If you are reading this information, you are more than likely interested in wood carving caricatures and want to know how to improve your wood carving results. The one word key to doing so is “Proportions”. Using general proportions will make your wood carvings appear pleasing and natural to the eye at first glance. When I say “general” proportions, I am saying that using exact to the millimeter measurements is not needed, rather a close approximation to correct human proportions is enough.
Following the basic proportions of the human anatomy will improve the way that your wood carvings look and will please the eye of people that are seeing your wood carvings. There are several sources of information about anatomy that go into extremely detailed information about how long or how wide various parts of the body should be, to be considered ideal. After researching several proportional guidelines, I prefer to follow the basic proportions rules that are described by Don Mertz the “Woodbee Carver”. Mr. Mertz teaches what he calls the “Rule Of Three” that basically divides various areas of the body into thirds to allow for an easy conversion for all sizes of wood carving figures. A picture that I have marked up to show the dividing lines appears below for a visual reference. Continue reading »