Onion man

Here is a piece that I've had in the workshop for a couple of years in a blocked out form, and come the new year I resolved to finish before starting a new project. The design is mine derived from a photo in a pensioners magazine.

Wood: Lime (Tilia x europea)

Height: 12 cms

Finish: Linseed oil and Rennaissance wax

He reminds me of guys I have seen carting long strings of large white onions hanging from the handlebars of bicycles in France and Belgium, seen when I have been out doing geological fieldwork, with the odd good lunch of local bread, wine and salad thrown in. Happy days indeed.

The right eye is supposed to be winking. I have a trick or two to learn here!

This is my first attempt at caricaturing an ear, in an attempt to placate a carving friend who always inspects ear details. He, like me is a geologist, it must be something we've done in life....

Body language!

I sketched out this caricature from a cartoon I found on the Fantasia website, a Walt Disney film made in the 1940's. I was attracted by the action of the piece which posed a few carving challenges.

Hippy-shake

Hippy-shake

Hippy-shake

Wood: Lime (Tilia x europea)    Total height: 12 cms      Finish: Linseed oil and beeswax polish

Hippy-shake is carved from one piece of wood, the complex symmetry necessitated several scaled sketches. Most of the carving was completed with a knife, except in concave depressions where small gouges were used. The knife was particularly effective in carving the deep folds of the tutu.

Doom and gloom

The source of this pattern is obscure like the previous post. I was attracted by the body language, something that hitherto I have paid little attention to.

Doom and Gloom

Doom and Gloom

Wood: Lime (Tilia x europea)

Height: 16.5 cms

Finish: Linseed oil and beeswax polish

The body language spells a miserable mood!
I went to town with stylized folds for the oversize trousers, which caught the effect I was after. Most (90%) of the carving was completed with a knife. I resort to gouges where concave cuts are required.

A Scandinavian in America

The source of this pattern is obscure. Suffice to say that he is one of the old country sons and can be seen in Scandinavian festivals throughout the Midwest of the US.

Lofty

In this instance I have broken some rules and mixed flat plane carving with some of my own style.
                                                          
Wood: Lime (Tilia x europea)

Height: 18.5 cms

Lofty

Finish: Linseed oil and beeswax

I used this occasion to practice a few stylized folds which worked out quite well.