---- Chris Pye: WOODCARVING - NEWSLETTER ---- March 2001 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com "Dedicated to the teaching, learning and love of woodcarving" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hello Everyone! Feel free to forward this newsletter on to woodcarving friends, or anyone else you think might be interested. This is an opt-in newsletter and you should only be receiving it because you requested it from the website. 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. ==================================== ****CONTENTS: 1. Slipstones - March 2001 2. Woodcarving Tools Materials & Equipment - updating 3. Website Notes 1) Changes to this Newsletter 2) New Inspiration 3) New Recommended Books 4. Quick Carving Questions 1) Lettering Tools 2) Gilding 3) Clay Models 4) Black Walnut for foodware? 5) Olive oil for honing? 6) What is 'short' grain? 5. Parallel Lines: Guest Article 'Remember the Future' by Gary Lockwood _______________________________________ 1. SLIPSTONES - MARCH 2001 _______________________________________ Slipstones is a year old with this edition and starts volume 2 with April's, next month! Here's the MARCH SLIPSTONES EDITORIAL: ----------------------------------------- Most of Slipstones is given over to skew chisels this month. "Surely not!" you cry. "What can one possible say about the skew chisel other than: 'It's the pointy one with which I always stab my fingers when I get it out of the tool roll...'?" Well, perhaps it's me, but there's a lot to be said for the skew! I've just counted them and I reckon I show you 19 different skew chisels; plus simple alterations to get more from the regular ones; several entirely new shapes that are not too difficult to forge. And I was only warming up! Every one of these skews can perform several different functions (not all of which I describe). The skew family really is very useful-even invaluable-in the right context. Knowing these things is a matter of experience and experimenting, and I have a passion for both. The point is that what might seem to be a fairly ordinary, not to say boring, carving tool has a lot more potential that most inexperienced users think. But there's the crunch: potential. You have to use tools first to really know what they can do. And there's the paradox: you have to know what these tools can do first to fully use them. What's the answer? Experience and experiment. Keep these options for skew chisels in the back of your mind. And carve a lot! ----------------------------------------- *** Intrigued? The latest Slipstones has the low down on Skew Chisels. *** What are the 3 Best Pieces of Advice I've ever given a student? So many tempting answers... Which did I choose? It's in Slipstones! *** Sneak Carving Preview: I had the privilege to carve a second trophy for HRH the Prince of Wales. The first trophy is on the website in the gallery section. This one: 'Lord Stathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)' hasn't been presented yet, and will not go up into the gallery for some while. However! Slipstones goes under wraps to give its subscribers an exclusive look at the whole trophy (and a close up of a large rodent nibbling a twig!). *** Much more, including Follow Ups, 'Lines of Light' and Carving Tips. Slipstones is like an invitation to my workshop where we can share experience and advice. Join me. Find full details of this interactive woodcarving journal, which aims to support, and further carving at all levels, along with subscription details, here: www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/slipstones.html *There's a FREE sample edition to download *And a FREE copy of '101 Master Woodcarving Secrets' - only available on subscribing. _______________________________________ 2. WOODCARVING TOOLS MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT - UPDATING _______________________________________ What a relief! I've been working on updating my book 'Woodcarving Tools Materials & Equipment' over the last couple of months and have now sent all the new copy and illustrations to the publishers. The book is to be divided into two, with colour photographs; I still await the photographer who is to spend time in the workshop with me, re-taking old and adding new, photographs. As I went through the book I felt a most of it stood up well - solid information that I felt woodcarvers need to have under their belt - without the need for change. I've added someclarifying paragraphs and enlarged on some points. The major new sections I've added include: ** 'New kids on the block': Flexcut, Cogelow, Gonzalez; Chinese sockets; Microtools from Kirschen, Dockyard and Iles. **Sharpening with other than oilstones: water, diamond and ceramic. **Power Sharpening: honing wheels and similar devices. **Power carving: discs, flexible shafts, rotary chisels. **Drawing, modelling, finishing of carvings. There's a lot more... By the way: For those students of mine at the Centre for Furniture Craftsmanship (www.woodschool.org) last year, where I taught relief carving last year (and will again this), remember my lobster? It's on the cover - spread over the two new books - still unfinished! The publication date is supposedly September. I'll keep you posted. The current version of 'Woodcarving Tools Materials & Equipment' is here and considered an excellent book as is: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/writing/w_bk1.html _______________________________________ 3. WEBSITE NOTES _______________________________________ ****** 1) CHANGES TO THIS NEWSLETTER There are now over 700 of you signed up for this newsletter: very heart-warming. THANK YOU, each and everyone, for your support! It is obvious that this newsletter can be more than the helpful Website News that I had originally envisioned. Changes in the website are never dramatic: its all my own work, and