[gene messer]

I noticed alot you guy's have been trading patterns for the flat plane little guy's ... so here's the pattern that I use to carve my little people ..
It's a very simple outline pattern and if you notice .. the head is larger then the body .. but like Thomp said .. when you get that small .. to get detail on the head and face ... you have to enlarge the head a little bit .. There is no front pattern .. I dont use one ... The reason I like it .is because you can add a hat to it .. do whatever to change the pattern ..

On 5 inch characters .. I make my body's 1 5/8 inches wide
On the 3 inch character's .. I make the body 1 1/4 inches wide
on the 4 inch characters .. they are 1 1/2 inches wide
on the 2 1/2 inch characters .. they are 1 1/8 inches wide
Under 2 inches .. your own your own ...

I know it is not a impressive pattern .. but for me the simplier .. the better
The little guy next to the pattern is 2 1/2 inches high ..
I simply reduce or enlarge it with a copy machine ..
Feel free to copy it .. change it .. Throw it away ...or do whatever to fit your style ..
Just so long as I get to see the great finished pieces is all ....

Good Luck
Gene

[mwilleson]

Thanks for sharing that Gene. A pattern doesn't have to be complex and a simple one like yours gives you lots of room to let the character evolve!

[wood-whittler]

gene,

i have seen that pattern somewhere before, thanks for sharing.

bart

[Thomp]

Thanks for sharing gene,

im gonna have to buy a book on this method, so i can tell where to start and how to make these cuts, angle of attack and all..
or maybe im just to old of a dog to figger it out on my own.. but not this month iv spent my allowance momma said.

I guess if we create a charter and pattern on our own we can post and share them, without any problems.. as i understand it.

[whittlewomen]

I've done 1682 little people and I started by taking a four hour class with Jack Price in 1984! He has an excellent book called "Carving Compact Charicatures." It is a step-by-step book on doing these carvings. I've taught the class at least a hundred times and everyone seems to enjoy doing them. They really do have their own personalities after painting!!
I start with a block of basswood 7/8X7/8 and 2 to two and a half inched tall. I do block it in first then do the face and the clothes. My favorites are Santas andUncle Sams.

Dave Dunham (excellent carver from Texas, passed away a few years ago,) did his little guys with turned heads. He has all the President's done and they all have their own recognizable faces!
Sharon

[justanick]

Hi all! thanks for the pattern. I just recently purchased a dvd by Jack Price.He demonstrats how to carve the little guys. I bought the dvd on ebay for $27.50. I watched it once already but i will watch it again with a block of wood and knife in hand next time.

[gene messer]

Sharon .. To get the turned head effect .. you simply make the head a square block and you can turn it anyway you want it ..
1682 small characters are alot of characters ..

What's fun is putting them in different scenes with more then one character ..

[brushpilecarvings]

Thanks for sharing the pattern Gene. I'm sure it will come in handy.

I also bought the Carving Compact Caricatures book by Jack Price. It is very informative, and the basic techniques he shows can probably be adapted to carve a flat-plane figure.

[Thomp]

wow sharron,
i thought i was pushing the envelope with the pee wee little league baseball team for amount of little guys,,
but i bow to your emminance...

Terry,

I found jack prines carving the little guys book a great book learning tool, and found it a lot of fun..
wish all the books i'v bought were as informative and usefull,
besides i didnt have to buy or make any tools for the projects,
i finely got smart and made some 1x1x12 basswood sticks and carved them like totum poles.


gene
again thanks for the pattern

[Eddy Smiles]

Thanks Gene!