Jack Price - Carving Small Characters in Wood: Instructions & Patterns for Compact Projects with Personality

1996, 2019 by Jack Price and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

Carving Small Characters in Wood is an updated edition of Carving Small Characters, published in 1996 by Weasel Publishing Co. The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the author. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

ISBN 978-1-4971-0018-3

eISBN 9781607657101

Studio photography by Mike Mahalo: pages ii (top right character), vvi, , and front cover (except for quarter).

Character names and step-by-step photography by Jose Gamero. Additional photos by Jose Gamero: pages ii (left three photos and bottom), , and back cover (bottom three photos).

All carvings by Jose Gamero except those pictured on pages .

Shutterstock: Front cover quarter/Spiroview Inc; page paintbrushes/Zadorozhnyi Viktor.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Price, Jack (Jack A.), author.

Title: Carving small characters : creating wooden caricature figurines /Jack Price.

Description: Updated edition. | Mount Joy, PA : Fox Chapel Publishing, 2019. | Revision of: Carving small characters. -- Celburne, Tex. : Weasel Pub., 1996. | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary:

Caricature carver Jack Price shows his process for creative small

wooden figurines. Includes step-by-step projects and tips for finishing

carvings-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019024076 | ISBN: 9781497100183 (paperback) Subjects: LCSH: Wood-carving. | Wood-carved figurines. Classification: LCC TT199.7 .P73 2019 | DDC 736/.4--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019024076

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To LaMonne, my raison detre.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The purpose of this book is to teach the reader how to carve small human figures from blocks of wood using a limited assortment of tools. Throughout the book there are pictures and text that show and describe how to make the cuts that produce delightful small characters.

This book is divided into four parts. Part one, Carving 101, includes some rudimentary information about tools, wood, and carving cuts. Experienced carvers will find this portion superfluous and may want to skip ahead.

The second section, Carving 102, describes in detail how to carve the body of a small person, how to carve a face, and how to dress and paint the character.

The third section, Carving 201, portrays ways to carve more sophisticated characters. The information in this section will enable the carver to make the face and head more interesting by adding parts, making facial alterations, and repositioning the head.

The last section, Carving 202, contains the Rogues Gallery and information that will be helpful to those who seek excellence in character carving.

This book describes the way I carve small characters. It is not THE way; it is MY way. I have tried diligently to take the reader from a pattern on a block of wood to a carved character that makes people smile.

Some of the cuts that I advise will produce parts of a character that are not anatomically correct. Of course, a 2 in. (51 mm) carving of a person with a head that is one-third the length of the total piece is usually not considered to be a realistic carving. The only requirement for these little people is that they must be cute or darling or some such adjective. These are some of the words that people who buy my carvings use to describe them. Of course, I agree with them wholeheartedly.

Good Luck!!!

My Pedagogical Beliefs

In the years that I have taught people to carve small characters, my students have taught me many things. It is the same with this book. I tried my very best to write a book that a neophyte carver, who could read and follow instructions, could carve a satisfactory character just by following the written instructions and studying the pictures.

Special thanks to Bill Gilbert, my good friend of many years, who encouraged, exhorted, goaded, and nagged this neer-do-well to complete this book. In desperation he made me an offer I couldnt refusefree word processing and consultation. I accepted gratefully.

Thanks also to members of the Caricature Carvers of America, a group of carvers so awesomely talented that my association with them has stimulated me to aim a bit higher.

Additional thanks to my many carving friends who encouraged me to complete the book by constantly asking, When the X@c*% will the new book be available?

Special thanks to Melvin Mar and Debbie Welch, two graphic design experts, whose know-how, creativity, and artistic ability elevated the appearance of this book from ho-hum to something special.

In 2014, Jose Gamero had developed an interest in wood carving and was looking for the opportunity to start. By coincidence, he discovered Jack Prices legendary book Carving Small Characters. Jose absorbed every word Jack put into his book, and since then he has not stopped carving little characters and other figures. Joses carvings and photographs made this new edition possible.

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They are fun to carve.

Carving these little characters is energy efficient. The process does not require great strength and large muscles are not overworked.

Carving small is environmentally friendly; very little wood is used per character.

The cost of wood is minimal. They can even be carved from other peoples scrap wood.

It is often easier to find 1 in. (25 mm) basswood than it is to find thicker wood.

Only a few tools are needed to complete a project.

Each character can be completed in a short period of time.

If you mess up a carving you can toss the piece away and start another character without feeling a loss of time or money.

Carving compact characters can be done almost anywhere. If you carry a piece of wood and a sharp pocketknife with you whenever you are away from home you can make idle time more enjoyable.

Small carvings make excellent gifts. They can be produced in a short time and each is highly prized by the recipients.

They make good prototypes for larger carvings. If you want to do a large character, do a small one first. Work out some of the problems on a small, inexpensive piece of wood rather than goofing up a large expensive piece.