[Woodcarver] Relief Carving

[Bill Judt]

Patti:

After routering a carving - a process whereby I accurately set depths - 
I remove the islands of waste wood from back to front.
After that, I work front to back, so that I can start with the topmost 
layer - the only layer with original lines still intact - and carve the 
perimeter of objects to the pencil lines. When the topmost layer is 
"taken to the line" I then cut the topmost layer out of my pattern 
(hopefully a COPY of my pattern) so that the remainder of the pattern 
rests on the NEXT LOWEST LAYER on the wood. Trace the pattern onto that 
layer, trim it "to the line" and repeat this process for EACG of the 
remaining layers in the carving.

You are ready to model the carving ONLY after having taken EACG layer 
"to the line".

BTW, in order to decide which objects are in the foreground, the middle 
ground and the background layers, I simply have to ask myself the 
question "What is in front of what, here?" Typically I divide my 
carving layers into 1/8" increments, for routering purposes. Smaller 
increments offer no extra benefit.

BTW, again... if you study the step-by-step project in my book 
"Inspirational Relief Carving" you will see how this process works. If 
you do not have a copy, email me for an autographed copy. IMHO, it is 
worth the investment <grin>

Hope this helps,

Bill


W.F. Judt,
46 Harvard Cres,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
S7H3R1
PH: 306-373-6649
Email: bjudt at sasktel.net
Website: http://www.wwwoodcarver.com

On Feb 22, 2004, at 9:24 AM, Patti Landmann wrote:

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> 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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