essentÊrving±42

Essential W o o d c a r vixc Techniqces

The Composition

Once rhe subjccr and its main aspect havc been chosen, volume, mass and linc nccd to bc composed. A carving in thc round should rcad well firom a!l anglcs unlcss intcndcd to be seen only firom ccrtain positions. Somc carvings are meant to be blockish. Generally, however, there should be no suggesrion of the rectangular bÅ‚ock. To avoid this, thc top vic\v must be carefully planned. Twisting the design not only hclps with this but also imparts lifc. To make a good composition forms and lines can be madÄ™ to balance one anothcr, cchoing or reflecting, flowing together as the viewpoint is changcd or forming deliberate contrasts.

An Illustration OF Stylization

The subject is a carving of a mother swinging her baby around. This is developcd from an old rcprcscntational camng of minc (Fig 13.11).

The task was to convey thc movement by simplifying and developing forms. Apart from thc composition and thc movement there is also the love berween mother and child, which, like rhe movement, has to be felt while you are carving if it is to come through in the finished piece.

PREPARATORY SKETCHES Simple lines may be drawn to suggest the movement, but apart from the difficulty of carving thin forms with short grain there is no suggestion of there bcing two pcople or of any cmotion berween them. The first difficulty is overcome by making less spindly forms, the second by including symbolic heads in appropriate attitudes (Fig 13.12).

Making a Maquette

After making some sketches to arrive at thc composition it is helpful to make a maquette

Fig 13.11 Mother swinging baby (limÄ™), Dick Onians.

(model). If you use clay or Plasticine you need a frame or armaturÄ™ of stiff materiaÅ‚ (Fig 13.13). 1 recommend square-section aluminium armaturÄ™ wire which is availablc in various thicknesscs. I uscd 3mm (Vfcin) wire. Thinner wire can be fastened to it to help support thin forms or be wound round the thicker wire to stop the modelling materiaÅ‚ from collapsing. Here I drilled a 3mm (^Å‚/6in) hole in a slab of wood and rammed the armaturÄ™ wire into it for strong anchorage.

Maquettes are very useful but can be dangerous to the finaÅ‚ carving. Clay and wood are csscntially different. If a clay model is

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