Menu
Here is an extract from part 3 of the BBC4 series, 'Carved with Love - The Genius of British Woodwork'.
It was fun to be labelled by the narrator one of a 'dying breed of Green Men carvers'. I'm not! I'm quite well really. I do discuss my interest in Green Men and also the woodcarving tradition, the heritage, of which I feel strongly a part.
| 24 July 2022 16:43
What a treat to watch this little clip! At last we get to see your workshop, and now I know why you have such nice light -- oh, those windows! I really, really liked seeing the different generations of initials on your tools; that makes them special indeed. Well done. And the Green Man project is itself enjoyable. I'm finishing this one -- my first -- and have already begun thinking of how to try out some variations.
| 12 June 2019 12:33
Charles - There are some things which are quite difficult to carve convincingly: smoke, flames, rivers, clouds, and I think trees and shrubs must be included. The difficulty is one of stylisation: the act and tools of carving impose restrictions which are not easily overcome. Thus carving is more suitable for some things than others. Clay often gives much better results.
On this website I have a go at landscapey things in the Low Relief Church, the Coastal Relief, and a stylised Tree Box. There really are no hard and fast ways of doing these things and you are probably as likely to come up with solutions as I am.
I think the best to search online to see what others have done and start experimenting yourself on spare wood. Look to stone carving too, it's the same issue there. Remember the difference between close up, where you'll want detail, and far away, where you want suggestion.
Hope this helps!
| 11 June 2019 21:25
Hello Chris,
I am seeking instruction on relief carving trees and shrubs. Do you have anything that will help me ?
Thank you,
Charles
