Capital City Carvers

Tulip Poplar

The latest issue of the British woodcarving magazine, appropriately named Woodcarving has an article about carving a fruit festoon, a type of carved wall hanging. The wood the author uses is tulipwood, also called tulip poplar. Thinking that was an unusual wood for a carving project, I did a little research.

Tulip poplar has been used in making furniture framework. It is a creamy white wood with green, brown, red, and even blue streaks that darken with age to honey brown. Grain is straight, hardness is soft and fibrous with a medium strength. In the workshop, it is easy to cut and plane. It glues well but it is not hard enough to take a complicated profile.

Key uses are carving, patternmaking, doors, and toys. It does need sanding after working with tools because the tools will raise the fibers. The carved festoon did take on good detail and was finished with white chalk paint and clear wax polish.

Making Mistakes

Again, from the British magazine Woodcarving Issue #66. Errors fall into two general categories, mistakes of judgement and of execution.

Mistakes of judgement include obvious mistakes which can be rectified following a rethink, and also the kind of mistake which follows taking a chance - like judging the strength of the wood if subjected to a particular shape imposed upon it.

Mistakes of execution include clumsiness, inappropriate use of the mallet (if you use one), and blunt knives and gouges. Mistakes of execution are generally but not always easier to put right. Use sharp knives/gouges and carving methods using both hands.

Clumsiness, however, is a different proposition. Some of us, by nature, have deft and sensitive ways of slicing/gouging wood - others use a steam hammer to crack a nut, so to speak. Even this disadvantage can be reduced by practice and patience.

Whatever the case, do not be afraid of making mistakes. Instead of opting for the simple solution, choose the best or "optimum" solution and risk making a mistake. Never forget that whenever we are carving a specific subject we are cultivating our skills for the next subject.

Paint Brush Care

You don't have to have the fanciest, most expensive brushes, but you should still take just as much care of the brushes you do have. To increase the life span of your brushes here are a few tips for the care of your brushes.

In general, there are a few reasons why it is important that you care for your brushes properly. Cleaning your brushes will extend their lifetime, so you'll save money by not having to buy new brushes all the time. Having clean brushes will also make it easier for you to create high-quality artwork. A poorly-cared-for brush just won't produce the same results as a brush that's been well taken care of.

Always use the right kind of brush for the job. You'll want a separate set of brushes for each medium that you use. Acrylic, oil, and watercolor paint all require their respective types of brushes. Don't use your expensive brushes to mix paints. Have cheap brushes available for mixing tasks. Even better, use a palette knife or thin stick to blend the paint.