FAQ Carving 1/4 - General
Mike Dunk
This is the FAQ for rec.crafts.carving. This is a combined effort of
the subscribers of rec.crafts.carving and shall be under constant
revision. If you have any suggestions or comments, please submit
them to either John at "bea...@polarnet.com" or to Mike at
"mgd...@bconnex.net", with the subject line of your letter titled
r.c.c. FAQ. This is your document and requires your input, please
help us keep this FAQ current with your comments and suggestions. We
shall attempt to post this document once every month and update its
content constantly.
Last Revised on: August 11, 1996
The carving FAQ is divided into four parts. Each part is
available as a separate file. The parts of the Carving FAQ are:
1. Carving FAQ - General (this document)
2. Carving FAQ - Organizations
3. Carving FAQ - Shows & Competitions
4. Carving FAQ - Suppliers
GENERAL
Layout of this FAQ - Part I includes:
1.0 The rec.crafts.carving FAQ
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Posting Guidelines
1.3 Layout of the FAQ
2.0 Types of Carving
2.1 Wood Carving
2.1.1 Relief Carving
2.1.2 Carving in the Round
2.1.3 Caricature/Whittling
2.1.4 Chip Carving
2.1.5 Intarsia
2.1.6 Types of carving wood
2.2 Stone Carving
2.3 Ivory/Bone Carving
3.0 Tools
3.1 Hand Tools
3.1.1 Types of Carving Wood
3.2 Power Tools
6.0 Carving Information On-line
6.1 WWW Sites
6.2 News groups
6.3 Listserv
7.0 Carving Suppliers
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1.0 The Rec.Crafts.Carving FAQ
1.1 Introduction
This is the rec.crafts.carving Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
document. This document is intended to provide: some general
guidelines to the group on the art of carving; some sources for
supplies; information about shows, competitions and classes; and
information on styles and techniques of interest to carvers. Carving
is an art that uses a wide range of materials from apples to wood and
involves all levels of ability as well as a variety of techniques.
Your input to this FAQ is desired and required to foster a mutual
understanding of our various ideas and techniques in this art and to
keep the information as current as possible.
This FAQ will be maintained and edited for correction of typos,
clarification, and to trim inclusions down for brevity. Beyond its
initial publication, this FAQ will be constructed from the collective
wisdom of the group or contributions from key individuals. As the
information grows, the FAQ may be sub-divided into topical FAQs.
1.2 Posting Guidelines
All individuals are welcome to post to rec.crafts.carving. We suggest
that prior to posting any articles or comments that you read the
news.groups for proper posting netiquette (the do's and don'ts of
posting on the net). The goal of these discussions are to provide
the global carving community a practical forum to discuss these
issues and give new carvers encouragement and a place to start. Any
postings that are related to carving are acceptable, including but
not limited to: tools, techniques, styles, shows, classes and
organizations. Postings containing advertisements are acceptable but
must conform to a few basic guidelines: 1. The ads must be limited to
carving related items and the subject line must begin with either
"vendor" or "supplier"; 2. No "catalogue" listings of supplies or
items are acceptable; 3. Examples of items for sale can be included
but pointers (URL's, snail-mail addresses or phone numbers) should be
used to provide more information to interested parties rather than
filling bandwidth with unwanted files for other readers/posters.
Binary files (graphic pictures) are not allowed in the 'rec' series of
news groups. Pointers to URL's displaying carvers works are
encouraged. If enough interest is generated, we will investigate
starting a section in alt.binaries.* to display carvings.
The posting of political debates, derogatory comments against
individuals, 'flames', or similar posts will not be tolerated nor
welcome.
1.3 FAQ Layout
In this document's first publication, six sections are presented.
This first section relates to the group's FAQ contents and posting
requirements. Section 2 relates to the various types of carving that
interest the posters to this group. Primarily, this outlines the
various mediums used by carvers to produce their art. Section 3
describes the types, care and use of tools employed by carvers in
their various mediums. Section 4 lists carving organizations by
geographic location. This list will not be an exhaustive list, since
there are thousands of carving clubs and organizations around the
world. We will endeavor to list as many active organizations as
possible to help carvers keep in touch with others who are interested
in their art. Section 5 contains lists of competitions of interest
to carvers. We will attempt to keep the posting of competitions
current, by region, updated each month. Section 6 relates to on-line
carving organizations and individuals and will list their email
addresses and URL locations.
