In my last post, Carving in Brasstown, I shared some examples of wood carvings made by the talented artists of Brasstown Carvers. I also introduced our Thursday evening carving get-togethers, where a small group of local folks gather at the John C Campbell Folk School, to share making and support each other in the tradition of the Brasstown Carvers.
This week, I’d like to share a beginning woodcarver’s perspective. One of the aspects of woodcarving that appeals to me is only a few simple tools and materials are needed to get started. All that’s needed is a small carving knife, a thumb guard and a piece of basswood. Granted, like any activity, you will likely want to add more tools and use different varieties of wood as you become more proficient.
Our carving group starts with roughed out shapes of basswood. But several steps must have been completed to get to this point. Richard Carter, Carving Support at the Folk School and our beloved group leader, roughs out the carving blanks for our group. Richard kindly agreed to prepare a few examples of the different stages so I could share them with you.
Richard uses a pattern to draw an outline on the carving blank.
We use basswood because it is soft, has a fine grain and is easy to carve. The wood is light colored with a creamy tint. Richard uses a band saw to cut the basswood shapes.
Because he’s been doing this a long time, Richard has some short cuts to make this process as efficient as possible. For instance, he typically uses extra thick wood for the first cuts and then “slices off” several figures with the table saw. Pictured below is a roughed out shape (on the left) which will be sliced into 3 small frogs (on the right).
Next a coping saw can be used to trim off sections of the wood. In the photo below, the roughed out frog on the left is the result of band and table saw cuts while the roughed out frog on the right has also been trimmed with the coping saw. This is the shape the woodcarvers will start carving.
Richard helps us get started by sketching out our cuts and carvings with a pencil. According to a Brief Introduction to Woodcarving by the Charlotte Woodcarvers (see More Info below): “A Sharp Pencil Is An Essential and Indispensable Woodcarving Tool! Before you start to carve, mark center line(s) on the wood. … Using a center line as a reference you can divide halves into quarters, quarters into eighths, etc. Pencil lines will serve as an aid in orienting or laying out the pattern for the carving and will help maintain symmetry. Also mark the outline of the design on the wood to show where you want to make stop-cuts, remove excess wood, or indicate intricate details that you want to carve. Pencil marks are temporary; knife cuts are permanent! You can make and erase pencil marks until you have laid out the figure or design you desire before making any permanent cuts.” The roughed out frog, in the below photo, has the initial sketched lines.
My carving knife and thumb guard are also shown in the below photo. A carving knife consists of a blade that is about an inch and a half long, with a long handle designed for a comfortable grip. The thumb guard is worn on the hand holding the knife. I also wear a BladeX5 cut resistant glove on the hand holding the wood. But as the Charlotte Woodcarvers warn on their website: “Sooner or later you will get cut, so try to make the cut as minimal as possible!” … As you carve be aware of the path a tool might take if it slips and try to keep your hand and body out of the tool slips so you won’t get cut!”
Another important safety measure is to keep your knife sharp. You’re more likely to force the cut with a dull knife and thus more likely to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one.
Use the carving knife to slowly remove the unwanted wood. There are many techniques but beginners usually start with a simple straight push cut. This is where the magic happens as a (hopefully) recognizable shape emerges from the wood. It’s also the most challenging part. Richard advises us to look to real life for guidance. If you’re carving a cat, for instance, watch a cat, study its shape, and notice how it moves. Photographs or design sketches are also helpful to guide the carving. Richard intuitively knows how much to carve and where but someone like me might find a photo like this helpful.
I’m currently working on my second woodcarving. You can see where I’ve started shaping the bird’s head. I just take it slow, being careful to work with the grain and remove small sections at a time.
Carving is done from rough to fine; finishing with the details such as eyes, faces, feathers, etc. These details, especially the faces, are often the most difficult to get right. Carving styles vary. Brasstown Carvers’ carvings are typically either rustic where the tool marks remain visible or sanded with a shiny smooth finish. Here’s Richard’s finished frog in a little shadow box setting I made for it.
I love the way woodcarvings look in shadow box settings. The setting showcases the carving and gives it presence. I can envision it in a small frame hanging on the wall. You may have noticed I used a similar technique with the Brasstown Carvers’ pieces in my last post. Here’s a pair of owls from Sue McClure.
Richard hasn’t quite finished this adorable little rabbit …
…but it looks right at home in this garden scene.
I’ll wrap up with a shout out to Richard Carter. Many thanks for your help with this post, Richard! I know your woodcarving fans (and there are many of us) appreciate your kind and gentle guidance.
More Info
Woodcarving classes are popular at the John C Campbell Folk School. I counted about 20 different classes scheduled for the remainder of this year (2019). To check them out, go to the Find a Class page on the Folk School website. Then select See All 49 Subjects under By Subject in the left search box, check Woodcarving and click Apply in the popup box.
I found helpful information for beginner woodcarvers on the Woodcarving Illustrated website under How To > Get Started Carving, as well as, on the Charlotte Woodcarvers website under Resources > For New Carvers.
I’m currently participating in the Work Study Program at the John C Campbell Folk School. You can learn more about the program in my post First Impressions as a Work Study Student. Or check out the following posts to learn about the Folk School experience.
. Weave a Market Basket
. Artistic Details Around Campus
. Carving in Brasstown.
Today’s Takeaways
1. Good safety practices are important in woodcarving. Take care to develop safe habits as you learn.
2. Invest in a quality knife that’s purpose built for carving.
3. Know that it will take time to build your woodcarving skills. Start with the basics and gradually add more complex techniques.
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