---- Chris Pye: WOODCARVING - NEWSLETTER ---- April 2002 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com "Dedicated to the teaching, learning and love of woodcarving" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hello everyone - all 1700 of you! Please forward this newsletter to a woodcarving friend, and anyone else you think might be interested. Thanks! This is an opt-in newsletter and you should only be receiving it because you requested it from the website, or were sent it by a friend. Subscribe or Unsubscribe easily on the home page here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/index.html or using the link at the end of the newsletter. ****Back issues here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html including zipfile for 2001 newsletters SPELLING! - A Quick Note: For those who have commented on the mixtures of spelling in these newsletters, my policy is this: I write British English, with 'colour' for example. If I am quoting someone writing American English, with 'color', then I respect this variation and don't feel a need to change it. As long as we understand each other... ==================================== 1. Slipstones - April 2002 2. Website News 1) New Gallery of Woodcarvings 2) A Page for Woodcarving Newsletters? 3) Spoonmakers? 4) New Website Inspiration 3. Article: Foundations of Woodcarving 2: 'Slicing' by Chris Pye 4. Quick Carving Questions 1) What If I Don't Have Power Tools? 2) Stab Cuts for Outlining? 3) Hollowing Carvings for Outside? 5. Carving Cuts from Maine 2001 - VIII 6. Follow up to March 2002: Acanthus Leaves - 1 7. Follow up to March 2002: Acanthus Leaves - 2 __________________________________________ 1. SLIPSTONES - April 2002 __________________________________________ Now entering its third year... Have you got a nagging woodcarving question? Something you are not clear on or need a little advice? Slipstones is like an invitation to my workshop where I share my experience of over 25 years as a professional woodcarver, and offer advice and support, along with that of other subscribers. So, join me! And get your FREE copy of '101 Master Woodcarving Secrets', exclusive to subscribers. Go now to: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/slipstones.html for full details of your interactive woodcarving journal. Back issues of Slipstones now available without subscribing. MAIN CONCERNS THIS MONTH: *** REPAIRING A CARVING WITH WEDGES Wood, being wood, sometimes develops splits or shakes. This is one of my favourite ways of making an invisible repair. *** USEFUL KNIVES What are the most useful to have around the bench? Here are my top three. Contribute your own list! *** LEAVING SURFACES SMOOTH Mostly I leave work straight from the chisel. Perhaps I'm lazy! Nevertheless, sometimes I do need a very flat surface and, being lazy, I have a way of getting there fast which minimises sanding. *** And more, including 'Lines of Light', Carving Tips and: * ARE FLAT BEVELS ESSENTIAL? * BENCH HOLDFASTS? * SIGNING WORK? * EAGLE LECTERN REFLECTIONS *** Carving Notes from Maine VIII See section 5 below. Have you downloaded your FREE sample edition of Slipstones? Find it here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/slipstones.html __________________________________________ 2. WEBSITE NEWS __________________________________________ 1) NEW GALLERY Over the last year I have been carving a 6ft. lectern in Oak - quite traditional Victorian Gothic - for a church in Wales. It has been featured as a work in progress quite a few times in Slipstones, is now finished and delivered. Pictures of the lectern can be seen in the new GALLERY 12 here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/gallery/g_index.html 2) A PAGE FOR WOODCARVING NEWSLETTERS? If any clubs, organisations or woodcarving websites have newsletters or similar, I'll be happy to include a listings page on the website. Just write and tell me about it. 3) SPOONMAKERS? Similarly I'd like to include details of accomplished spoonmakers. Anyone out there? 4) NEW INSPIRATION Assubanipal hunting wild asses: part of a relief carving in alabaster from Ninevah, 7th century BC. Relief carving as we know it - with (virtual) front and back planes within which the drama occurs in a haunting silence, and with the strongest change of plane in the outline - is fully developed by this time, 2,700 years ago, the age of the Assyrians and the revival of Babylon. From here it passes to the Egyptians, to the Greeks, to us. Here it is: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/gallery/g_inspiration.html __________________________________________ 3. ARTICLE: Foundations of Woodcarving by Chris Pye There are some things in woodcarving which are fundamental: "Being, or involving, basic facts or principles; far-reaching and thoroughgoing in effect, especially on the nature of something." Over the next few months I want to pick out, briefly, some of my favourites. If I'm any good as a carver then it's because I understand these importance of a few of these fundamentals. 