Wood-Carving: Design and Workmanship

The Infinite Multiplicity of Styles--The "Gothic" Influence: Sculpture an Integral Element in its Designs--The Approach of the so-called "Renaissance" Period--Disturbed Convicti...

It is curious to imagine what the inside of a young enthusiast's head must be like when he makes his first conscious step toward artistic expression. The chaotic jumbles of half...

There is no more inexorable law relating to the use of wood-carving than the one which insists upon some kind of passport for its introduction, wherever it appears. It must come...

The Introduction of Animal Forms--Rude Vitality Better than Dull "Natural History"--"Action"--Difficulties of the Study for Town-Bred Students--The Aid of Books and Photographs-...

Having given this brief description of the tools and materials used by carvers, we shall suppose a piece of work is about to be started. The first thing the carver will require...

You will find in the illustrations, Figs. 53 to 62, certain suggestions for various pieces of furniture. They are given with the intention of impressing upon you the fact that v...

We will suppose that the student is anxious to make a practical commencement to his studies. The first consideration will be to procure a set of tools, and we propose in this pl...

The Necessity for Variety in Study--A Carver's View of the Study of Architecture; Inseparable from a Study of his own Craft--Importance of the Carpenter's Stimulating Influence...

The Infinite Multiplicity of Styles--The "Gothic" Influence: Sculpture an Integral Element in its Designs--The Approach of the so-called "Renaissance" Period--Disturbed Convicti...

The present revival of interest in the arts, especially with regard to those of a decorative kind, is based on the recently awakened esthetic desires of a small section of the g...

It is high time now that we had some talk about the studies from nature which are to furnish you with subjects for your work. I shall at present deal only with studies of foliag...

I have spoken of the necessity for careful balance between the outlines of subject and background: that both should be agreeable in shape. This becomes complicated and more diff...

The dullness which comes of "all work and no play" may be said to affect the carver at times. He tires of carving leaves and ornaments: what more natural than to seek change and...

Fig. 16, our second exercise, like the first one, is only to be taken as a suggestion for a design to be made by yourself. It is a fundamental principle that both design and exe...

In holiday time, and as other opportunity arises, be sure to visit some old building, be it church or mansion. In this way you will make acquaintance with many a fine specimen o...

The term "texture" is sometimes applied to the quality of finish which is characteristic of good carving; it has a somewhat misleading sound, which seems to suggest that the fin...

Broadly stated, the three most formidable difficulties which confront the beginner when he sets out to make what he is pleased to call his design for carving in relief, are: Fir...

By a comparison of the piece of Byzantine sculpture, Fig. 20, with the more elaborate treatment of foliage shown in Fig. 21, from late Gothic capitals, in Southwell Minster, it...

One of the simplest forms of wood-carving is that known as "chip" carving. This kind of work is by no means of modern origin, as its development may be traced to a source in the...

By undercutting is meant the cutting away of the solid portions of projections in such a manner as to make them invisible, thus throwing the carved surface work into more comple...

The stones which are most generally used for the purpose of sharpening carving tools are "Turkey" and "Washita." There are many others, some equally good, but "Washita" is easil...

A new world of commerce and machinery, having slain and forgotten a past race of artist craftsmen, makes clumsy atonement by sweeping together the fragments of their work and ca...

Here are two fragments of a kind of running ornament. Fig. 22 is a part of the jamb molding of a church in Vicenza. If you observe carefully, you will find that it has a decided...

The woods suitable for carving are very various; but we shall confine our attention to those in common use. Of the softer woods, those which are most easily procured and most ad...

The present exercises may be described as a kind of carved open fretwork--that is to say, the ground is entirely cut away, leaving the pattern standing free. This will form an e...

Those vague and shadowy boundaries which separate the domains of the different arts are being perpetually called in question. By what landmarks such indefinite frontiers may be...

I told you that I should have something to say about originality. Almost every beginner has some vague impression that his first duty should be to aim at originality. He hears e...

The Introduction of Animal Forms--Rude Vitality better than Dull "Natural History"--"Action"--Difficulties of the Study for Town-Bred Students--The Aid of Books and Photographs-...

The Necessity for Variety in Study--A Carver's View of the Study of Architecture; Inseparable from a Study of his own Craft--Importance of the Carpenter's Stimulating Influence...