---- Chris Pye: WOODCARVING - NEWSLETTER ---- April 2003 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com "Dedicated to the teaching, learning and love of woodcarving" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please forward this newsletter to a woodcarving friend, and anyone else you think might be interested. Thanks! This is an opt-in newsletter and you should only be receiving it because you requested it from the website, or were sent it by a friend. Subscribe or Unsubscribe easily on the home page here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/index.html or using the link at the end of the newsletter. ****Back issues here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html including zipfiles for 2001 and 2002 newsletters ============================================================ Replying to this Newsletter? PLEASE CHANGE THE SUBJECT LINE! ============================================================ CONTENTS: 1. Website 1) New Green Men 2) 'The Accomplished V Tool' - 1 - Why the V tool? - Why Not Free? - Cost? 2. Quick Carving Questions 1) David Pye? 2) Lettering & Stop Cuts? 3) Learning Locally? 3. Article: Eugene Viollet-le-Duc by Jacques Oksman 4. Follow Up: 1) Making a Living at Carving 2) Workshop Insurance Website Bookmarks at the end. ____________________________________________________________ 1. WEBSITE NEWS ____________________________________________________________ 1) NEW GREEN MEN Two new Green Men for the gallery: The first, a small and carved for the head of a walking stick carved by Robert Palmer: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/greenman/gm_gallery10.html The second, a Green Woman, carved by Ed Knutson is here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/greenman/gm_gallery11.html Green Women are almost as rare as hen's teeth in the Green Man tradition. You do find them, but later: post medieval. Woman got the Fertility Goddess package when these things were being given out, so I suppose it's fair. About Green Men here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/greenman/gm_index.html And let me have a look at YOUR Green Man carving if you think it suitable for the gallery. 2) 'THE ACCOMPLISHED V TOOL' - 1 If you haven't downloaded your free evaluation copy, you can do so from the home page of the website. http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/index.html I had comments from 2 people, one asking why the complete, manual isn't free and the second, questioning the cost. Since there may be others wondering the same thing, I'll make a few brief comments. WHY THE V TOOL? Unfinished business! Because I get limited space in my books, sometimes I'm left wanting to say more. The V tool is a very important one for carvers and often gives problems. I wanted to nail them once and for all WHY NOT 'FREE'? Two, synergistic, reasons: The first is that it represents a lot of hard work on my part and something quite unique and valuable for you the user. I think the contents are probably my best writing yet. Secondly, I spend ever more of my time for free with the website, newsletter and emails, and while you can argue this is my own fault for sticking my head above the parapet, I do need to find web ways of supporting these activities as I reach a ceiling. So, paying for the book isn't just paying for high quality, practical information (which I personally would have killed for when I started) but contributes to my time as I promote the craft I love, and support you as carvers. Everytime someone pays for the full manual I don't just think 'Oh good, another sale, keeps me off the streets etc' - though I do think that - I also feel grateful for the support, and stimulated to do more. THE COST? How did I arrive at the cost? Is it too expensive? Remember I do everything from the graphics to the webpages. I priced the manual at around the cost of one of my books in an ordinary bookshop in my local town (not the cut price dealers such as Amazon). Then: I thought should be valued at LESS because it is not on paper. But, MORE because it contains two elements not found in paper books: Firstly, you can write to me (from within the manual) and get my support as you work along and encounter difficulties - name me a paper book which invites you to do THAT! Secondly, all future edition are free - again: paper books and you have to buy any new edition. Updates, better ways to present things (video clips for example, one day) are always yours for the downloading. So balancing it out, I thought the price of the book, around my others, fair to you and me. Whether to pay the asking price is a personal matter for the buyer of course. If The Accomplished V tool brings you up to a professional standard in sharpening and using your V tool, gives you confidence for the rest of your life, and saves you time, sweat and effort... it's got to be a bargain. ********************************************** Testimonial "Just want to say thank you for a wonderful manual, the best learning manual I have now!" Sincerely, Sonja Maloney [email address supplied] ********************************************** http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/index.html ____________________________________________________________ 2. QUICK CARVING QUESTIONS ____________________________________________________________ **** QUESTION 1: DAVID PYE? **** "Is David Pye the great woodworker,thinker and writer your father? I could just imagine the level of intellectual discussion at the table." **** ANSWER **** I checked with my mother. No. Nor any other relation as far as I can tell. His book: 'The Nature & Art of Workmanship' is a classic and has affected the way many craftsmen and women think - including myself. =================================== **** QUESTION 2: LETTERING & STOP CUTS **** "In Nora Hall's Letter Cutting video, she strongly OPPOSES the use of the stab/stop cut and advocates the use of the V TOOL FOR INCISED LETTERING. As I understand it, her