First Carving Project

[bluenoser]

I would like to thank those folks who responded to my earlier inquiry regarding carving.  You were all a great help and much appreciated.  I would especially like to thank Jim K for taking the time to critique my earlier example.

I would appreciate a frank and honest critique of this latest example.  Let fly – this is a learning experience and you won’t offend me.

This has a quick and dirty application of AF and Linspeed to make the details stand out a little better.

Thanks
Laurie

[LURCHWV@BJS]

bluenoser,
   Looks real nice to me, I hope my first attempted looks have as good.  I do have h question though.   Are you using chisels or an electric rotary tool? I have both and haven't decided which to use or maybe a combination of both. Also where did you find your design ?

    Rich

[Michael]

Electric rotary tool??

[agaboric]

Looks good how long did it take you and did you use hand or power tools? I would say it looks good but I am no expert in wood carving though.
-Andy

[bluenoser]

Rich & Andy

I use gouges, chisels and scrapers.  No power tools!!  I think it would be a challenge to do this type of carving with a rotary tool and, in my experience, power tools often just help you get into a whole lot of trouble more quickly.  Also, using hand tools is more relaxing - not to mention traditional.    This carving is probably my 5th or 6th attempt at an entire design, and took about 6 hours - not including design time.  Leveling out the background seems to take the most time by a wide margin.  Small scrapers are a big help there.
Laurie

[Jerry V Lape]

I think your carving is better than the majority of what is seen out there.  Your only real problem was with the incised volute with a little chip out.  I am not sure how to prevent that except making sure your tool is freshly sharpened before going in there.  Possibly a smaller tool would help.  Even then the wood has a lot to do with it.  You may be able to make that less apparent by removing a little background in that area.  Nice job though.

[bluenoser]

Rich,

Regarding design.  I have studied literally every carving I could find on this website, the blogsite and anywhere else I could find examples - including period furniture.  The books are very good reference sources, but it is quite difficult to get a feel for a carving from a B&W photograph.  High res color is hard enougjh!!!  If you were to look at  those examples, you would likely find where I borrowed several design elements.  I have a long way to go in that regard.
Laurie

[smylee grouch]

Hi Laurie: I think your carving looks great, great design and good closeup photo. If you think about it, if your photo wasnt so clear and enlarged most would not see any imperfections that you might think are there. Keep your tools sharp and keep up the good work.   Gary

[Seven]

Laurie, Great job.  My only critique is that _I_ think the upper incised volute would look better/stand out more if the off side back ground were leveled a bit.  Just like leveling the background on the relief carving, use a gentle slope away from the incised carving so that the change in elevation isn't noticed as much.  -Chad

[Swampwalker]

Laurie, I think your comming along fine.  A couple of comments, the incised terminal volute on the upper scroll does not transition smoothly from the relief portion, and the incised carving portion looks rough and uneven - perhaps a sharpening issue.  Also, the interior foliage detail on the lower scroll does not 'emerge' smoothly, i.e., doesn't relate well to the parent scroll.  Overall, though, your work looks very good.

[bluenoser]

Thanks for your comments

Jerry, Chad and Swampwalker, you hit on the two elements I am most displeased with – the volute and the inside foliage.  Gary, thanks for the words of encouragement!

The volute is actually in relief from the high 12 o’clock position to about 7:00 with an incise border along that portion.  From there, it is incised on a sloping flat plane.  It just doesn’t look right to me and I think the incising between 12:00 and 7:00 is the main problem.  Jerry, I suspect the chip-out you are referring to is actually a shadow at about 7:00.
I can see three possibilities for improvement.
1.   Do the entire volute in relief with no incised border.
2.   Do the volute in positive relief from 12:00 to about 7:00, and then do the rest of the volute in negative relief (switch high sides).   There would be no incised border.
3.   Do the volute in positive relief without a border from 12:00 to about 7:00 and then incise the remainder.

I have other issues with the inside foliage.  Swampwalker, I think you are right on the money, but I haven’t come up with a solution yet.  Also, after carving it, I don’t think the bottom left lobe of the leaf (center bottom element) should have been separated from the rest of the leaf.  I think I should have left it as one element with a change in elevation or, more likely, a wave in the elevation – if that makes sense.  I am also undecided regarding the lower left element (bud) in the foliage.  In retrospect, I think it appears somewhat out of place on a leaf and contributes to bulkiness at the transition from the main element.

All suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks
Laurie

[rich pierce]

Regarding the volute, the incised portion would look better to me coming off the inside edge of the relief carving rather than the outside curve.

Maybe the foliage should not come from under the C scroll or behind it, but emerge from it.

That being said, it is really fine and there are many examples of realtively unsophisticated carving on originals that are not nearly this good.

[Captchee]

looks good .
 
 First I would agree with Rich  and the others as to their comments .  
 don’t you just hate  close up photos .
If I could make a couple  possibly over critical , suggestions though
The incise carving coming off the out side seems to throw the scroll off  and  thus not make it a continuation of your work .

 Second is your leaves .  They look  nice .

 However they seem to me to be cotton eyed joes .
 IE where do they come from , where do they go ?

 If we look at the bottom  C  concerning its leaf . By  the thickness  at its base and the bottom edge  , it leads us to believe that it comes from the other side of  the C .
 The bottom edge  should  produce another scroll . It also seems to be lost without its base attachment . Which IOM should be suggested on the out side of the C . if its base is on the inside . it should flow  smothly from the C not abroupt. make things flow  
 Also  one should turn the tip of the leaf out , not back into  the main C .
 The leaf between the two C’s  is also large enough that  it needs  Imo to carry through the  Two  and show and possibly attach to the bottom C .

 everything should flow nice and smooth . making scroll after scroll

 nice job though

[jwh1947]

Duh, Blunoser, would you like to come work for me?  I'll build the guns and you decorate them.  Your first attempt is better than many originals.  Your job is most cool.  Wayne

[bluenoser]

Golly fellas, now you’ve done it!!  I think I may have to buy a bigger hat.   

I did test carvings of the volute using the three possible solutions I mentioned in an earlier post and incorporating your recommendations.  Several recommended similar solutions or identified the same problems.  In my opinion, by far the most attractive of the three is exactly what you recommended - having the volute in relief (without incised border) between 12:00 and 7:00 and then incising the remainder coming off the inside edge - per Rich’s suggestion.  WOW, what a difference!  Thanks for the guidance.

Now it’s time to tackle that foliage!! 

[J. Talbert]

Laurie,

I have to agree you're off to great start.  One general tip I find helpful, is to draw it as detailed as you can,  and don't start carving until you are completely satisfied.

If it doesn't look right in pencil, it's not likely to get any better when carved.

Jeff

[Captchee]

 another thing i do is  when im happy with the  drawing . i place i draw it on the stock . then i set it aside for a day or two  and just look at it  for a while , before i ever start carving .