Hi Mary,
I'm finally starting work on a toy box for my grandson and plan to carve his name either on a block to attach to the front of the toy box (will measure about 40" x 20" x 20") or on the box itself. Your videos have given me lots of guidance, but my daughter has chosen Rockwell Extra Bold - 300 for the font style. Can I use the same basic techniques for this font as what you did in the videos?
Thanks, and also thanks for all the video lessons..they're great !!!!
David B
Oh..... BTW, grandson's name is Madden
Hi David,
I looked at Rockwell Extra Bold and the main difference is that the "serif" end is square and not sharp. The video shows them coming to a sharp point. It is much easier than trying to make a little flat end. You would use the same technique (all surfaces at an angle down to a sharp corner) but there would just be an extra flat at the end of the serif. Much easier to show than explain. For simplicity, you could take that font and make the serif's sharp, but it won't be the same heavy look to the font. Test it out on a practice piece and see how it works with and without the pointed serif.
Did your client tell you the origin or name of the alphabet? The serifs are very unusual, doubled where elements join. The curves in the "A" and "R" suggest an ancient font, maybe a religious font of some sort.
Typography is a curiosity interest for me. Dad, in addition to photography, put a lot of food on our table by painting letters (signs, trucks, and almost any other place letters were needed). I saw all sorts of unusual fonts, but not this one.
THANKS for moving the light source around a lot. It really helps. Thanks also for showing flexibility with carving the curved segments with a straight chisel instead of needing a nearly infinite supply of curved gouges to match segments.
Unfortunately he did not have a name of the font. Very unique letters, eh?
As you see in most of my videos, the flexibility with the tools is very important. As I go further in my career as a woodcarver, I tend to use fewer tools for a project (making smaller number of tools do more variety of work), rather than more tools. And unfortunately, that doesn't provide that wonderful excuse to purchase more new tools 🙂
This was also filmed in a different room without my lighting set-up for camera. The project was so large I had to put it in my "casting room" that has a lot of windows which doesn't necessarily help with filming. Great for carving with natural light, but for video - not so great.
Having worked as an organic chemist for 32 years I strongly suggest a trial mixture on a smaller scale to avoid ruining a carving that required a lot of time and effort. I too would have had trepidations about pouring a mixture I had not tested on a beautiful carving. The trial would involve simply making sure the mixture sets up as expected in the normal time interval. Scale each chemical in the mixture down to some easy to handle amount. As chemicals age, behavior can change. Also label and date new purchases so you can keep track of age.
It kept going through my head watching the recessed boarder being cut - "Remember the doughnut!" Funny how the basics can stick with you 🙂 Lesson learned, Mary! Thanks for laying a good foundation!
Thanks Mary!
I like carving rosettes and these sorts of medallion designs for the tops of keepsake boxes. This one is certainly a candidate for one of the next boxes.
Carving that recessed border has been the fussy part for me. You make it look easy, sneaking up so smoothly on the outer border.
From David Bowdish on Carving Stylized Serif Lettering in Capitals - Episode 1
Go to comment2014/05/28 at 10:36 am
From Mary May on Carving Stylized Serif Lettering in Capitals - Episode 1
Go to comment2014/05/28 at 11:24 am
From David Bowdish on Carving Stylized Serif Lettering in Capitals - Episode 1
Go to comment2014/05/28 at 11:30 am
From Bob Easton on Carving Stylized Serif Lettering in Capitals - Episode 1
Go to comment2014/05/22 at 9:27 am
From Mary May on Carving Stylized Serif Lettering in Capitals - Episode 1
Go to comment2014/05/22 at 11:44 am
From Gerry Mayberry on Making a Rubber Mold of a Carving
Go to comment2014/05/21 at 9:23 pm
From David Taylor on Carving a Cross in a Circle
Go to comment2014/05/15 at 11:04 pm
From Mary May on Carving a Cross in a Circle
Go to comment2014/05/16 at 9:56 am
From Bob Easton on Carving a Cross in a Circle
Go to comment2014/05/15 at 2:26 pm
From Mary May on Carving a Cross in a Circle
Go to comment2014/05/16 at 9:55 am