- Joined
- Dec 19, 2002
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- 22,472
Just returned from Indianapolis where I took a one week relief carving class with Master Jim Chambers.
Had taken the same class with Wallace Gusler of Colonial Williamsburg two years ago. They have very different techniques. Wallace makes the "high relief" and has a wide assortment of chisels with which he "stamp" out the pattern. The unwanted material is shaved & scraped away leaving the relief which is then sculpted to define the figures.
Jim Chambers follows John Biven's approach. You use chisels for stamping and where chisels aren't available, use a sharpened pocket knife to cut the outline. The next step is digging furrows of equal width to ensure depth is the same. The furrows are then worked down and sandpaper is used to clean up the bottom.
Both methods work and it's good to have learned both. Jim's class was at Conner Prarie where they hold an Arms Making Workshop once a year. Other classes include gun building I (assembly) & gun building II (you do the finishing work), blacksmithing, horn making, bag making, strap weaving, quill work and hearth cooking & engraving. Go to Conner Prarie's website and check it out.
BTW, by Thursday, I had a sore neck from all the carving. Have to figure. It didn't bother me so much on Friday but a higher workbench (or vise) would have made it easier.
Had taken the same class with Wallace Gusler of Colonial Williamsburg two years ago. They have very different techniques. Wallace makes the "high relief" and has a wide assortment of chisels with which he "stamp" out the pattern. The unwanted material is shaved & scraped away leaving the relief which is then sculpted to define the figures.
Jim Chambers follows John Biven's approach. You use chisels for stamping and where chisels aren't available, use a sharpened pocket knife to cut the outline. The next step is digging furrows of equal width to ensure depth is the same. The furrows are then worked down and sandpaper is used to clean up the bottom.
Both methods work and it's good to have learned both. Jim's class was at Conner Prarie where they hold an Arms Making Workshop once a year. Other classes include gun building I (assembly) & gun building II (you do the finishing work), blacksmithing, horn making, bag making, strap weaving, quill work and hearth cooking & engraving. Go to Conner Prarie's website and check it out.
BTW, by Thursday, I had a sore neck from all the carving. Have to figure. It didn't bother me so much on Friday but a higher workbench (or vise) would have made it easier.
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