---- Chris Pye: WOODCARVING - NEWSLETTER ---- September 2001 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com "Dedicated to the teaching, learning and love of woodcarving" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hello Everyone! There are now well-over a thousand woodcarvers receiving this newsletter - thank you one and all for your support! 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 ==================================== ****CONTENTS: 1. Slipstones - September 2001 2. Website Notes 1) New Inspiration 2) Biography Question 3. Article 'Woodcarving Mistakes - Part 5' by Chris Pye 4. Quick Carving Questions 1) 'Backcutting' v. 'Undercutting' 2) Learning to Carve. 3) Drying Wood for Bowls 4) Follow up: Carving groups in LA 5. Parallel Lines: Guest Article 'Goals Only Work When You Do' by Rhoberta Shaler 6. Carving Cuts from Maine 2001 __________________________________________ 1. SLIPSTONES - September 2001 __________________________________________ Slipstones is like an invitation to my workshop where we can share experience, advice and support, and which aims to further carving at all levels. Join me! In Slipstones this month: *** My Buttons Keep Breaking Off! A simple carving decoration fraught with the need for skill! Learn how, and find a great way to: *** Practice! A pep talk and some good ideas... Take that talent and run! *** 'Grain' - do you find it a confusing term? Simple answers to this essential understanding for woodcarvers. *** Bell Flowers, and Versal Lettering! Lectern Update... *** St Barbara: You saw the back, here's the front... *** Insights from Maine My take on the things students learned - see section 4 below. *** And much more, including 'Lines of Light' and Carving Tips. Find full details of your interactive woodcarving journal: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/slipstones.html and get your FREE copy of '101 Master Woodcarving Secrets' - available only on subscribing. Back issues of Slipstones now available without subscribing. Have you downloaded your FREE sample edition? __________________________________________ 2. WEBSITE NOTES __________________________________________ 1) New Inspiration 2) New Biographical Question ****** 1) NEW INSPIRATION This month, a poignant sculpture in granite by Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943). Gustav who? It's a shame he's not better known. Let me introduce you... http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/gallery/g_inspiration.html ****** 2) NEW BIOGRAPHICAL QUESTION I'm sometimes asked what I did before, at 23, I took up woodcarving and I always duck. However, backed into a corner, I fixed a camera to a time machine and discovered what I was doing. So now you know. http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/connect/c_medsch.html __________________________________________ 3. ARTICLE 'Woodcarving Mistakes - PART 5' by Chris Pye __________________________________________ (Parts 1 - 4 available as back issues May01, Jun01, Jul01 & Aug01: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html) MY BEST ADVICE. Last issue I revealed some of my Laurel & Hardy mistakes, those I could just about stand seeing in print. I did this to show solidarity with all other 'makers': we're human. We make mistakes. Carvers usually have less chance to put things right, and more chances to get them wrong, than many other crafts. But that's our challenge. So, mistakes are part of the business. I'd like to share some final thoughts that I've learned the hard way: ** PREPARATION Don't start too early! More carvings fail BEFORE chisel is put to wood than after. Why? Perhaps it's a weakly thought-out design (for example beginners often fail to see that a two-dimensional drawing is not the same as a 3 dimensional carving); or wood that is inappropriate to the design, or just bad quality; or lack of tools, or sharpness even - all this sort of thing. Try and do a 'dry run' in your head. Think your carving through. Visualise! ** CHICKENS AND BASKETS You know, eggs and everything. It amazes me how many students in a class only do ONE carving of something - say a lion. So the poor lion is full of mistakes and things-they-could-have-done-better-if-they-could-do-it-again... Well do it again! And burn the first. You'll do it in a fraction of the time, get the practice, and get a better carving. ** SELF-DESTRUCT BUTTONS If I had one of these I would have pressed it ages ago. I know many students and other carvers are like me: when I make a mistake - pretty much any mistake - I have a tendency to give myself a really hard time. I see myself as stupid, incompetent, and start poking about for a button I might have missed... But we've agreed it's just being human. So it is. Forget the button. We have to repair, or renew, or redirect if we can; learn and let go. And, in particular, not stop trying new things because we are afraid of making mistakes. SERENDIPITY Some mistakes are just that, mistakes. The least positive thing that you should get from a mistake is a lesson. Other mistakes are opportunities, not just for learning but also for turning a design into something even better. To be successful at 'making fortunate discoveries of things you were not looking for', you mustn't panic and run around in circles. Well at least you have to put a time limit on the headless chicken impression. Go