Tips and Techniques
by Barbara Mann
Carving from a Pattern
When we do a new carving, we usually have a finished model (go-by) and a pattern in front of us. Your carving life can be more varied and challenging if you carve from a pattern you find for yourself. If you want a cutout, just give me the pattern and I'll cut it out.
Follow these steps and doing a carving directly from a pattern without a go-by won't be hard.
1) Draw the pattern on the cutout. Either use a ruler to get the measurements right, or make a copy of the partem, hold it on the cutout, and trace the lines.
2) Remove the wood that is not needed. Check the amount of wood you removed by placing the cutout on the pattern and looking at all the outside edges in both front view and side view.
3) Block out the major features of the carving, like the hat, or the placement of the arms, big muscle groups in animals, legs, etc.
4) Shape appendages like legs, arms, hands, etc. in the blocked areas so they are sized or squared up to the right size to be rounded.
5) In most cases, unless an instruction says otherwise, it is common practice to start with the head and face, whether a human or an animal figure. Once the head is blocked out start rounding it and gradually get to the fine details. Do not put in any details on the face or head until it is shaped, rounded, and nose, eyes, and mouth positions are determined. If you put in a mouth too soon it can end up being too large or too small.
6) From this point on it is your choice of where to go next. Just start at the top or bottom or front or back and shape whatever you are carving according to the pattern. Round everything to the proper size.
7) NOW YOU ARE READY FOR DETAILS! You may have carved off most of the pattern by now, so sketch it back where needed. The face may have been completed in step 5, or it can be finished now. This is the time for details on clothing, tails on animals, hands, paws, etc. In general, finish the carving and clean it up.
8) Put the finished carving on a shelf and walk away from it overnight. The next day walk toward it, stopping about 3 feet away and look it over feature by feature. Then pick it up and look at it up close. You should be able to see if more wood needs to be removed. Happy carving!
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Wood Carving Game
There's always something new in technology. Now there is a wood carving game for your Android phone or tablet. That means it's not available for iPhones or iPads.
The app gives a sample, a work piece, an electric tool and a set of cutters for your choice. The goal is to replicate the given sample.
Those with Android phones can search for "Wood Carving Game" in the Google play store.
Please, Please, Please
Put your name or initials on your tools, gloves or any other equipment. Then we can get your belongings back to you when they jump out of your tool box.
Caverns Cultural Celebration
Several Capital City Carvers will participate in this festival in Marianna at the Florida Caverns State Park. This park has the only air-filled caves accessible to tourists in Florida. The focus of the event is on life as it was during the late 1800s to the early 1900s in Jackson County, FL and the surrounding area.
On Friday, Sept. 30 we will demonstrate wood carving for Panhandle school children and have displays of our carvings from 9 to 3 (CDT). On Saturday, Oct. 1, the event will be open to the general public from 9 to 3 and again we will demonstrate, display, and a few members will have carvings for sale.
The Park is located at 3345 Caverns Rd., Marianna. Barbara will send detailed instructions to the demonstrators as soon as the information is available.
Quote
"If you don't have time to do it right the first time, how are you ever going have time to do it over?"
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