Smokey Joe

In my younger days we had a local tramp we called Smokey Joe. He would get about the Kent countryside on a tyre-less bicycle with his worldly belongings hanging from the handlebars. It made our day to see him and this little caricature brings back fond childhood memories.

I used an article by Donald Mertz published in the magazine Woodcarving Illustrated Spring 2010 www.woodcarvingillustrated.com for the pattern and carving tips. The author is a member of the Caricature Carvers of America.

Wood: Lime (Tilia x europea)

Height: 12.5cms

Finish: Linseed oil, oil paint and Renaissance wax

Renaissance wax is a micro-crystalline wax polish used extensively by the British Museum for preservation of art forms. It is hard enough to not show finger marks.

Characteristic features are in the detail e.g. broken shoes, trouser patch, knee and elbow tears, broken shoulder seams.
This was my first experience of creating shadow by deep undercuts. The knee and elbow tears are deeply under cut with a detail knife to create depth and shadow, quite tricky needing good light and a sharp blade!