2.0 Types of Carving
Carving is one of the oldest forms of arts and crafts. Carvings of
bone, horn and ivory have been preserved from Stone Age time, many of
them real miniature works of art. Innumerable implements, tools and
weapons must likewise have been made of wood, and perhaps
ornamentally carved. Wood was probably the most abundant raw
material and could easily be worked with flint, scrapers and knives.
But it is also relatively perishable and because of this a whole
wealth of historical evidence has been lost to us forever. The
advent of machinery and mass production has resulted in the steady
loss of carving skills over time with the emphasis placed on quick
output and quantities of similar products. The demand for the
uniqueness of hand carved products has always been the mark of special
care and love for distinctive products.
This newsgroup is dedicated to preserving and promoting the skills of
carving and this FAQ tries to introduce the reader to the various
types, materials and tools. The attempt is the first attempt at
gathering a wide variety of information on carving and presenting it
in a condensed, broad-brush format. Comments, suggestions and
submissions for disciplines of carving are welcome.
2.1 Wood Carving
Wood has always been one of man's most popular raw material, and its
workability has made it one of the most common form of carving since
ancient times.
2.1.1 Relief Carving
Relief carving is the technique used to make pictures from flat pieces
of wood. The basic concept is to raise a design so that it stands
away from its background. Relief carving is used to make
two-dimensional designs for wall plaques, household decorations or
furniture embellishment.
There are two basic styles of relief carving. If the design is raised
only slightly, about 3/8 in, and appears to lie flat on the surface of
the background, the carving is called a low relief. If the design has
been raised more than 3/8 in, and appears to stand free of its
background, the carving is called a high relief. High relief carvings
can be raised several inches above the background, and the technique
works well with complex shapes to create the illusion of depth.
Because of the extra height, the shapes can be molded, rounded and
undercut so that they appear to stand completely away from the
background or to project out of it.
In low relief and high relief, the basic carving steps are the same.
First, the background is carved away and smoothed, leaving a raised
design and level background. Then the design itself is shaped and
smoothed.
2.1.2 Carving in the Round
Carving in the round or sculpturing is the next step from high relief.
It is the art of presenting the ideas & concepts from the mind of the
carver to a three-dimensional object that can be viewed from all sides
and angles. There is literally an unlimited number of forms of
sculpturing from exact, life-size replication of objects to
interpretive representation of ideas and nature.
2.1.3 Caricature/Whittling
2.1.3.a Caricature
Any subject- May be relief or in the round, painted or naturally
finished. Caricature exists in many forms and is acceptable in any
form (eg., parody, burlesque, cartoon, exaggeration, farce, lampoon,
satire, mimic, ridicule, travesty)
2.1.3.b Whittling
Made with knife from a single piece of wood. Carving blanks made with
a bandsaw or similar tool. No: other tools, sanding, scraping, finish
or painting.
2.1.4 Chip Carving
Chip carving is one o the oldest forms of decorative woodcarving and
one of the simplest. Complex geometric patterns are formed by
arranging dozens of small, triangular incisions made with just one
knife. At first, this style of working may appear tedious and
time-consuming, but once you have a little practice, you'll find it
goes along quickly, and is quite enjoyable.
Chip carving has been used primarily to decorate household items.
Wooden chests and boxes were carved with complex borders and
rosettes, as were buckets, washboards, chairs, eating utensils and
many other types of woodwork for the house -- including beams, posts
and shutters.
2.1.5 Intarsia
A Brief History of Intarsia (from Judy Gale Roberts home page)
From the earliest times, wood decoration methods fall into five
categories: painting, gilding, engraving, carving, and intarsia. The
ancient art of intarsia - the making of decorative and pictorial
mosaics by laying precious and exotic materials into or onto a
groundwork of solid wood - inspired both marquetry and inlay.
Through the centuries, rich patrons employed craftsmen to create
beautiful works of art from wood. Works of this sort are seen in the
histories of ancient Egypt, imperial Rome, Persia, eighth-century
Japan, and fifteenth and sixteenth century Germany and Italy, where
the best examples are found. The traditional process, involving many
long and demanding steps, was both expensive and painstaking. First,
rare and exotic hardwoods had to be imported at great cost. The
groundwork was slowly carved, lowered, and trenched. Next the
precious but difficult-to-cut hardwood was sawed and sliced into 1/4"
to 1/2" thick tiles and these mosaic tiles were fit and set, one at a
time in a bed of glue or mastic. Finally, the inlaid surface was
scraped, rubbed down, waxed, and burnished.