away. Relax. Come back later. Take some deep breaths and just be open to possibilities. Don't do anything immediately! Keep relaxed and let the 'back of your mind' do the work. It's amazing what it'll come up with, given a little space and time. --------------------- I think I've said enough about mistakes now. If you have any comments, or want to share something about mistakes that other carvers might find interesting, I'd like to hear from you. __________________________________________ 4. QUICK CARVING QUESTIONS __________________________________________ **** QUESTION 1: 'BACKCUTTING' AND 'UNDERCUTTING'? **** "I've read about both backcutting and undercutting - is there a difference?" **** ANSWER **** I use these terms with the literal implication of whether I'm working from the back of a carving or not. So, to me: 1. UNDERCUTTING takes place from the front of the carving. Eg: You are carving a relief with leaves. You shape them and then remove wood from beneath the edges to give a thinner, more dramatic appearance. This is undercutting: the background comes into play and you can only do the work from the front. 2. BACKCUTTING takes place from behind the carving - the back. Eg: In your relief carving the leaves are pierced, or the leaves come right to the edge. You might choose to turn the carving over and effectively undercut these elements from the reverse side. This is backcutting - the real difference is that you can get to parts that would otherwise be unavailable. Having said that, I suspect many carvers use the terms synonymously and just do what needs to be done. =================================== **** QUESTION 2: LEARNING TO CARVE **** I'm new to woodcarving and have been teaching myself to carve, and would like advice on where to find a quality school or teacher to help me, with the 'hands on' that will add to, and improve on, what I've learned from books. Though I've only been carving a while, it's always been a dream. **** ANSWER **** I'm not au fait with the carving world other than the UK; in other words, what classes or instruction, what clubs and resources there are where YOU are - but this is the information you need to find out. See it as a research challenge for the next month. My own teaching dates and locations are posted on my website. It is really important that you find a good instructor and this can only be one who is doing work you admire and to a level you wish to emulate, and eventually surpass. In the meantime there are plenty of carvers who can give you tips, inspiration and support if you can find them. It's very hard earning a living carving, so don't give up the day job too quickly, rather aim to cut out more time to practise by going part time. Practice is the key to success - regular, intelligent practice in gradual steps. Think how you might learn the guitar. Congratulations on discovering woodcarving. A lifetime's challenge and joy awaits! =================================== **** QUESTION 3: DRYING WOOD FOR BOWLS **** How do I dry and prepare a 7" long x 7" diameter piece of Alder wood that I recently acquired for carving bowls? **** ANSWER **** A whole log will almost always split as it loses water and shrinks. I suggest you split the log lengthwise, seal the ends with wax or paint, and leave to dry in a cool, drafty place. In addition, I'd rough out the bowl(s) while the wood is wet. That way the material will dry quicker (because there is less) and can move even more as it shrinks without the need to release pressure by splitting. Leave to dry, then re-carve to finish. This is common practice among wood turners. =================================== **** 4: FOLLOW UP: RE: CARVING GROUPS IN MY (LOS ANGELES) AREA? "I live near Los Angeles and am interested in learning more about carving. Are there any schools that teach it in this area" Linda England replies: "Try Cerritos College: the school offers a wide selection of classes in wood working - furniture, turning, etc. Their web site is a bit difficult to navigate around: http://www.cerritos.edu/wood/coursedesc/index.html "In addition, their art department offers Beginning Wood Sculpture I and II. If they don't have a class for this person, perhaps someone there can suggest something else. "Suggest too that Rocklier (ask for Linda, the carving expert there) and Woodcraft (they offer classes) stores in Orange County (both off the 91 freeway) might be good sources of information." _______________________________________ 5. PARALLEL LINES: GUEST ARTICLE 'Goals Only Work When You Do' by Rhoberta Shaler _______________________________________ GOALS ONLY WORK WHEN YOU DO By Rhoberta Shaler Goal setting seems to be a perennially hot topic! Could it be that you hear and, perhaps, read about it so often because it's a subject that is easy to know about and difficult to practice? It would be very surprising to find an adult in the work force who has not heard about goal setting. A Harvard study of their graduates over thirty years found that there were only a small percentage (3%) of them who actually wrote down their goals -- and these were the most successful! You can be certain that every one of those students had repeatedly heard the value of goal setting. Yet only 3% actually wrote down their goals consistently. Imagine what you can do if you both write down your goals and, then, focus on them consistently every