essentÊrving±21

C A R V 1 N G A N Ani M AL IN THE R O l N D

Fig 11.5 Rear view. The saw cnts facilitated removal of large pieca of waste.

Fig 11.6 Top vicw of same stage. The stab marks i u the waste wood on the back show how the waste was remoued by spłitting.

che carving so big, find anorher piece of wood. While it is possibie to carve che fect to the bottom of che bÅ‚ock the task becomcs unnecessarily difficult.

Bosting Out and Avoiding THE SQUARE LOOK

We havc all seen square carved birds, animals and people trying to look as if thcy had the fuli shape of the natural original. Some primitive carvcrs tcnd to work like this, but so much else in their carving$ is stylized and thcir ways of looking and working are so rcfreshingly diffcrenc front ours that we respond favourably to the simpliciry of their interpretation. Only an cxperienccd artisc in our culture can rnatch them. The modern carvcrs work often looks rnerely wrong - flat or clumsy. The way we draw things as outlines, the flat view of the worid that our cyes transmit to the brain, and our time- and wood-saving ntethods of preparing the work all conspire to make fiat or squarc carvings. Sensibly, we cut out the profiles with saws or, if wasting materiaÅ‚ is not a consideration, with axcs or grinding tools. A profile depcnds entirely on where the viewer is standing, so most beginners cake straight front and side views and, if they are wise, top and back views, but are wrong in rhinking that it is sintply a matter of cutting tighcly to these outlines and rounding off the comers. Drawings help to plan these outlines, and models help to reduce the rigidity and put some depth into the forms.

Once the outline has becn drawn in the case of most animals the side view is the one which lcads to the removal of the greatesc amount of wood most quickly - the waste can be cut away (Figs 11.5, 11.6). Always leave extra wood all the way round. On a piece 150mm (6in) long, about 6mm (14in) extra is reasonable. The experienced carver may cut closely to the outline but the beginner too often cuts too close in places. Once the drawing has been carved away it is difficult to

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