I am teaching a class at Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Indianapolis, Indiana September 16 – 20 on “Classic European Carving”. There are still a few spaces available, and even if you have never picked up a carving gouge, you can take this class. Here is the class description:
“This class will cover the basics of woodcarving based on traditional European techniques. I have worked with several master carvers from around the world, and love the process of using only mallets and gouges to achieve a crisp, beautiful design.
We will start with learning about the process of sharpening the chisels to a razor sharp edge using the techniques that have been used for centuries.
The carving projects will start with a lesson on working with the grain, how to safely hold the gouges, and basic carving cuts.
Then we will carve a classical grape leaf and grape cluster design in relief. We will learn the processes of how to lower the background down, how to shape the leaf, and the technique of carving grape clusters. The next project will be carving a scroll design combined with a simple acanthus leaf, as you would see on the side of a bracket or corbel. The next, more advanced carving will be carving a deep-relief classical acanthus leaf. And finally, if time permits, we will carve several types of moldings, such as egg and dart, bead and rope molding.”
If you have never experienced a class at Marc Adams, you really need to. It is pretty intense, as it goes for 5 days, from 8 am to 5 or 6(ish), and they allow you to stay as long as you want at the shop (you just may not see the instructor!) I think of this like a total immersion language class. If you do nothing for a week but listen and speak in another language, then you are bound to learn a lot in that week – simply by constantly being around it. It is the same with woodcarving – the confidence in using the tools grows (without you even realizing it!) and by the 5th day, wood is just flying! You eat, drink, and dream about woodcarving, and you will never be the same for it…
Also if you look at my class schedule list at the top of the page, I have added all the classes I am teaching through 2013. It’s going to be a busy year!