[Woodcarver] International Woodcarver's Conference

[Mike Bloomquist]

Doug,

There was nothing really new and original.  We discussed Scandinavian flat
plane carving, 75% of which I learned from Harley Refsal's book and video,
and 25% from studying the works of Emil Janel, Andy Anderson, etc.  Knife
only, the purist form?  Tell the story with only a few cuts, etc.

After that I started with a bad sketch of Harley's full robe,
hands-in-the-sleeves Santa from Better Homes and Garden's Wood magazine
<waaaay back when they still had good woodcarving articles>, and discussed
why it was a great beginners project.  

Then I show them simple modifications to tweak the pattern.  Stuff like
adding boots... chop cut Xs for the boot laces... carve soles into the
boots... take his hand out of the sleeve and give him a walking staff.  Then
we added a little chunk of wood to his back for an Adirondack pack basket...
a quick texture to mimic the basket weave (from Rick Butz's Step-by-Step
Santa book)... the strap harness on the back pack... shoulder straps... the
wrap pattern on the rim <from observations of actually pack baskets>.  We
mostly just talked accessories and details.

Then we got brave and discussed moving Santa around... Santa mid stride on
x-country skis... Santa sitting on a Victorian style sleigh feeding birds...
or the one I haven't been able to carve (yet), sitting on a rustic
Adirondack style garden bench feeding the birds (no Lori, it's not the birds
that give me trouble... it's the rustic bench <G>)... Santa pitching for the
Yankees.  Together with that I covered ways to model Santa, from simple
craft wire or paper model manikins, to computer graphic programs, to full
blown clay and armature models.

Then I did some painting tips using boiled linseed oil <or MinWax natural
stain> and artist oil colors... alizarin crimson for Santa red... vermillion
hue for Christmas green... how to darken them... raw umber for black.  Maybe
I was imagining this, but somebody must have recommended this part 'cause
two folks in Sunday's class requested it specifically.


Keep on Carvin'
-Mike B.->

Wooden Dreams Woodcarving
http://www.borg.com/~bloomqum

-----Original Message-----
From: woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net
[mailto:woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net] On Behalf Of Doug Evans
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2006 10:01 PM
To: '[Woodcarver]'
Subject: RE: [Woodcarver] International Woodcarver's Conference

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Mike, Flat Plane ?? Santa ???  A couple of my favorite words. Pictures
or, or ???? Tell me more on or off list.

Thanks,

DougE




snip...All of my "Flat Plane Santa" classes were well attended, even 
the late Sunday time slot.

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