I only have so much time to spend away from the chisel, other writing and teaching. I am still feeling my way into what this newsletter should and could be, and would welcome feedback and ideas. Here's one idea: I want to include in this newsletter, when I can, some short articles for you. These would be of 2 types: 1. Woodcarving itself, or woodcarving related 2. Parallel lines - indirectly useful The first is, I think, self-explanatory, it might be the editorial from Slipstones, a longer answer to a question, or something that just occurs to me. Additionally - and better still - I invite YOU to think about writing something to include, based on some useful insight or woodcarving - or carving related - experience. I've put some guide notes on the site here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/article.html. Please write if you want to discuss anything. But what is this second: 'Parallel Lines'? Those of you who know me, know that I think carving is more than just cutting wood. It's a highly creative activity that draws on many aspects of our being, from tool care to dexterity, from a sense of design to one of purpose. Quite often I find it is not the carving, as such, which is the problem for a woodcarver (or even the answer) but the mental state of the carver behind the chisel. I know this from my own experience: a lack confidence, concentration or ability to organise my time, for example, can be disastrous to my carving. Do you know what I'm talking about? Also, I know that for most of you woodcarving is just an absorbing interest, one among many. All human life is here! Now, in my wanderings around the web I've come across articles which seem to me to have relevance to carving - but indirectly so because the author is outwardly dealing with an issue in another field. Sometimes I read the article and immediately notice a parallel to 'me and my woodcarving'. Some of these short articles are available for re-printing and I thought it would be a useful experiment to include such 'guest' articles in this newsletter. I'm calling the section 'Parallel Lines' and would usually add a short comment of my own about what struck me if this isn't immediately obvious. I've said more in the guide notes: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/article.html. Again, if you feel you can write something from your experience, please let me know. The first one is added below. I hope you like it - let me know what you think! In both types of article there will be an acknowledgment of the author and (literally if they have a website) where they are coming from. Do visit their site if it sounds something likely to interest you! After all, they have offered us their time and work free. ***** ANOTHER CHANGE is that PAST ISSUES of the newsletter will be available from the site here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html. ***** 2) NEW INSPIRATION This is such a joyous carving of an angel blowing a trumpet, by Veit Stoss. In particular look how several anti/counter clockwise curves balance the weighting of the wings. (Reminds me of the Incredible String Band, 'Sleepers Awaken'. Now what does that tell you about ME...?!) Here it is: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/gallery/g_inspiration.html ***** 3) NEW RECOMMENDED BOOKS 1: 'Pugin's Gothic Ornament' (Augustus C. Pugin) - the classic volume of Gothic design. Link: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/writing/recbks/w_recbk_pugin.html 2: 'Carving Architectural Detail in Wood' (Frederick Wilbur) - excellent new book on ornamentation; well illustrated Link: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/writing/recbks/w_recbk_wilbur.html 3: 'A Little Book of the Green Man' (Mike Harding) - first class photos Link: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/writing/recbks/w_recbk_harding.html 4: The Green Man, A Field Guide' (Clive Hicks) - forget the tourist traps, go on a Green Man pilgrimage this summer... Link: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/writing/recbks/w_recbk_hicks.html I give a short review of each book; add yours too! The Recommended Books section of the site is here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/writing/recbks/w_recbks.html I'm gathering together useful ANATOMY and FIGURE DRAWING books to recommend. Do you have one? Please let me know. _______________________________________ 4. QUICK CARVING QUESTIONS _______________________________________ **** QUESTION 1: LETTERING TOOLS **** I am retired and interested in learning to carve Letters. I purchased your book " Lettercarving In Wood " Could you recommend a beginners set of basic tools please. **** ANSWER **** There is a list of tools for the exercises in the book - and this book is nothing less than a course built around these tools - on page 38. Otherwise: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/toolshop/ts_kts.html has a list of the tools as well as others I recommend for lettering and beginning carving generally. =================================== **** QUESTION 2: GILDING **** "What do you know about gilding? I've worked with gold leaf a bit, but not on a complex, multi-planed surface. Have you come across a good book on the subject? I plan on carving some samples that I could practice on." **** ANSWER **** Not much help here I'm afraid. It's a skill I have always meant to acquire! I think gilding is a good skill for a carver to have. Gino Masero recommended my learning it, but I never have. Selective gold leaf can definitely move a carving up a notch. It seems quite straightforward, I know several people who have taught themselves, and there are lots of books with good info. I actually brought back a second-hand one from the States that I liked : 'Gilding and Antique Finishes' by Yvonne Rees Pub: Ward Lock ISBN 0-7063-7047-3 Anyone recommend