[Woodcarver] Relief Carving

[Patti Landmann]

Dear Relief Carvers,
 
Since the list seemed fairly slow the last week, I didn't think anyone would mind a fairly elementary question on relief carving.
 
I am about to begin a new carving and the same old question is back again.  I spent last evening reading thru Lora's, Bill's, David's, Ivan's  books AGAIN about the initial layout of the work.  I tend to have a problem with needing to re-carve elements of the carving to get things right.  I have no trouble with the foreground and the back ground but the mid-foreground and the mid-background or the multiple levels inbetween cause me problems.
 
The carving should be carved from back to front, I think,  but I have an easier time carving front to back.  How do you establish the levels with certainty?  Besides color coding levels, some of you then number the elements to be carved first, second, etc.  Bill's patterns show actual depth measurements.  How do you establish this information with such certainty.
 
Relief carving without such a definite plan is probably accomplished much in the same manner but in a less organized manner of deciding as you go.   This leads to constant re-evaluation and thus recarving.   Is there a formula, procedure or ?,  or is it just the eye of an artist or engineer that can quickly know what goes where?
 
This if probably basic and not of interest to a broad segment of the lists so I would be delighted to hear from anyone directly into my mailbox if that works out better.
 
Thank you to all who reply....I'm again looking for easy answers to not so easy questions.
 
Patti
 
 


Patti Landmann 

lowvillecarver at yahoo.com  
http://www.centuryinter.net/treasures/


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