Orger Kachina
Kachina
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Carving
My group of 8 or so meet each Thursday. Progress on several fronts is coming ahead. One woman is getting quite good at Relief carving. Many Santos, Mexican/Spanish Saints. Three with in the round sculpture. We just completed a bust of Christ as a group project.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Hello
Hello again
As you can see the time that I have spent on this has been non-existent for quite some time. Should anyone wish to have more thoughts or guidance on carving please let me know. I would be glad to assist if I can. I have update my picasa pictures at
If you care to see them.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Clean Thoughst on a Dirty Wall about Woodcarving
I have just read the March edition of the Chris Pye Newsletter. On the letter were several fine articles offered for download for free. One in particular was a list of 101 thoughts about woodcarving. I felt that the following were important to mention here so here we go, want more just follow the link to Chris’s site.
# 5 All carving must be thought out before you put the tool to work. Thinking backwards will insure that there is some wood left on the remaining wood to accomplish each aspect of the finished carving. As a former machinist I remember that as my way to set up each piece I made.
#44 Always use the largest possible tool, it is Just working smart.
#49 If the carving does not look right it is not right. The eye will tell more to each carving if you practice using it. All beginners need to learn this first, and struggle with it the hardest. Don’t think in terms of carving but in terms of how the hunk of wood portrays the end object. I suggest placing the carving upside down, looking in a mirror or put in front of the TV at night and look at it during commercials, then you see the mistakes. Placing a relief carving on the floor and stand over it, the errors in proportion and foreshortening will jump out at you.
#50 Procrastination must end, yes but it is so hard to get over it, and some day I will get around to it.
#51 Without research you carve a simple form, with it you see form, movement and details. I normally use 3 to 10 pictures from books and the Internet to inspire and select an area on each to improve the carving.
#80 ONLY Practice makes the Master
#97 I feel that boosting in the masses the most important function in carving. Each island of wood left will allow a portion to be carved later. Pay strict attention to angles and distances, dimensions for arms, elbows, etc. As you say in 100 form first!!
Thank You Chris Pye
# 5 All carving must be thought out before you put the tool to work. Thinking backwards will insure that there is some wood left on the remaining wood to accomplish each aspect of the finished carving. As a former machinist I remember that as my way to set up each piece I made.
#44 Always use the largest possible tool, it is Just working smart.
#49 If the carving does not look right it is not right. The eye will tell more to each carving if you practice using it. All beginners need to learn this first, and struggle with it the hardest. Don’t think in terms of carving but in terms of how the hunk of wood portrays the end object. I suggest placing the carving upside down, looking in a mirror or put in front of the TV at night and look at it during commercials, then you see the mistakes. Placing a relief carving on the floor and stand over it, the errors in proportion and foreshortening will jump out at you.
#50 Procrastination must end, yes but it is so hard to get over it, and some day I will get around to it.
#51 Without research you carve a simple form, with it you see form, movement and details. I normally use 3 to 10 pictures from books and the Internet to inspire and select an area on each to improve the carving.
#80 ONLY Practice makes the Master
#97 I feel that boosting in the masses the most important function in carving. Each island of wood left will allow a portion to be carved later. Pay strict attention to angles and distances, dimensions for arms, elbows, etc. As you say in 100 form first!!
Thank You Chris Pye
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Getting a GREAT LOOKING Carving
Deciding on a subject to carve a better looking item.
I know you’re new at this and all of this discussion just overwhelms a beginner, but how do you learn?
Pick something that inspires you or you are interested in. Carousel horses, faces, humans, Indians there are many to choose from. So pick one and try and find as many pictures of the subject as you can. Research here will improve the carving. Children’s coloring books offer good patterns for the beginner. If you can find a toy of ceramic figure of the thing your going to carve as a reference on the table in front of you as you carve. The pictures, and figure are not to copy but to get you to see the item you intend to carve. When I carve a face I may have as many as 10 pictures I use. There may be a wrinkle pattern on one, a nose on another, mouth and so on. I do suggest the following.
1. Find the best picture you can of the subject from a direct frontal and direct side or profile view. I once did a bust of Ronald Reagan and the front view picture was all that I used. Without a good profile, no matter how hard you try the face is only close to a good rendition. As few as 50% could even see his likeness even though the carving perfectly copied the picture.
2. Consider that most pictures are not square to the subject and this will throw off the perspective and therefore the carving. Tracing a picture, enlarged pictures from a copy machine are fine for an outline only. Leave a 1/16 or so extra wood to correct problems.
3. Try and capture motion in the carving. A man straight up and no action will look just that. Eyes looking straight ahead kill a carving, with a stare. Smooth clothing looks false. Plan all of this in your mind before you start removing any wood. Research, and more research now will make the carving look great.
4. Consider the wood you use, and the grain. Basswood carves easy, has no real grain, has the problem of fuzz and sanding is not what I call great. Butternut, avocado, birch, cherry have color, grain and add to the carving later. Walnut is dark and hides detail after finishing so consider that the lighting will always need to be bright. Firewood and found wood are free and mistakes burn well. I find that cracks and defects in found wood add to the subject matter with just a bit of planning. Many of my fencepost carvings have a base of the original wood finish and blend into the carving.
Rick
I know you’re new at this and all of this discussion just overwhelms a beginner, but how do you learn?
Pick something that inspires you or you are interested in. Carousel horses, faces, humans, Indians there are many to choose from. So pick one and try and find as many pictures of the subject as you can. Research here will improve the carving. Children’s coloring books offer good patterns for the beginner. If you can find a toy of ceramic figure of the thing your going to carve as a reference on the table in front of you as you carve. The pictures, and figure are not to copy but to get you to see the item you intend to carve. When I carve a face I may have as many as 10 pictures I use. There may be a wrinkle pattern on one, a nose on another, mouth and so on. I do suggest the following.
1. Find the best picture you can of the subject from a direct frontal and direct side or profile view. I once did a bust of Ronald Reagan and the front view picture was all that I used. Without a good profile, no matter how hard you try the face is only close to a good rendition. As few as 50% could even see his likeness even though the carving perfectly copied the picture.
2. Consider that most pictures are not square to the subject and this will throw off the perspective and therefore the carving. Tracing a picture, enlarged pictures from a copy machine are fine for an outline only. Leave a 1/16 or so extra wood to correct problems.
3. Try and capture motion in the carving. A man straight up and no action will look just that. Eyes looking straight ahead kill a carving, with a stare. Smooth clothing looks false. Plan all of this in your mind before you start removing any wood. Research, and more research now will make the carving look great.
4. Consider the wood you use, and the grain. Basswood carves easy, has no real grain, has the problem of fuzz and sanding is not what I call great. Butternut, avocado, birch, cherry have color, grain and add to the carving later. Walnut is dark and hides detail after finishing so consider that the lighting will always need to be bright. Firewood and found wood are free and mistakes burn well. I find that cracks and defects in found wood add to the subject matter with just a bit of planning. Many of my fencepost carvings have a base of the original wood finish and blend into the carving.
Rick
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