another? =================================== **** QUESTION 3: CLAY MODELS **** "I have been making a clay model of the carving using clay tools but I want to use my chisels so I can really get the feel of how everything is going to come together. I think you mentioned something about that in Slipstones but I wasn't sure if you meant Plasticene or actual clay. I am using actual clay and I am afraid that the grog in it might dull my blades. What do you think?" **** ANSWER **** Yes - grog will wreck your cutting edges... You can get wire tools which will mimic the sweeps of gouges to some extent - use these. I would do a simple model in clay, or whatever, in the normal way; getting the shape, proportions etc right, and 'thinking wood' all the time. But modelling isn't carving (and carving clay isn't carving wood) so I would not push the medium into areas beyond its nature, trying to copy wood. If I'm still not comfortable with how I think the thing would look or work out after running through clay, I will do a trial carving in some easy wood - or, better still, a piece of the wood you will actually use. Not fully finished, but enough to give me the insight and confidence. Then I'd go for the real thing, using my drawings and models as a guide, but ditching the clay - as 'unwoody' - as soon as possible. This trial carving - maquette - is your stage of wanting to carve the clay. It may be just a part of the carving, or a more extensive working out, but it's can be essential for clarifying ideas and gaining the confidence you need. =================================== **** QUESTION 4: Black Walnut for Food **** "I have question about working with black walnut. Can it be used to make a dough bowl? A local woodworker is concerned about the "tannic acid content leeching out into the dough". Is this a bad idea?? Is it a doable project?? Any help would be appreciated. **** ANSWER **** I'm afraid I have no experience of working Black Walnut for food purposes, but I do make bread!"A couple of things come to mind: I always other treat wood used for food with Walnut oil (from delicatessens) - several coats and with an occasional; wipe in between. This, if anything adds a nutty flavour to salads - whether this is the tannic acid or not I don't know. My point is that, in drying, it would keep any tannic content from the bread. Secondly, is it actually a problem? - You might find the tannic acid gives your bread that special something... What about an experiment? Make a much smaller bowl to begin with, make a little of your bread (a roll's worth) in it and compare. Then try the Walnut oil to see if it makes a difference. Very scientific eh? If all is well, go for it! If not, you have a little bowl for pistachio nuts. =================================== **** QUESTION 5: CAN YOU USE OLIVE OIL ON STONES? **** "I can't find any of the oil you recommend for my benchstone in the garage, but there's a lot of other types of oil in the kitchen. What's best? How about Olive oil?" **** ANSWER **** Definitely not. You'd be better to use water. Oilstones need a light, NON-DRYING oil; it's readily available for bicycles, hinges etc. Linseed, olive etc, these all will dry and clog the stone. You can dilute motor oil with paraffin (kerosene), and soak a clogged stone in paraffin to unclog. Buy a tin of light oil and keep it by, and just for, your stones. Then you'll never have to look... The water? Yes, it gives a sharper cut and not so pleasant to use, but it will work. You are trying to keep the pores washed of debris; oil is not a lubricant to decrease friction. =================================== **** QUESTION 6: SHORT GRAIN? **** "I've never really understood the term 'short grain'. 'End' grain, 'with' the grain and 'against' the grain are fairly obvious but short grain defeats me. Hope you can throw some light on it." **** ANSWER **** Imagine the wood fibres that make up a board to be like straws, long straws taking water etc up and down the tree. So a board of wood is like a bundle of straws, tightly held together. If you cut 'across the grain', you are cutting across the straws. Now, if you were to run two grooves across the grain, very close together, the bit in between the two grooves has short wood fibres. This is 'short grain': little strength and likely to detach from the rest of the wood. In the bundle of straws, strength lies along the length of the wood fibres - in the direction of the wood fibres. Try bending your bundle. We talk about 'long grain' in this direction. You can easily split the bundle lengthways because - depending on the species - there isn't much holding the fibres together. Imagine your grip on the bundle of straws is the 'glue' in the wood holding the fibres together. The shorter the straws the less is holding them together and the easier to separate. So, the shorter the fibres, the shorter the grain, and the weaker the wood. The upshot is that you would always want to lead the fibres into a carved element - make then as long as possible - to maximise strength. And where you can't 'tie' that element to another to support it. _______________________________________ 5. PARALLEL LINES: GUEST ARTICLE 'Remember the Future' by Gary Lockwood _______________________________________ REMEMBER THE FUTURE By Gary Lockwood What do you call a person who sees things that don't exist? Crazy, huh? Well, what do you call a person who sees things that don't exist YET? How about a person who sees a nonexistent amusement park in the middle of a uninhabited Florida swamp...then proceeds to make it happen? Walt Disney! We all know of people who "see" a vision of something that hasn't happened yet or doesn't exist yet. We call them visionaries. Yet we all have this capability. You, too, can be a visionary, by using the same skills you use when you remember something. When you remember, you recall images, smells, textures, feelings