essentÊrving±04

E S S E N T I A L W O O D C A R V I N G T E C H N I Q V E S

(Fig 9.20) bur could have stabbcd them in with a variety of flattish gouges. This method was uscd later to give deeper shadows with sharp depths (Fig 9.21). Droplets wcre formed by using No. 7 or 8 gouges with the fluce downwards or with backbent gouges (Fig 9.22). If you do not have inside bevels or if you are carving tight inside curves, backbent tools are esscntial for quick and tidy carving of this sorr of shape.

To shape the concavc grooves undcr the splash cwo spoonbit gouges were used: a broad, shallow one to make the overall shape and a lOmm (³/6in) one with a No. 9 sweep for the detail (Fig 9.23). Using various smaller ones and bent V tools would havc added to the rangÄ™ of shapes.

Building up by Lamination

The pool of water is considerably wider chan the tap and so it would be uneconomical to carve the whole sculpture out of one big piece of wood. 1 could havc carvcd the pool out of another piece of wood, but as I had suflficient off-cuts after band-sawing the front and side profiles it seemed scnsible to build up the bottom with those. Normally when Iaminating timbcr I arrange for the annual rings co be opposed so the shrinkage pulls in different directions (Fig 9.24). However, the piece of lOOmm x 50mm (4in x 2in) American red oak chosen for this carving was virtually quartcr-sawn and well seasoned. It was therefore fairly stable and would allow for the blocks to be placed with the annual rings all curving morÄ™ or less in the same direction. This mcant that the pool was to be carved into end grain but practicc had shown that the wood when carvcd in this direction, although being slightly brittlc and crumbly, would takc fine detail. To allow access co the bottom of the water column and the splash the lamination was left until those parts were done.

Fig 9.16 Tap (American red oak) by Dick Onians. Front the left: Plasticine model of a column of water, the original drawing andfinished caroing

Fig 9.17 The shape bandsawn to yield large ojfeuts.

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