2: SLICING If I say that I 'slice' 99% of all my carving cuts, I am not exaggerating. If I am not 'running' a cut - making a long groove with V tool or deep gouge - then I am giving the cutting edge some sort of sideways motion, a twist of the wrists, as I push the tool forwards into the wood. In other words, a slice. If the slice 'jigs' itself along the sweep of the blade, this is known as a 'SWEEP cut', or 'ROCKING' the tool through its cut. Sweep cuts happen with tools that have a more pronounced sweep: the deeper, the easier. (But the tool must be what I call a 'true' gouge, based on the arc of a circle. You obviously cannot rock a U-shaped gouge - fluters or veiners - in this manner.) With very flat gouges there is little potential for this rocking as the corners almost immediately dig in. The SLICE here is more of a sideways drift, a paring action, rather than a twist of the wrist. Slicing, whatever the amount of rock or drift, eases the metal through the cut, reducing the effort and resulting in cleaner cut and shiny facet. Slicing such a good way of working that you can easily cut wood AGAINST the grain by slicing with a correctly sharpened edge. But, here's the trick that makes the slice such a brilliant, successful way of carving: IF YOU CARVE ACROSS THE GRAIN, IT FOLLOWS THAT AS YOU SLICE, THE CUTTING EDGE WILL BE TRAVELLING WITH OR AGAINST THE GRAIN. (Yes? Please read that paragraph again to make sure you have it.) Of course, with this approach I always choose to carve WITH the grain as the tool travels across. I do this, as appropriate, either by rocking to the left or right with deeper gouges, or slicing to the left or right with flatter ones. The upshot is that THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO AWKWARD LIE OF GRAIN THAT I CANNOT DEAL WITH, SMOOTH OVER, CARVE. Because if, as the tool moves across the fibres, my slice is AGAINST the lie of the grain, then I reverse the direction of the slice and must carve WITH it - I can't lose! This slicing technique of carving - slicing while travelling across - is a bedrock of gold. When I teach it to students they often feel a great sense of relief. The best way to be clear about what I am saying is to practice sweeping and slicing with different tools on a piece of spare, medium density wood: 1. Use a 'low level' grip (described in my books) 2. Direct the gouge ACROSS the grain 3. Rock (sweep cut) clockwise or anticlockwise, or Slice to the left of right, using both wrists as the tool progresses in a short stroke 4. Swap hands and repeat - this now gives you 4 options 5. Adopt this approach as a habit in all your carving. And rejoice! I hope you understand what I am describing here. Feel free to write and I'll be happy to run a follow up. __________________________________________ 4. QUICK CARVING QUESTIONS __________________________________________ **** QUESTION 1: WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE POWER TOOLS? **** "I have read your book Elements of Woodcarving and it appears to me that many machine tools are required. I do not have the money for machine tools nor do I have the space to put them. I notice that Swedish woodcarvers use hatchets and adzes to rough out. Also woodcarvers in Bali do fine work sitting on the floor. The Japanese hatchets are quite costly and perhaps difficult to sharpen. What tools should I get to do it by hand in the most effective way? " **** ANSWER **** The book aims to give a cross section of techniques, projects and tools. At the end of the day, just carve with what you've got! =================================== **** QUESTION 2: STAB CUTS FOR OUTLINING? **** "I know that you and most accomplished carvers writing books, etc. suggest the use of V-tools or U gouges to outline relief carvings, as opposed to stab cuts. The tool's bevel acts as a wedge to compress and break the wood etc. I learned to carve from a German master who taught me to use stab cuts to outline the project, angling the tool edge away from the subject so as not to undercut too soon. I was then taught how to clean up and round over, which, I suppose, does away with the compressed fibers of wood. I watched my instructor use this technique with lighting speed many times and his work was always beautiful. He never taught against using V-tools and U gouges to outline although his older students talk about a time when he wouldn't allow V-tools in his shop but instead used a flat gouge to make V cuts... Although I've read about using outlining techniques with V's and U tools, I have never read any recommendation supporting stabs cuts. Am I the only one who uses them? Should I steer away from stab cuts or are they