Menu
Here's a great way to assess the technical aspects of your carving. Monitor as you go along or checklist when you think you've finished.
| 23 July 2022 17:32
Juan - and hello Peru!
So...
When you look at any sculpture, and that includes our woodcarvings, you will find 3 'elements' working together, aspects of your work that you can pull out and assess. A bit like a check list.
(1) Surfaces - how the wood is finished; the colour, figuring, texture - smooth, rough etc
(2) Lines - which may be the outline, seen from all directions; lines within the carving from changes of plane or the edges of carved facets; true lines, grooves or raised lines cut into the surface etc
(3) Junctions - which are a sort of line, formed where 2 planes meet and may be hidden through say undercutting or visible on the surface.
Now, here's the thing: These 3 elements are ALWAYS present, unless perhaps you are carving an egg, in which case only the surface element is there.
With this idea, you will be able to step back from your carving and, by assessing these elements quite objectively, you'll be able to - technically - do you best carving.
If you look at your carving (at any stage in the making) you can ask yourself questions like:
(1) Is the surface well carved and helping the design; does it need to be smoother or rougher?
(2) Are my lines, both facet marks, and literal lines - leaf veins, hair and so on - sweet and flowing? Are they working for me? Do they help tell the story
(3) Are my carved junctions clean and tidy, even the ones not seen?
- and so on.
Bottom line: Am I in control of what I'm doing? Is everything working together? Could i do any better?
This isn't some abstract idea. It's os useful; I do it all the time with my own carving. Get into a habit of thinking and checking your work in this way and you'll find immediate improvements. Write 'Surfaces, Lines & Junctions' in big letters and stick it over your carving bench!
Lastly, and this is very important:
Being happy with these 3 elements doesn't necessarily mean you have a good or balanced design! That's more a matter of how all these elements are put together. But if you do have a good design, looking after it's surfaces, lines and junctions will help make it sing.
Joy and success with your carving!
| 21 July 2022 23:29
Hello teacher, I am from Peru, please, could you write me what you talked about in this video, since for me it is very important to know the details to evaluate my work. The other videos I have no problem because I understand what you carve, but this video is more informative and is not about carving wood. I will thank you, in English, just write to me, I will translate it into Spanish. Thanks. Very friendly.
| 16 August 2020 15:47
Very useful information so far.
| 16 July 2020 09:52
Very informative and it starts to make sense of what a wood carving is. Thank you.
| 23 January 2019 05:07
Very clear and informative. Very helpful. Thank you.