philosophy is that a tool should always remove wood, whereas a stab/stop cut compresses the fibres without removing wood - and therefore should be avoided at all costs. Your comments would be greatly appreciated." **** ANSWER **** There is no doubt in my mind in the superiority of letters incised with gouges over those run with a V tool. * The stop cut of the gouge or chisel compresses the fibres a little, true. But subsequent angled cuts RELEASE the chip - no problem. * The V tool leaves a SOFT ROOT to the letter trench. With chisels, the root is SHARP AND CRISP - much better. * The V tool needs hand guidance and looks quite 'rustic'. And it's a limited tool for curves, it's not up to tight circles. I work WITH the gouges and chisels so they cut true curves and give fluid, almost jigged edges and roots to letters - perfect forms . * People use V tools because, although the results are poorer, it requires less skill and therefore easier to teach. And they may never have been taught any better. We all have our opinions, ways of working and expectations of what things should look like, but I think you would see the difference in quality very clearly if you were to put lettering incised with V tools against letters carved with gouges. =================================== **** QUESTION 3: LEARNING LOCALLY? **** "I have a real interest in woodcarving. I live in Atlanta, GA and wanted to know if you could recommend a place here where I could learn and practice the art of woodcarving." **** ANSWER **** Sorry, I know very little outside the UK. However: I put "woodcarving clubs Atlanta GA" into Google and had a whole list of things, one of which looked particularly promising: http://www.angelfire.com/va2/nvacarvers/guilds.html Perhaps web searches for clubs in your area are the way forward? ____________________________________________________________ 3. ARTICLE: Eugene Viollet-le-Duc by Jacques Oksman ____________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION - Chris Pye Last month's 'website inspiration' featured a chimera, a mythical beast, from the cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris - I've left it there this month: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/gallery/g_inspiration.html. It was born out of the cathedral's restoration in the 19c. by the architect Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. Although not the stonemason, he certainly was the designer. One thing I've always loved about woodcarving is the way that research for commissions or projects can lead to all sorts of interesting discoveries. Examples: I know about lobsters and Japanese lettering; anatomy of horses and Baroque acanthuses; beavers and shirt buttons; the lives of Veit Stoss and Leonard Baskin... I have also found myself enriched by studying sculpture and stonecarving - a particularly rich field for inspiration - and these in turn have sometimes led to architecture. It is not often, though, that I learn more about architects themselves, stopping at the makers and shakers rather than the movers. But thanks to our contributor, Jacques Oksman, I now can add an interesting and talented man to my discoveries. Happy explorations! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- EUGENE VIOLLET-LE-DUC by Jacques Oksman Eugene Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) was a French architect and theorist of architecture who wrote down his vision in his famous book: "Dictionnaire raisonné de l'architecture française du XI au XVI siècle". Viollet-le-Duc made a deep study of Gothic art and architecture, undertaking a number of brilliant restorations of French Gothic edifices - in particular, religious monuments. The prestigious cathedrals in Paris ("Notre-Dame"), Amiens, Chartres and Reims together with the Sainte Chapelle ("Holy Chapel") in Paris benefited from his mastery. An outstanding example of his work is the complete restoration of a medieval fortified town in the South of France: the City of Carcassonne - by the way, it's worth going there! A great theorist of Gothic revival, he was sometimes accused of doing things his own way more than trying to come back to the strict original reality. For instance, in Carcassonne, he had the roofs of towers covered with slates instead of tiles (which should have been expected in this part of France). That gave a much more romantic mood to the City, but purists did not really appreciate. Some links about Eugene Viollet-le-Duc or his work: http://kubos.org/AN/en/artistes/vld.htm http://www.carcassonne.culture.fr/culture/carcassonne/index.html (please visit at least this one!) http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/site345.html http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/V/Violletl.asp http://web.mit.edu/museum/ware/viollet_le_duc.html Gargoyles Of Notre Dame: http://www.rosings.com/goyles.html http://www.grandfoyer.com/image92.htm ------------------------------------------------------------ (By the way: If anyone has the time to go through past newsletters: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html rip out and index all the articles, I'll compile a free ebook or pdf download. Drop me a line!) ____________________________________________________________ 4. FOLLOW UP: 1 MAKING A LIVING AT CARVING 2 WORKSHOP INSURANCE ____________________________________________________________ 1) MAKING A LIVING AT CARVING Following the article in last month's newsletter, thanks to Jonathan Anderton-Tyers B.A.Hons, who has this good advice to offer....................... I agree with your (Chris's) reply but have a few points to add. Firstly I have found that no matter how much time you spend on a carving, how much you have paid for your wood etc the ONLY deciding factor when it comes to pricing a carving is simply 'HOW MUCH WILL THE CUSTOMER PAY'. How much they pay depends on many factors: The first and most obvious is how good is the carving and here, as Chris has said, it is important to get impartial opinions and