OK if properly done?" **** ANSWER **** The truth is, there are, almost always, alternative ways to doing things and a lot has to do with the preference of the carver as much as anything. I get similar comments with my approach to lettering ("X does it like this!"), or inner bevels ("Y never uses them!") and many other ways of working. I have a method that works for me and that's the basis of what I describe and teach. But I KNOW it's not the only way! Stabbing as you describe it is really just the 'setting in' stage of a relief carving brought forward. My experience is that students come to grief more easily stabbing than using the V tool first approach. And do remember that what you always see or read in my books is, of course, me wearing my teaching hat. Two things: Firstly, it's the carving which counts. The tools, the method etc are just a means to an end. Which is not to say the journey can't be fun. And as long as you are creating what you want, to the standard you want, you'll only ever hear encouragement from me, whatever method you use! Secondly, and more specifically about stab cuts, I DO use stab cuts in this manner, mainly for shallower work. It has got something of knifework about it. Since your teacher was so very successfully carving this way all the time, it obviously must have great merit in the right hands (with the right wood even). So, acknowledge that you have two ways of working and you are free to choose which seems best at the time. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' here, far more real is: 'What happens if I do this; or that?'. As I said, the most important thing is to enjoy your carving - which you obviously do - and accomplish your aims well. =================================== **** QUESTION 3: HOLLOWING CARVINGS? **** "On a glueup intended for outdoors, do you glue up solid, or leave a hollow core? In reading about the old carvers, I noticed that they left either a hollow core, or hollowed the back of large pieces, if it would not show. On the other hand, a hollow could also enhance water uptake by the wood, increasing the likelihood of checking. Suggestions?" **** ANSWER **** The hollowing was to minimise cracking in unseasoned wood. I'm being disingenuous perhaps, but medieval carvers tended just to drag a tree out of the local forest into their workshops and start carving it. Probably the most important things are to: 1. Choose wood that is normally see outdoors 2. Use an 'exterior' glue 3. Design your work so water runs off rather than pools in hollows 4. Seal the carving really well (as in soaking it in oil for weeks) 5. Raise it a little off the ground so there is air beneath. I made a 'gravewood' years ago (in Oak) which still fares well. =================================== _______________________________________ 5. CARVING CUTS FROM MAINE - VIII _______________________________________ Started October 01 - Newsletter back issues here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html While teaching at the outstanding Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, Rockport, Maine, USA this summer, I asked carving students to write briefly down "3 Things I've Learned about Woodcarving" - important insights: practical, personal and technical - for this newsletter. Thanks very much to all contributors! Over the next few months I'll be sharing their discoveries. I'll be commenting and adding thoughts in this month's Slipstones: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/slipstones.html Here, I let the words stand on their own: --------------------------------------- 1. " 'When you habitually cut cleanly, you can choose to walk away at any time and say it's finished.' Right now, this seems difficult to do but I have hopes that this will be a standard for me in the future." 2. " 'Fine carving always has a crispness of cuts and edges... Sweet flowing lines... Freshness of lines... Trueness of lines...' I think I will carve these guides into wood and put them up in the shop as motivation to improve my carving." 3. "Carving can be very Zen-full." Read more in Slipstones. http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/slipstones.html _______________________________________ 6. FOLLOW UP - 1 to March02's Question about Acanthus Leaves _______________________________________ from Fred Wilbur, author of "Carving Architectural Detail in Wood" and who's website is http://www.frederickwilbur-woodcarver.com ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WANTING TO CARVE ACANTHUS LEAVES: The carved acanthus leaf derives from several species of plants indigenous to the Mediterranean area, but the abundant variations throughout ornamental history have made the term generic for any multi-leafleted foliage. Originally a Greco-Roman motif, the depiction of the acanthus ranges from spiky Byzantine renditions to the swirling