essentÊrving°66

Essen ti al Woodcarvixg Techniques

Fig 5.1 Oak leafstudies by a student (Howard Spiers) before beginning the example carved for this chapter. He bas tÅ„ed to show them as three-dimensional objects.

fussy if you do and should bc morÄ™ sculptural. The oak leaf which is the subjecc of this chaptcr is 2l6mm (8V^in) long, 104mm (4in) widc, and 25mm (lin) decp. It seems appropriate, although not always easy, to make the leaf with the wood of the same species of tree. The main axi$ of the leaf is along the grain. This facilitates the carving and emphasizes the flow of the leaf. Quarter-sawn wood is the most stable but unnecessary for an exercise of this size.

Holding the Work

Having selected your wood it is cssential that you plan how it is to be held and the stages of carving. The two obvious methods are to carve it as a relief, in which case the background may bc held in a vice or with clamps, or in the round, where a rectangular pÅ‚ug is retained underneath or left around the stem or screwed, or glued with a paper join, to the bottom. In this case, once the accessible parts of the leaf are finished the bÅ‚ock is unscrewed or the pÅ‚ug is carved down, gently shaping the underside of the leaf or the stem until so littlc remains that it can be pared off with a knife.

TRANSFERRING THE DRAWING to the Wood

The safest method of putting the drawing on to the wood is to prepare it on paper. It is rhen far easier to change pencil lines, rather than trying to do it on the wood. The finaÅ‚ drawing is transferred to the wood with carbon paper.

Setting Down the Relief

If the carving is to be a relief, after the design has been drawn on the surface the intended depth should be marked on the sides all the way round. Then the ground should be taken down to this level all around the outline of the leaf. If this is very notched it is best to cut out a simplified outline and set down the fine details later, particularly as some notches may end up ncar the ground.

Figurcs 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 show thrcc ways of setting down and roughing or hosting out.

The waste wood is carved with a deep gouge away from the outline and right to the edge (Fig 5-2). This may lead to morÄ™ splitting off than was intended. It is also difficult to sec how far down you

FlG 5.2 The quickest method of setting down an outline, by carning downwards away from it. NotÄ™ the ground linÄ™ drawn on the side of the wood.

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