constructive criticism from other carvers. Another important factor is who your customers are, as with most business the most difficult part of a woodcarvers job is marketing. Our woodcarver mentioned an intention to sell his work through a local gift shop and if gift shop buyers are the intended targets then all well and good but this effects how much one can expect to charge. One must be aware that once you choose your target market it is very difficult to change it, you become pigeon-holed and it is very difficult to increase your prices. "Why should I pay £200 for this carving, I saw a one by the same guy six months back in a gift shop for £100?" It may also be difficult to persuade better venues to take your work if they have seen it is a less prestigious place. It may sound snobby but its true. When I started I went straight for galleries, this may sound a bit daunting but there in Britain (where I started out on this long road) you actually have it easy!! The galleries there are a great resource that you should use. I found the best way to approach them is simply to walk in and ask them to show your work, the more direct you are the better. Don't go in like a salesman in your Sunday best with a neat portfolio of photos under your arm, they will flee to the back room in fear of having to buy something. Wood chips in the hair, all the better, and lose the portfolio, tuck your best carving under your arm. You'll have their attention and you don't have to politely ask them to flick through your photos because they are already looking at your work! All the time when dealing with galleries keep one very important point in mind all the time: A gallery is a business If they don't sell they don't make any money. So if you ever wanted a truly objective opinion as to how good your carving is then you are about to get it (whether you really want it or not!) They now already has your carving in the gallery and assuming they like it (i.e. they think they can sell it) and they have space, then you will probably find that it stays there when you leave. Think of it from their point of view! While you are chatting to the gallery owner have a look around at the prices of the other work in the place so that you have a better idea of what to say when they ask for a price. Yes, it is still difficult but you should now at least have a clue, when starting out you will have to keep your prices a little lower, you're an unknown quantity. At the beginning it is more important (once your work is in a venue that, in time, gives you the scope to raise prices appreciably) to get the work sold than to make a huge profit. An artist who's work sells is a valuable commodity to the gallery and you will find that you are invited to exhibit there again and again. I could go on and on this subject but I will leave my advice at that, take it or leave it but bear in mind that my work has been shown in over 300 exhibitions all over Europe and I have introduced myself to every gallery the same way! Jonathan Anderton-Tyers [themastercarver@hotmail.com] -------------------------------- 2) WORKSHOP INSURANCE Your recent Newsletter asked a question about Insurance for classes at home. I do not have a concrete answer but the questioner could try the British Woodcarvers Association. My £17 annual membership includes third party insurance and public liability when on BWA business, i.e. monthly meetings, carving sessions, public demonstrations etc. I don't know about teaching classes for people who are probably non-members. Check the website at www.bwa-woodcarving.fsnet.co.uk for National Council Members who may be able to help. (PS - You have my deepest sympathy regarding computer problems, may I suggest the 1 1/2 lb Lignum Mallet?) John Tybjerg [john@tybjerg.freeserve.co.uk] ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ That's all for this month! Joy and success in your carving! Chris Pye ------------------------- PS: Another one to ponder at the bench: "Imagination is the highest kite that one can fly." – Lauren Bacall SOME WEBSITE BOOKMARKS ____________________________________________________________ -----------------WOODCARVING TOOLS * UK TOOLSHOP: Auriou woodcarving tools and other equipment http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/toolshop/ts_uktoolshop.html * UKTOOLSHOP Direct Link (missing out introductory page): http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/toolshop/uktoolshop/index.html -----------------WOODCARVING MANUALS * The Accomplished V Tool 1 - Free evaluation copy http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/ * Learning to Carve - Free eBook http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/learncarving/learn_ebook.html * A Guide to Safe Woodcarving - Free eBook http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/safecarving/safecarving_index.html * Mistakes and Woodcarving - Free eBook http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/mistakes/mistakes_ebook.html * Fundamentals of Woodcarving - Free eBook http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/fundamentals/fundamentals_ebook.html -----------------TEACHING DATES * USA (CENTER FOR FURNITURE CRAFTSMANSHIP, MAINE) June 23 - 27 Ornamental Carving June 30 - July 4 Relief Carving July 7 - 11 Carving Tutorial Full details here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/tuition/t_classesUSA.html * CANADA (ROSEWOOD STUDIO, ALMONTE, ONTARIO) Sep 15 - Sep 19 The Outcome of the Tool: Sep 22 - Sep 26 Relief Carving Full details here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/tuition/t_classesCAN.html Here's a link to view Rosewood's latest newsletter: http://www.rosewoodstudio.com/woodworking_newsl/woodworking_newsl.htm Inquiries, please call toll free 1-866-704-7778. * UK (1-TO-1 PERSONAL TUITION) Full details here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/tuition/t_custom.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright (c) Chris Pye 2003 Chris@chrispye-woodcarving.com