1 New Woodcarvings in the Gallery
I've added a few of the new carvings that I've completed over the last months to the Gallery of my work.
The thumbnails link to the main pages in the website.
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Gilded Gothic Bedhead
Rare 'Brown Oak', cleated between and across internal splits with iron 'dogs'. Gilded letters. The Latin text says "Non Clamor sed Amor Cantat in Ore Die" (translation on website!)
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New Trophies for the Prince of Wales
Goblet-like 'treen', one for the National Poultry show (on which I got to paint relief-carved cockerels) and another one for the National Hedgelayers (in which I got to fit wooden eggs).
The carving shown here is about 2in. (50mm) tall.
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Free Sculpture in Yew Wood
A sort of lizard, human fern-like form that I created (er.. made up) as I went along, using the natural branches of the original, whole log as my inspiration.
The whole is about 39in.(1m) high and finely sanded to a finish. It's very tactile - meaning I cannot stop people fondling it.
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Current projects are a new shirt carving for the Faculty Exhibition at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, Maine, USA; and lettered panels for Hereford Cathedral.
2 Ebooks Now Available as PDFs
As you know, most of the ebooks on my website have been in a web-based format. There were reasons for this which I won't go in to, but one of the consequences was that MAC users could never open them.
I'm pleased to say that they have now all been converted into pdf format - what is called 'cross-platform, viewed by all computers, although you do need (free) Adobe Reader to view a pdf file.
You can download the pdf ebooks from this page
I'd like to sincerely thank one of this newsletter's readers: Ken Pulliam for spontaneously, voluntarily and trenchantly converting, checking and compiling these new documents. His work is a gift to other woodcarvers because I certainly wouldn't have had the time or skills to do it.
I'd also like to say how much I really appreciate support like Ken's: I do all of the website and newsletter (ie everything) myself and, while that's my choice, all and any sort of support is heart-warming and very welcome.
If you feel there is anything you can offer in the way of supporting my work on the site, please don't hesitate to suggest it!
3 New Book in the Offing...
Advanced warning!
Sometime around June 2007 will see the publication of my next book: Woodcarving Projects and Techniques, collecting articles that I have written over the years, mainly in Woodcarving magazine.
It has always bothered me that these useful articles - which I take as much care in writing as anything else - have every chance of disappearing. But here they will be: rescued from oblivion!
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I'm also writing a series of articles for Woodcarving Illustrated Magazine on the basics of woodcarving: starting with tools and sharpening through to projects exploring traditional techniques. Eventually, these articles too will form the basis of a future book.
This quarterly publication usually features more the whittling and folk school of woodcarving, so characteristic of most carvers in the US, and my aim here is to demystify gouges carving and temp them to try carving in the traditional manner as well.
I have currently just finished article #3. The next 2 issues will deal with handling and manipulating carving tools. I've not written anything like this before, nor see it elsewhere, and I think you'll find them in particular worth the read!
4 Special Woodcarving Slipstones
Again, advanced warning!
You know that slipstone you use on the inside of your gouge? It was never designed for woodcarvers.
As I have heard it, the common 4" rounded-on-one-edge-sharp-on-the-other slipstone that we know and use was originally the property of gunsmiths; we carvers just took what was available!
Our sharpening stones were never designed (thought out) for, or by, carvers
In the old carving workshops, carvers would have access to a collection of bits of special sharpening stone, gathered over years and shaped to the profiles of various gouges, big and small. When carvers departed or died, their tools and stones were passed on or sold to other carvers in the firm (rather like sailors sell their kit at the mast) and the pool of sharpening stones was always being topped up or enlarging.
For quite a while now and with the end of such workshops, carvers have made do with whatever they can buy: slipstones of limited profile and thus of limited fit to gouges; or too small to get the job of putting on an inside bevel quickly; or of inferior quality. And often stones of any description have been hard to find.
For the last 2 years, at least, I have been working with Norton-India to create sharpening stones and equipment for woodcarvers. By that I mean, for the first time, stones designed with the needs of woodcarvers in mind: in sizes, profiles and quality.
The good news is that we are in the final straight now. I should be able to see and approve final samples very soon, and they will be available in the not too distant future. The range includes bench and slipstones for sharpening and finishing, flattening and shaping tools, special grinding wheels, oil and strop dressing.
My aim is for carvers to find everything for sharpening their carving tools within this collection. Nothing is perfect of course, but you should find your ability and capacity to sharpen your carving tools greatly enhanced.
I'll keep you updated in this newsletter.
Sharpening by Hand
I should make it clear that I am not a 'believer' in hand sharpening, as if there was some moral high ground!
I actually keep most of my tools slick and shaped correctly with power belts and wheels.
However I do believe that beginners are best served by learning to sharpen slowly and correctly by hand before bringing in power to help speed up the process. Then there are also those who find power wheels to fast or unpleasant or who actually enjoy the meditative quality of hand sharpening. Then again some (particularly small and deep) gouges cannot be sharpened well except by hand.
As always, what I want is for carvers to have choice.
That's it!
Please forward this newsletter to a woodcarving friend, and anyone else you think might be interested. Thanks!
Joy and success with your carving.
Chris Pye
PS: One for the Bench:
"It is common sense to take a method and try it; if it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something."
Franklin D.Roosevelt, 1882-1945
3 Miscellaneous & Useful Website Links
BACK ISSUES of this newsletter:
http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html
including zipfiles for 2001 - 2006 text-style newsletters
TUITION/TEACHING 2007
UK (1-TO-1 PERSONAL TUITION)
The best way to learn or improve your carving is to join me in my studio for intensive, custom tuition, tailored to exactly what you need. Easy to arrange; dates to suit.
Full details here:
http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/tuition/t_custom.html
USA 2007 (Center For Furniture Craftsmanship, Maine)
| June 18 - 22 |
Wood Sculpture |
| June 25 - 29 |
Relief Carving |
| July 2 - 6 |
Intermediate/Advanced Carving
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Details on the CFC website: http://www.woodschool.org
SLIPSTONES WOODCARVING MANUALS
Help yourself!
You are free to copy any or all of these ebooks, send them to your carving friends, or have them available on your own website but you must not charge money for them.
Full list and details here:
http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/index.html
 Master Woodcarving Secrets (pdf only)
(Sponsored by Tools for Working Wood)
Quick Carving Questions - 1
(Sponsored by Tools for Working Wood)
Quick Carving Questions - 2
(Sponsored by Classic Hand Tools http://www.classichandtools.com/)
Quick Carving Questions - 3
(Sponsored by Preferred Edge Carving Knives & Supplies)
Quick Carving Questions - 4
Selecting & Sharpening Your V Tool
Learning to Carve
Learning to Carve 2
A Guide to Safe Woodcarving
Mistakes and Woodcarving
Fundamentals of Woodcarving
Slicing, And The Value Of The Inside Bevel (pdf only)
PDF versions of all Ebooks
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