and sounds. Inside your head, you see, feel, smell, touch and hear things remembered just as if it were really happening again now. Imagine how useful it would be if you could remember the future. Instead of just recalling the past, you could remember things that haven't happened yet. Actually, many of us do this already... we call it "worry". Think about what we do when we worry about something. In our minds, we imagine all sorts of bad things happening. Often, we can see these imagined events clearly taking place, and then we see all the terrible side effects. Worry is a complete waste of imagination. Mark Twain said "most of my life's worst experiences never actually happened". Instead, what if we use our brain's talent for imagining things happening to plan more effectively. In her autobiography, Grandma Moses said, "What a strange thing is memory and hope. One looks backward and the other forward". Let's use our imaging skills to help produce positive results. Olympic athletes do it all the time. Last summer, as you watched the Olympic games from Atlanta, you may have noticed how many of the athletes interviewed talked about how they 'visualize' their event. Long before the actual event, they practice by imagining themselves winning their event. And they do it in complete detail. Inside their heads they picture themselves at the starting line. Then they imagine they hear the starter's gun. Next, they feel themselves coming up out of the starting blocks and starting to run. They feel the track beneath their feet, hear the roar of the crowd, and see the finish line ahead of them. Finally, they picture themselves breaking the tape, feeling joyous and triumphant and being congratulated by all their fellow athletes. All this is called "visualizing". It is the same as remembering the event before it happens, so you can plan exactly what you want to do. You can use this skill to plan how to accomplish what you want. You can also use it to prepare to deal with problems if and when they arise (a much better approach than just worrying). If you are new to visualization, here is a way to practice. Go get a glass full of water. Look at it carefully, noticing all the details. Now, shut your eyes and try to continue to see the glass full of water in your mind. You may need to open your eyes a couple times to get a glimpse of the "real" glass of water. Keep at it until you can clearly see the glass of water in your mind. Next, visualize the glass again with less water. Open your eyes, the glass is full; close your eyes and the imaginary glass is partially empty. Keep at it until you can readily bring up the image of the partially full glass. How can you make this picture in your mind come true? You could drink some of the water from the real glass. You could pour some, let it evaporate, or give some away. There are often many approaches to making an imagined situation come true. What possibilities does that open to us? What if we could picture our future the way we prefer it to be? If you can remember the future, you can create a plan to get you there. This is called Proactive Futuring. There are three kinds of people in this world: * those who MAKE things happen - Inventors, * those who WATCH things happen(and complain) - Resentors, * those who don't know what's happening - Consentors Invent your own future. Decide what you want, your preferred future, then use visualization as your key to actualization. Turn your daydreams into your 36 month view, in your mind's eye, of your business and your life. You can always be successful in your imagination. Then you can develop a specific plan of action toward your goals, including contingency plans for possible barriers. This is truly a case of "what you see (visualize) is what you get". Imagination is a preview of life's coming attractions. Remember, it's your future. © 1998-1999 BizSuccess All rights reserved. No duplication -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gary Lockwood is Your Business Coach. Get the Unique, Do-It-Yourself Business Success Kits - FREE To get yours, go to http://www.BizSuccess.com/freekits.htm Free business newsletter - mailto:subscribe@BizSuccess.com Email: mailto:Gary@BizSuccess.com Web: http://www.BizSuccess.com Office: (800) 272-1575 (USA) * Fax: (815) 361-3041 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *****COMMENT: HOW IS THIS RELEVANT TO WOODCARVING? Two important parallels struck me straight off: Firstly, the article is about visualisation. A blank or block of wood contains within it your subject, whatever this is. The more clearly you can visualise it, the easier it is to carve. When I can see within the wood, then I can take off great swathes of wood quite comfortably - but often to the horror of the student who's work it is, BECAUSE THE STUDENT CAN'T SEE WHAT I CAN. However although acquiring the ability to visualise three dimensionally is crucial to carving well I never thought about training to visualise outside of carving. The ability to visualise certainly develops with practice, but how about practising away from the bench? Secondly, the article may be addressing business concerns but the need to make things happen applies to all of us, including making oneself a carver. To be a woodcarver you have to carve wood. Obvious? Well, yes, but many carvers' carve very little, for many reasons. So perhaps if you have it in your heart to carve more, the thoughts about visualising it to in this article will help make it happen. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ That's it! Hope you've found the newsletter interesting and useful - pass it on! Success to your woodcarving. Chris Pye --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2001 Chris Pye: Woodcarver. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole, or in part, without the express written consent of the author.