According to Italian authorities, the word intarsia is derived from
the Latin verb interserere, "to insert". These authorities classify
intarsia works as "sectile" (in which fragments of wood or other
materials are inserted in a wood surface) and "pictorial" (in which
pieces of wood completely cover a ground). As in modern intarsia
work, the wood slices were attached with glue.
Historians agree that the city of Siena was the cradle of Italian wood
carving and inlaying. As early as the thirteenth century, documents
mentioned a certain Manuello who, with his son Parit, in 1259 worked
on the ancient choir of the Siena Cathedral. Domenico di Nicolo, one
of the finest Sienese masters of intarsia and carving, worked for 13
years on the chapel in the Palazzo Pubblico at Siena, using some of
Taddeo Bartoli's designs. Di Nicolo's work also included the doors of
the Sala di Balia.
Intarsia work was also made at an early date at Orvieto, but the
craftsmen were all Sienese. In Italy, where the techniques are more
than a hundred years older than in other European countries, Intarsia
was originally made by sinking forms into wood following a
prearranged design, and then filling in the hollows with pieces of
different woods. Initially only a small number of colors were used.
Early writings indicated that the only tints employed were black and
white, but this must be interpreted broadly. The color of wood on the
same plank usually differs from place to place; tinting would not
have obscured the variations in wood color.
In the early fifteenth century, at the beginning of the Italian
Renaissance, the intarsiatori produced graceful arabesque works
perfectly suited to the raw material and often executed with
perfection. These works are considered by some to be the most
entirely satisfactory of their works, although no necessarily the
most marvelous.
After the invention of perspective drawing and its application to
painting, ambitious intarsia crafters emulated this representational
trend in wood. Much of their work focused on street scenes and
architectural subjects (not always very successfully) and simple
objects like cupboards with their doors partly open to show items on
the shelves (often extraordinary realistic considering the materials
and techniques used.) This focus on realism was assisted by Fra
Glovanni da Verona's discovery of acid solutions and stains for
treating wood (to produce a greater variety of colors) and by the
practice of scorching areas of the wood to shade them, suggesting
roundness.
In the best works of the period, pear, walnut, and maple were the
principal woods, although pine and cypress can also be found. A
tincture of gall apples was used to imitate the color of ebony.
Although fame might be won by exercise of this demanding, slow and
tedious - craft, the winning of fortune was a very different thing.
Even in Siena, a flourishing town that prided itself on its
reputation for fine wood craft, it was difficult for the craftsmen on
whose work that reputation depended to make a living. At one time,
Florence had 34 workshops for wood carving and intarsia. It can be
concluded that work of a certain sort was plentiful and lucrative and
intarsia panels were sometimes exported. However the most celebrated
intarsiatori also practiced some other form of art and sooner or
later abandoned intarsia altogether.
Early intarsia works depend mainly on silhouette for their beauty, but
they also exhibit the use of line (made by graver or saw) within the
main composition. A great deal can be accomplished by choice of wood
type, color, and tone and by arrangement of grain direction. Some of
Fra Giovanni's perspectives show very suggestive skies made in this
manner, as well as representations of veined and colored marble and
of rocks. When the human figure entered into the design, however,
inner lines were essential. Wood color and grain were not
sufficiently expressive.
The craftsman's aim is to display the
qualities of the material with which he is working to their best
advantage, consistent with the purpose of his work. Pride in
overcoming the limitations of the material to achieve an aesthetic
vision can at times sway the artist from this course. In any craft
the marriage between the material and the vision - the presence of an
intelligent designer - should be paramount.