day, every week, until they are accomplished! What is it that causes what I call the "New Year's Resolution Syndrome"? You probably know the one I'm thinking of. People make resolutions, work hard at them for a few weeks, maybe even a few months, and then forget them. Next year, they make the same New Year's Resolutions. That is the syndrome. It is self-defeating and self-sabotaging. So why do so many people do it? They may be making goals that are too global, too extensive, and too unrealistic for the time frame, body type or current finances. That is not to say that they are not worthy goals. They need to be broken apart into smaller, more specific, attainable pieces. The elephant analogy is still the best one I know of to illustrate good goal setting. You probably know it. "How do you eat an elephant? One spoonful at a time." So it is with goals. Make spoon size goals and accomplish them easily. One you've mastered this get a bigger spoon! You may have too many people in your life who consciously or subconsciously are unwilling or unable to support you to reach your goals. On my tape, Creating Your Life: You are the Master Mind of Your Masterpiece, I talk about your personal "tribes". If you have created agreement among your tribe members that you are a certain way, or you do certain things, they are comfortable with you as long as you are, and do, those things. They may even be enthusiastic about your desire to change something or accomplish something new. Just know that, as you change and accomplish, they may not like it. They may even go so far as to put you down in small ways or make light of your accomplishments. Do you know why? It is usually because your changes and accomplishments remind them, on some levels, that they could be doing it, too...and they aren't! So surround yourself with people who want you to have what you want for yourself. Be mutually supportive and you'll all achieve your highest goals! This is called masterminding. You may have filled your schedule with so many things that there is little room for your goals to grow. We must be careful not to confuse busyness with progress. Be selective about how you use your time and what you focus on. Success often comes when you know what to leave out, rather than what to include in your life. Notice, too, how much time you spend on trivia. It has a nasty way of taking your attention from what you say you want to focus on, doesn't it? Have you ever just "had" to clean your office before you could begin your project? Then you know how this works! Goal setting is like the pig and chicken who were out for a walk in town early one morning. The chicken became really excited when she saw a sign that said "Ham & Eggs, $2.99". She said to the pig, "Look, we've got double billing again." The pig grunted and said, "That's all right for you to say. For you, it's all in a day's work. For me, it's total commitment." Goal setting is all in a day's work. Goal achievement is total commitment. ****************************** (C) Rhoberta Shaler, PhD. All rights reserved worldwide. Author of several books, programs & audio tapes, Seattle-based Rhoberta Shaler, PhD, speaks, consults and trains for corporations, conferences, and conventions on 'People Skills for a Competitive Edge' through her company, SPEAKING ABOUT WORK. She leads teams to improve and strengthen workplace relationships and recover time lost through conflict. http://www.RhobertaShaler.com http://www.SpeakingAboutWork.com Contact Telephone: (425) 401-6464 Email: mailto:RS@RhobertaShaler.com ***************************** --------------------------------------------------------- *****COMMENT: HOW IS THIS RELEVANT TO WOODCARVING? It's about getting down to carving, rather than just thinking or talking about it; about using your precious time well; about finding support; and about methodical progress towards carving your dream. You have to really want it. Chickens appear several times in this newsletter - but I don't think that's relevant. _______________________________________ 6. CARVING CUTS FROM MAINE - II _______________________________________ Started August 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. "What you do before you begin to carve has as much to do with what you achieve, as what you do when you are carving." 2. "I discovered/learned how difficult it is to think and visualise in 3 dimensions. Modelling a design as well as drawing it helped me visualise; but it's still a difficult process when you've never had to do it before." 3. "Using the chisels to describe the form. Each layer you take away more closely describes what you are carving until the form emerges from the wood, fully realised." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That's it - I'm off to Portugal! I hope you have found this newsletter interesting and useful. Once more: joy and success in your carving! Chris Pye ----------------------------------- PS: Yet another one to think about at the bench: "The man who sets out to carry a cat by its tail learns something that will always be useful and which never will grow dim or doubtful." Mark Twain Copyright (c) Chris Pye 2001 Chris@woodcarver.force9.co.uk ----------------------------------- Chris Pye: Woodcarving Newsletter is listed in the EzinesPlus directory of newsletters and ezines. http://ezinesplus.com -----------------------------------