1:  Westdean College
2:  New eBook: 5 Big Thoughts about Carving
3:  Miscellany:
       One for the Bench
       Back issues
       Woodcarving Tuition/Teaching
       Woodcarving DVDs
       Slipstones Woodcarving Manuals

1  West Dean College, Chichester, UK

  Gain a good, solid foundation in woodcarving skills and techniques
  Learn to rudiments of relief carving
  Improve your existing carving

I'm very pleased to have been invited to teach at the much-praised and well-respected West Dean College.
 

Students learn:

  Tool sharpening
  Low and High Relief Carving
  'Grounding out': removing waste efficiently
  'Lining in'
  Levelling and smoothly finishing surfaces
  'Setting in'
  Modelling
  Detailing - and much more...

I have run this course for 11 years in the USA very successfully but this is the first time I have run it here in the UK.
So, this is a great opportunity - don't miss it!

West Dean
For those who don't know, West Dean College is part of the Edward James Foundation, a charitable trust located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in south-east England. A unique community, West Dean is a creative mix of artists and craftspeople, conservators and restorers, working alongside gardeners, farmers, foresters and builders.

West Dean College
West Dean
Chichester
West Sussex PO18 0QZ

Tel: 0844 4994408 (in UK)
     +44 (0)1243 811301 (from abroad)

Email: short.courses@westdean.org.uk
Website: www.westdean.org.uk

Course details are here - but please forgive the woodturning picture! - the website is being updated; I promise, no lathes!

If you want to ask me personally about the course, feel free to email: just 'reply' to this newsletter and change the subject line.

2  New eBook: 5 Big Thoughts about Carving

I've gathered the 5 articles which I wrote in recent newsletters into a pdf file for you to download, entirely free.
There are some extremely important points (at least 5!) and it'll really help your carving if you think hard on about them and put them into practice.

Click on the picture to take you to the download page.

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:

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose."

           ~ Lyndon B. Johnson, address to the nation, November 28, 1963

BACK ISSUES of this newsletter:

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

TUITION/TEACHING 20089

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
 

UK 2009 Westdean College, Chichester

  February 2 - 6:  Relief Carving

Details on the Westdean College website: http://www.westdean.org.uk
 

USA 2009 Center For Furniture Craftsmanship, Maine

  June 22 - 26:  Relief Carving

  June 29 - July 10:  2 week Intermediate/Advanced

Details on the CFC website: http://www.woodschool.org

WOODCARVING DVDs

Full list and details: here

  Sharpen your Gouge
  Essential Lettercarving Techniques
  Ornamental Carving
  Buy all 3 and save 10%!

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

  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)