On the subject of intarsia design, Stephen Web has said:
"Tone harmony, and in a limited degree, the sense of values, [the
artist] must certainly cultivate. He must be able to draw a line or
combination of lines which may be ingenious if you like, but must be
delicate and graceful, vigorous, and in proper relation to any masses
which he may introduce into his design. He must thoroughly understand
the value of contrast in line and surface form, but these matters,
though a stumbling block to the amateur, are the opportunities for
the competent designer and craftsman. The most charming possibilities
of broken color lie ready to his hand, to be merely selected by him
and introduced into his design. If the wood be properly selected,
shading is rarely necessary, and if it is done at all should be done
by the artist. In the hands of an artist very beautiful effects may
be obtained, the same kind of wood being made to yield quite a number
of varying shades of color of a low but rich tone. Over-staining and
the abuse of shading are destructive."
SOURCES: Jackson, F. Hamilton, Intarsia and Marquetry, London: Sands &
Co., 1903. Hawkins, David, Techniques of woodworking, Sterling.*
2.2 Stone Carving
2.3 Ivory/Bone Carving
3.0 Tools
3.1 Hand Tools
3.1.1 Types of Carving Wood
One of the most frequently asked question is "What kind of wood should
I use for carving?" While it is a simple question, the answer is
very difficult because it depends on a number of variables. Factors
that can influence the type of wood to be used include: availability,
use of the carving, type of carving, final finish for the carving,
detail to be included in the carving, etc.
Some suggestions for the type of wood for carving are presented below.
This list is taken from the book "How to Carve Wood" by Richard Butz.
Relief Carving and Lettering: Wood: - Aspen, Basswood, Beech, Birch,
Butternut, Cherry, Chestnut, Cottonwood, Elm, Mahogany, Maple, Oak,
Pine, Poplar, Walnut Suggested Finishes: - Stain, Oil (with or without
glazing), French Polish, Varnish, Enamel Paint, Paste Wax.
Sculpture: (carvings over 6 inches) Wood: - (projects with detailed
surfaces) Basswood, Jelutung, Tupelo, Black Cherry, Honduras
Mahogany, Pine, Walnut, (projects with smooth surfaces or simples
details) all of the preceding plus Ash, Beech, Birch, Cedar,
Chestnut, Douglas Fir, Elm, Mahoganies, Maple, Oak, Osage Orange,
Redwood, Teak Suggested Finishes: - Stain, Oil, Varnish, French
Polish, Tint or Enamel Paint, Past Wax
Caricature/Whittling: (carvings under 6 inches) Wood: - (projects with
detailed surfaces) Aspen, Basswood, Black Cherry, Cottonwood, Poplar,
White Pine, (projects with smooth surfaces or simple details) all of
the preceding plus Birch, Butternut, Chestnut, Maple, Oak, Walnut
Suggested Finishes: - Tint, Oil, Past Wax, French Polish
Chip Carving: Wood: - Aspen, Basswood, Butternut, Poplar, White Pine.
Suggested Finishes: - Oil (with or without glazing), Paste Wax.
Intarsia: Wood:- Western Red Cedar, Poplar Suggested Finishes: - Oil
(with or without glazing),
3.2 Power Tools
4.0 Carving Organizations - refer to part 2 of FAQ
5.0 Carving Shows and Competitions - refer to part 3 of FAQ
6.0 Carving Information On-line
6.1 WWW Sites
The Woodcarver's Web: http://www.liberty.com/home/saga/webcarve.htm
(list of Woodcarver's Web sites)
New England Wood Carvers Site: http://www.tiac.net/users/rtrudel/
The Wood Carving Gallery:
http://www.win.net/~amwood/gallery/gallery.html
Bill Judt's Relief Carvings: http://www.terranet.ab.ca:80/~bjudt/
Judy Gail Roberts Intarsia Page:
http://www.tcac.com/~intarsia/index.html
John Johnston's Home Page: http://www2.polarnet.com/~bearqst/
Michael E. McNally (Woodcarver): http://www.mi.net/wood/
Wilderness Studio's Wood Carving:
http://tnt.vianet.on.ca/comm/wildart/
Australian Wood Artisans Promotions: http://www.woodart.com.au/
Mike Dunk Woodcarver: http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/1528
6.2 News groups
rec.crafts.carving
6.3 Listserv
The Woodcarver Listserv:
http://www.terranet.ab.ca:80/~bjudt/WoodcarverList.html
7.0 Carving Suppliers - refer to part 4 FAQ
Mike Dunk
Barrie, ON
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Some of my carvings at:
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/1528
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WOODCARVER listserve at:
http://www.terranet.ab.ca:80/~bjudt/WoodcarverList.html
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