profusion of Grinling Gibbons. It is found on many architecture elements, on furniture and accessories of various materials from silverware to clay tiles and stained glass. The acanthus is so pervasive that the decorative carver can not avoid the request to carve it sometime in his career. There are a number of books on historic ornament and architecture which illustrate the acanthus on capitals, friezes, mouldings, and brackets, so check the local library for these sorts of publications. Several good ones are: * Handbook of Ornament by Franz Sales Meyer * Florid Victorian Ornament, by Karl Klimsch * Historic Ornament, A Pictorial Archive, by C B Griesbach, * Ornamental Borders, Scrolls and Cartouches. All these books are published by Dover Publications, Inc. Not only do these sources show the leaf, but also the myriad ways it is used. Many illustrations depict the element you would be asked to carve. I do not know a publication addressed entirely to carving the acanthus leaf. Visiting historic buildings, museums and art galleries (for the frames!) and seeing carved acanthus first hand is a rewarding experience. After familiarizing oneself with the uses and stylistic variety of the leaf, one should practice drawing them. When confident, adapt the drawings to the size or use one has in mind. One trick to visualize the curls of Baroque or Rococo style acanthus is to cut out the drawing with scissors and literally curl (maybe around a small dowel or pencil) the tips and or leaf itself. Spot glue or pin the paper leaf to a piece of cardboard. It can be fixed to a scrap piece of the 'blank' in the case of profiled moulding. Though there are many instances of stiff and/or isolated leaves (as on some moldings and capitals), it is generally carved with a long 'flowing' line, often sprouting from a volute. Many are in the form of an S scroll (dozens of which are pictured in Ornamental Borders, Scrolls and Cartouches mentioned above). Unlike some bird carvers, who go to great lengths to make their subjects appear life-like, having an acanthus plant growing in one's front yard does not necessarily help achieve the traditional depiction of the leaf. The 'acanthus spinosus' is actually very uninviting with tiny spines at the end of each leaflet. The crinkled leaf surface is textured by small planes and does not have graceful veins. The flower is very strange indeed, being an atypical flower shape, and protected by very stiff spines. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Details and a review of Fred Wilbur's book "Carving Architectural Detail in Wood" can be seen on the website: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/writing/recbks/w_recbk_wilbur.html His second book is tentatively titled "Carving Classical Styles in Wood" and will cover relief panels (garlands, anthemia, acanthus rinceau), tablets and cartouches (scrolls), radiating designs (fans and shells), keystones and finials (urns and pineapples). Fred will make an effort to point out the differences of 'style' within the classical idiom in an introductory chapter and by inclusion of a time line of important buildings, architects and publications. _______________________________________ 7. FOLLOW UP - 2 to March 02's Question about Acanthus Leaves _______________________________________ from Jeffrey Stone: SOURCES OF ACANTHUS DESIGNS While still searching the world for acanthus info, I came across something great: a catalog (5 actually) from "The Decorators Supply Company" out of Chicago, Illinois, USA: http://www.decoratorssupply.com They sell composite pieces, not carvings, but the hundreds of pages of pictures are priceless. There is Capitals and Brackets, Authentic Reproduction, Plaster Ornaments, Mantels, and Ornaments for Woodwork - Furniture. There are not a lot of pictures on the web site, but it gives the idea. The catalogs are full of great pictures of every conceivable period design ornament. I don't know how the company will feel about getting 100 orders for their catalogs for non-customers, but since they charge for them, it shouldn't really concern them. Catalogues cost $30. for the set of 5, but I thought it well worth the money, flipping though it for ideas. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That's it for this month. I hope you have found this newsletter interesting and useful. Once more: joy and success in your carving! Chris Pye ----------------------------------- PS: Another one, for the bench: "It is the readiness of the mind that is wisdom." Shunryu Suzuki ========================================== Copyright (c) Chris Pye 2002 Chris@chrispye-woodcarving.com ----------------------------------- Chris Pye: Woodcarving Newsletter is listed in the EzinesPlus directory of newsletters and ezines. http://ezinesplus.com ----------------------------------- ===========================================