Many of your beginning carvings have larger outlines. If I decide to do a smaller carving (size about 3.5" square with oak leaves and twisty stems), do you recommend waiting until I have more experience?
Hi Mary I am retired and i took up woodwork as a hobby and enjoy it I am trying to learn wood carving but i think i am trying to do to much as i have got a lathe and a band saw. jig saw and now a set of carving chisels .do you think i should just consentrate on carving to get it right
Michael payne shaftesbury england
Hi Mary,
You mention how delicate the carving can get at the edges of the drape.
Here, we have wood with grain weakness trying to imitate very thin cloth.
The same happens with leaves or flowers. At the design phase, do you
find yourself anticipating the delicate material and the way in which the
carving will be used and modifying the design so your carving is less
likely to be broken once it is installed?
For example, I don’t think some of Gibbons’ carvings would have held up
very well on chairs. Thanks. – Bill Pierce
Hi Bill,
Yes, I definitely do consider the design and the direction of the grain before even starting to carve. Long stemmed items should (if possible) always flow with the grain. Not always possible with a highly complex design, but my guess is Grinling Gibbons considered this in every design he made. His work was meant for decorative wall hangings and not as much usable furnishings. Even the wall hangings I'm surprised at the depth and intricacy. Anyone dusting them would need to be vey cautious. I'm sure through the years, there was some terrified maids who broke off the odd piece here and there...
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