Video: American Hand

"American Hand Ep.5" by Jon Walley

Scrimshaw is a traditional art developed by 18th-century sailors on whaling ships. To pass the time during journeys that could last months and even years, sailors would hand-carve intricate designs in the cast-off teeth or bones of the whales that they had caught.  While whaling was outlawed long ago, the art of scrimshaw lives on in the hands of masters like Brian Kiracofe, who demonstrates his craft in this video from the American Hand.  Scrimshaw may have begun simply as a way to pass the time, but what it's become is nothing short of art.

"Brian Kiracofe is a Scrimshaw artist from Newport, RI. In this episode we explore the history of the craft, the process and the future of a craft as old as America itself."

Quick Pic: Carved Dragon Egg

"Carved Dragon Egg" on Ostrich Egg by Csaba Demeter

Carving: Crayon Sculptures

Pop Culture Crayon Sculptures by Sunnyvale, CA-based artist Hoang Tran

Sculptures available for purchase from Etsy. US$35

Carving: Thorin Oakenshield

“Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart.” Thorin Oakenshield Wood Carving by James Hance

"Finished! Thank you for your exceedingly kind words and support, as always - This was a great challenge and I enjoyed every minute. I learned so much along the way and I can’t wait to employ these new techniques in the next one! Thorin is off to his new home shortly - but for now he graces my studio wall :)"

Carving: Wood Predator

Walsall, England-based artist Simon Patel spent 90 hours hand-carving a large section of tree trunk to create this awesome Predator head. We agree with Conner Flynn over at Technabob who said that, since Predators take trophies from each of their kills, they would probably really appreciate this piece.

Sculpture: Hill of Witches

Hill of Witches

This forest in Juodkrantė, Lithuania is alive with a vast array of fairy-tale creatures, including demons,  kings, princesses, and witches.  Known as the Hill of Witches ("Raganų kalnas"), this public trail through the woods takes visitors on a trip through the most well-known legends and stories in Lithuanian folk history.

Work began in 1979 on the sculpture park, and it now features over 80 different wooden carvings from local artists. Each beautifully hand-crafted sculpture depicts a popular character from folk and pagan traditions of Lithuania. The public park got its name long before the sculptures were placed along the wooded trails, and is in fact a reference to the pagan celebrations that take place on the hill during the Midsummer’s Eve Festival.

Each year on June 24th, people across Lithuania dance, sing and bring in the midsummer with the older folk traditions of the country. After Christianity came to Lithuania, the celebration was renamed Saint Jonas’ Festival, but many of the practices still have pagan roots, as echoed by the fantastic Hill of Witches sculptures.

Carving: Wood Sculptures

Hand Carved Wood Sculptures by Morgan Herrin

Morgan Herrin hand carves sculptures from construction grade 2x4's, transforming them into pieces of fine art.  It takes him as long as a year to carve each sculpture with hand tools.

Gallery: Squash Carvings

Squash Carvings by Ray Villafane, founder of Villafane Studios
On exhibit at Kürbisausstellung, the biggest pumpkin festival in Europe, 2013.

[Previously: Zombie made of a Giant Pumpkin]

Carving: Skull Violins

Skull Violins by Stratton Violin

The death's-head shape of this natural wooden Stratton electric violin definitely makes a statement - a statement backed up by a rich, focused tone from the Barbera Twin Hybrid transducer system.  This violin is designed to be exceptionally well-suited for use with high-gain effects in high-volume performances. If you have a spare three thousand dollars laying around.  If not, you'll just have to enjoy these spooky photos of them.

Event: On the Grind

"On The Grind" a solo show by Francisco Perez (Pac23)

On exhibit through the end of August at Kidrobot Miami.

Sculpture: Natural Engine

"V12 Laraki" by Eric van Hove

Van Hove was granted a Cda-Projects Grant to re-create a Mercedes v12 engine entirely from natural materials, including bone, fossils, terra cotta, a wide range of exotic woods, and more.  The piece was hand-crafted by thirty-five craftsman in Morocco over a nine-month period. 

Carving: Silver Dragon

Silver Dragon by Curtis Ingvoldstad of Wood Sculpture by Curtis
Source: Imgur via Reddit

When Tim Stellburg (Buggeye) of Minnesota had to have a  cottonwood tree in his yard cut down, he decided to leave about ten feet of the tree standing so he could have it carved into a lawn ornament.  Specifically, he commissioned Curtis Ingvoldstad of Wood Sculpture by Curtis to carve the stump into a Silver Dragon based on the classic Dungeons & Dragons third edition illustration by Todd Lockwood.

The the carving took over thirteen four hour sessions in total, not counting the time involved in painting the thing. You can see more photos of Buggeye’s awesome Silver Dragon. at the Reaper Mini forum.

Merchandise: Atari Carving

"Mothership" by Jeff Klarin

 Limited Edition of ten available for purchase at Bughouse. US$2,200

Signed by artist. Ink, birch plywood, mahagony stain, transfer, 20” x 86”

Carving: The Pencilburster

"The Pencilburster" by Cerkahegyzo

Pencil carving, pencil HB painted with tempera.

Sculpture: Zombie made of a Giant Pumpkin

A Zombie made of a Giant Pumpkin by Jeffrey Scott Villafane, Andy Bergholtz Sculpture and Villafane Studios

Last weekend, at The New York Botanical Garden Haunted Pumpkin Garden event, sculptor Ray Villafane and his team from Villafane Studios created an amazing Pumpkin Zombie scene from three of the biggest pumpkins grown in the United States, one of which weighed in at a whopping 1,872 pounds.

Papercraft: Incarnate

"Incarnate (Three Degrees of Certainty II)" by Maskull Lasserre

A perfect human skull carved from a thick stack of obsolete computer manuals.

The perfect embodiment of the dread that courses through the veins of a

first year computer science major upon receiving their first semester reading list.