1:  New Gallery Carvings
2:  Update: Online Carving Help
3:  Last call: West Dean, Relief Carving Course Feb. 2010
4:  Miscellany:
       One for the Bench
       Back issues
       Woodcarving Tuition/Teaching
       Woodcarving DVDs
       Slipstones Woodcarving Manuals

1  New Gallery Carvings!  

Baseball Cap:

Wren, Mouse & Snail Commemorative Award:

See larger and further images of these carvings by clicking on the pictures above. Main Gallery index here.

   

2  Online Carving Help  

I had a lot of interesting feedback from you about web-based instruction and support using a web-cam and Skype.
Many thanks to those who wrote with thoughts and ideas!

I've tested the concept on a few carvers and can see that although there are definite limitations there are also definite benefits.
For example, the variable picture quality or webcam positioning makes detailed technical instruction difficult - at least for now. On the other hand, there is a lot of value that I can give from my experience in terms of support, design suggestions and more general technical assistance, and this is definitely worth offering.

I should be able to make such online carving help available through the website fairly soon and hope to give you full details in the next newsletter.
In the meantime, if you have any further thoughts, experience or expertise to share, hit 'reply' to this newsletter and change the subject line.

Thanks!

3  West Dean College 2010

West Dean College
PO Box 518
West Dean
Nr. Chichester
West Sussex PO18 0QZ
UK

Website: www.westdean.org.uk
Email: enquiries@westdean.org.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1243 811301
(Course Reference: 5D0916)

There are still a few places left on the course and, let's face it, you need a break after all the Solstice and New Year festivities!

So, on offer: a quiet, creative time in this lovely settings and among like-minded people where you can invest in a thorough introduction to woodcarving, or improve your existing skills.
I'll be resident at the college and available at mealtimes and evenings to talk about anything, even carving.

See you there!

That's it!

Please forward this newsletter to a woodcarving friend, and anyone else you think might be interested. Thanks!

Joy and success with your carving.

 

                                                   Chris Pye

 
PS: One for the Bench:

"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from the old ones."

           ~ John Maynard Kynes

BACK ISSUES of this newsletter:

http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html
including zipfiles for 2001 - 2006 text-style newsletters

TUITION/TEACHING 2010 UK (1-TO-1 PERSONAL TUITION)

The best way to learn or improve your carving is to join me in my studio for intensive, custom tuition, tailored to exactly what you need. Easy to arrange; dates to suit.

Click here for full details

USA 2010 Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Maine

  Aug 29 - Sep 4:  Elements of Wood Sculpture

Details on the Haystack website: www.haystack-mtn.org

USA 2010 Center For Furniture Craftsmanship, Maine

  Sep 20 - 24:  Relief Carving

  Sep 27 - Oct 1:  Lettercarving

  Oct 4 - 8S:  Carving Tutorial

Details on the CFC website: www.woodschool.org

 
  WOODCARVING DVDs

Full list and details: here

  Sharpen your Gouge
  Essential Lettercarving Techniques
  Ornamental Carving

 
  SLIPSTONES WOODCARVING MANUALS

Help yourself!
You are free to copy any or all of these ebooks, send them to your carving friends, or have them available on your own website but you must not charge money for them.

Full list and details: here

  Roman Letter on Grid (pdf only)
  5 Big Thoughts about Carving (pdf only)
  Learning to Draw - Henri Ruukki (pdf only)
  Chris Pye Signature Slipstones (pdf only)
  Deep Undercutting Tools (pdf only)
  Key Notes on Sharpening Woodcarving Gouges (pdf only)
  Master Woodcarving Secrets (pdf only)
    (Sponsored by Tools for Working Wood)
  Quick Carving Questions - 1
    (Sponsored by Tools for Working Wood)
  Quick Carving Questions - 2
    (Sponsored by Classic Hand Tools http://www.classichandtools.com/)
  Quick Carving Questions - 3
     (Sponsored by Preferred Edge Carving Knives & Supplies)
  Quick Carving Questions - 4
  Selecting & Sharpening Your V Tool
  Learning to Carve
  Learning to Carve 2
  A Guide to Safe Woodcarving
  Mistakes and Woodcarving
  Fundamentals of Woodcarving
  Slicing, And The Value Of The Inside Bevel (pdf only)