My online school has a new set-up. Every Wednesday evening I will be adding a new episode (or chapter) of a lesson. Some lessons will go on for several weeks (keeping you in suspense like a TV series), and some will just be a one-episode lesson. One way or another, there will be a brand new video that you will wake up to every Thursday morning.
For example, last Wednesday night (October 2) I added the first episode of Carving a Fruit Basket – Samuel McIntire Style. Then for the next 3 weeks a new episode will be added each Wednesday night to complete the lesson. In the first lesson (about 1/2 hour) I went over the technique of defining and separating the layered sections, lowering the leaves, and shaping the basket to make it appear 3-dimensional. I go over the technique of making something quite flat (only 3/8″ deep) appear to be fully 3-dimensional.
Samuel McIntire (1757 – 1811) of Salem, Massachusetts, was known for his intricate shallow relief carving of fruit baskets, drapery, urns and the most intricate carved details in fireplace mantels, sofas, chairs, card table aprons, and chest-on-chests. This lesson shows a basket that is an applied carving (cut out with a scroll saw first) that is positioned in the upper section of a chest-on-chest.
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- Completed Basket Carving
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- Step 1 – Cut pattern out of 3/8″ thick piece of walnut
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- Step 2: With a 5mm v-chisel, carve around the fruit, along the top edge of the basket, and around the 2 small leaves in the front of the basket.
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- Step 3: With a curved gouge, lower down the leaves to 1/8″ thick
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- Step 4: Lower down the basket area around the leaves with a #3, 14mm. Round the right and left edges of the basket about 1/2 inch from the edge.
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- Step 4: With a #3, 14mm, carve the bottom of the basket at an angle to give a dramatic perspectiive.
Template of fruit basket – 9″ x 4″
Also, if you are a current or past member of my online school, you should be receiving by e-mail a monthly newsletter of any news and updates of what is happening with the online school. It lists recently added lessons, soon to be added lessons, woodcarving tips and tricks, classes offered, etc. If you have not received this, it may have gone into your SPAM folder. Please let me know if you have any difficulties with this.
