and went, spring then summer. By now the plant had grown and become quite beautiful among the other plants. It seemed to highlight the green on the leaves of the other plant due to its own unique but pleasing color. But one day a storm came along from the west and the winds were beating against the garden causing the plants stem to break and fall to the ground. The farmer knew God had a design in all things that grow up from the soil and so he took the broken branch and placed it in a small glass. He filled the glass up halfway, having the water surrounding the stem.

Weekly the farmer, busy with tending his crops would empty the small glass and then refill it with fresh water. Within weeks of this process the farmer saw the plan unfolding before his very eyes. Not just in the fields but in the small little glass on the window sill. What was before just a broken stem sitting in water had become a glass filled with roots shooting out from the once lonely stem. As these little roots began to grow and twist under the water, above there was new life on the stem itself. New leaves were forming and reaching out towards the sun. Fresh new color was emerging from this once sad stem that lay in the mud after the storm had passed so many weeks back.

The farmer kept the plant on the window sill all throughout the fall and the winter months as well waiting for spring to return. As spring slowly arrived and as the last frost of the season had been removed by the sun the farmer placed the stem, now full of roots and new leaves, into a pot on the porch with fresh soil holding it in place. He continued to work the land as he had done all his life but this spring would be different. As he did all fall and winter he continued to care for this once lonely stem that had fallen so many seasons back. By summer there was no longer a lonely stem but a full, beautiful plant that was now overflowing with life and color. The farmer sat on his porch as he had done every summer before, reading and enjoying the sunset as it highlighted the growing crops in the field. He thanked God for the gift and lesson of the little stem found in the mud. This plant was God’s reminder to the farmer that in this life even though we all stumble and fall, through His hand we can be made whole again. He opened His book once again and read; 

Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 

another carving done

Well I have completed another carving and this one is fun. I am slowly seeing my cartoonist side coming out in my carvings but still keeping refined and more detailed features. I don't remember if I posted anything on this but last year I bought some Drake carving tools and I have to say they were worth it. Great tool, arrive sharpened and ready to go and a decent price to boot. One of my favorite tools out of the bunch and there are a few, is the one I am going to a lot, my #3 3/8 gouge. I have experimented with where and how to use this one and I have to say it works out well in many areas. I never would have used it in the manor that I do if I hadn't have come across Ian Norbury's website. He is an amazing master wood-sculptor opposed to a caricature carver but carving is carving and a lot of his technique translates over. After all I am trying to mold myself into the carver I one day hope to be so to do this I must be open to any technique or style that will help me hone my own technique and style. I have learned from some of the best and made some great friends along the way, and the journey is far from over.

So this guy I have finished I think has a fun look about him and have to say I am happy with the results, there are always things I would do different but I think for me this will always be the case.

Carpe diem carving  

All four

Thought I would share another picture of all the carvings including the newest one to give everyone an idea of size comparison. This is a example of how you can work from a rough-out pattern and make minor modifications to the pattern to get a different look for each carving. All four carvings are from the same pattern with minor adjustments, which translates to the length of the cap. Then it becomes the carvers responsibility to carve the character hiding in the wood. On a side note one of the carvings I had made a mistake and removed everything I had carved thus far and started over. Any guess on which one it was?

Carpe diem carving