[Woodcarver] How about some basic relief carving techniques?

[Ivan Whillock]

Fran!

For traditional relief carvers, the steps are these:

1. Grounding out
2. Layering
3. Shaping 
4. Detailing

1. Grounding out.  This is the process of removing the background, or the deepest portion of the carving.  In a scene, that might be the sky, for example. In your fireplace picture that may be the back wall and the opening in the fireplace.   In a decorative carving that would be removing all of the negative space.  That gives you the deepest point of your carving.  A rule of thumb is that the deepest point is no lower than halfway down, preserving the stability of the wood.  That leads you to the next step which is

2. Layering.  This is the more complicated part of the process.  Generally you try to determine how many layers you need to give the effect you want. For now you ignore the small details, the "layers within the layers,"  and work with the main elements.  Try to simplify the process by keeping the major layers down to three of four at the most.  You do that by studying your pattern to see what overlaps what.    Your old stone fireplace could have as few as two or three major levels: the fireplace and the wall behind,  but maybe there is a pile of firewood in front of the fireplace and you'd really like to give depth to that to make an interesting focal point.  You can now drop the fireplace back to give emphasis to that.  The fireplace opening might about the same depth as the wall, which you've already removed in the blocking out.   A rule of thumb is to make the layers thicker at the focal point, so that you have plenty of wood to put emphasis there.   You wouldn't, for example, in a scene make the background hills  thicker than the cabin in front.  

3.  Shaping.  Once you have blocked the layers in, you now start shaping the forms.  Round the logs, for example, Shape the bucket, etc.

4.  The final step, which you should always put off until last, is detailing.  Put in the brick detail, the rough bark of the logs, etc.

As I watch beginners work, they often make two mistakes:  They draw a complicated pattern onto the wood, and then try to "lower the drawing into the wood" because they don't want to lose the drawing.  Draw only the lines you need in order to do the step you are on.  You don't need to draw all of the bricks on, for example, because you'll just carve them away.  If you are insecure in your ability to draw the pattern back  free hand, (challenge yourself to learn how to do that, and carving will get easier for you as you gain that skill), you can make yourself some pattern pieces that you can trace on as you need them.

Another problem beginners often have is that they get ahead of themselves. For example, they don't finish removing all the background wood before starting their layers and then get lost.  Or they'll anxiously move to the detail before completing the layering, and lose their bearings of where the layers are or often even have to carve away prior work in order do the step they should have done earlier.

Move logically from one step to the other, think each step over as you proceed, and it all will start falling into place for you.
 Have fun.  It's just wood, stuff that grows on trees.

Ivan Whillock Studio
122 NE 1st Avenue
Faribault, MN  55021
Visit my website at
http://www.whillock.com
Visit my Picture Trail album at
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=ivancarve

ginal Message ----- 
  From: Fran Hill 
  To: '[Woodcarver]' 
  Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 8:19 AM
  Subject: [Woodcarver] How about some basic relief carving techniques?


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  Hi, I have done a woodburning of an old stone fireplace, and it turned out very nice I thought.  But I think it would make a great relief carving, with maybe some burning for additional shading.  However.......I transferred the whole thing and started carving....Well, of course, I carved away most of my whole pattern.  I am trying to figure out how far to go because this fireplace has things in front of it like the old pokers and a small bucket of wood.  At first I thought the mantle should be the farthest thing to the front, but now, I see that the things in front should be out farther than the mantle.  Anyway, you can imagine what a muddle my board is in.  Does anyone have any sort of 1,2,3 beginning steps for planning a relief carving?  I think my original plan is now pretty much beyond salvaging. 

   It seems like it shouldn't be so hard to figure out which layers to start with, but wow, have I got my head into a muddle.  Any advice?  Or any recommendations of books with good basic instructions on the relief style of carving?  I really LOVE what others have done - I see so much depth and definition in relief carvings, and while I admire the carvings in the round, I don't think I'm capable of much in that department.  But maybe with some guidance, I could do this type of carving.
  Any help appreciated.
  Arkansas Fran



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net [mailto:woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net] On Behalf Of Linehan718 at aol.com
  Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 11:30 PM
  To: woodcarver at six.pairlist.net
  Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] why



  What actually fueled my posts about the drop in emails was the other day when I opened my mail, only to find about 30 messages from pyro lists I'm on, 25 from the sculptures lists and another 20 or so from a woodcraft list.  guess what, 3 carving emails and not even carving but chat related(I am not against chat). I wondered why the other hobbies and crafts were going strong, while all the carving lists were  pretty quiet and chatting  a lot.  It started me thinking about all the great discussions I used to get involved in, both as learner and helper.  I also recalled that roughly 3 or 4 months ago, when waiting for the results of Matt Kelleys WOM pencil contest, the issue seemed to be delayed quite a while. I  laughingly thought to myself that they must be having a problem with "Notes from the net" column since there hadn't been any decent carving discussions lately.  This is not just a summer problem, or going away on vacation thing.  I have definitely noticed a huge drop off in posts over at least the last year, perhaps year and a half on all of the carving lists, even those that permit chatting.  what I see is newbies joining and introducing themselves, maybe a few replys and then the handful of regular posters go back to chatting, maybe discuss some traveling to and from shows and the price of gas(yes all woodcarving related).  There haven't been any real in depth topics discussed lately and only a handful in recent memory. Then someone posts and asks why we are all chatting and not helping him learn.  At first I was a little put off by him and told him he needed to ask specific questions to get answers but then I realized  the guy just wanted to absorb and learn as I did when I joined some 5 years ago.  Yes I asked questions and got a ton of answers but I also learned a lot listening to other peoples questions and answers.  There isn't much of that anymore, just an occasional interesting post. I just wondered what was going on.  

  To the new carvers who are just lurking about, we are here to help you but can't if there are no questions to answer.  There are very knowledgeable people, who know all about tools, construction, design, wood, carving techniques, painting, burning and finishing.  Please don't be shy or intimidated.  Most members remember me when I joined, big mouth, very enthusiastic, would ask the stupidest questions, Im sure they could say worse about me.  but boy did these guys and girls propel me to new heights.  I never imagined that I would be doing what I do now.  In short, you will only get out of these lists what you put into them.  My personal mentor and friend Charles Post has been diagnosed with end stage cancer and is nearing the end of his days and recently gave me his toolbox(lord did the tears stream down my face).  He asked me that I keep on with my carving and that I bring others along behind me. 

  So lets go newbies, what are you working on, what do you need to learn.
  Maura Carving in NYC
  www.carvinginnyc.com









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