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Essential Woodcarving T e gh N 1 Q U E s

FlG 6.9 Eigbteenth-century acanthus from a Roman scroll. NotÄ™ the typical turnouer ar the leaf end and tbe bifurcating stan. Carved in Qtiebec yellow pine by Keith Ferdinand.

FlG 6.10 Victorian caruing (z. 1860). Very cleanly and deeply cawed, imitating medieual styles but lacking iÅ„gour. Also rather fussy. BÅ„lliant techniÄ…ue.

familiar a drawing tool as the pencil. The composition of a group does, of course, have to be at least sketched in.

1 would urgc you to find good cxamples of traditional foliage canring, study and draw them from different angles until you have elear pictures in your head. You are unlikely to notice every detail, so if you carve one of them it is useful to be able to consult it if you need to chcck anything. However, an obsession with absolute accuracy is unwise for the beginner, as you need to think for yourself and takc some risks if you wish the carving to come alivc. Copying slavishly is slow, dcadening and likely to exaggerate any mistakes in the original.

Key Features

Things to look out for in conventional leaves are imaginary lines linking the cyes, and spiral or wavy patterns visible in the leaf edges or ribs or in the lobes of leaves wherher seen from abovc or sideways. By chamfering leaf edges where the surface slopes up towards them you gain liveliness, a greater sense of depth and a stronger edge. Indentarions becween lobes usually have

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