[whitecree]

I like the idea of a teaching stick. Maybe if I'd known about them a dozen years ago, I'd be a lot further along.

Almost as good is just to study people's faces. It gets you a reputation as being somewhat rude, but you sure learn a lot.

[Thomp]

Originally Posted by whitecree

I like the idea of a teaching stick. Maybe if I'd known about them a dozen years ago, I'd be a lot further along.

Almost as good is just to study people's faces. It gets you a reputation as being somewhat rude, but you sure learn a lot.

Agreed whitecreed, An afternoon spent in the mall with a camera would benifit most folks in seeing the face, or selecting the type they would like to carve. if eyesight is good enough.

waldon books and books-a-million as well as public librarys are full of books on photogrophy of the human face.
and another good place to find examples.

the things that get my attention are the non standard faces,
overly wrinkled
exaturated facial features and beedie eyes 'close to the nose'. large mouths,
old folks with no teeth with their small wrinkled mouths closed and their chin just about touching their noses. while peeking over there eyeglasses.

the teaching stick provides 2 purposes, if you make one, it gives you several chances to carve the finished head without risking failure on the actual carving,
or to learn different methods and angle of attack with v grove and gouges around the face.
and an example to show some future carver the methods implied.
Keep a piece of stock ready on hand with an idea in mind for when your board between projects,

the subject dont have to be a progression of start to finish, it can be of intirely different heads animals or totums. or a mix of all, it dont have to be done all at the same day month or year. but its fun to look back at to see where you came from if you pick up an old one.

i really learned a lot with this one,
last teaching stick i made was with chip knife only, it was given to my nephew as an example to learn by. but he deciced to go back to the nentendo after his blades dulled. but i like to hope to think at a later time he will pick it up and make an effort to try again.

on this study-teaching stick i used every tool in my bag,

[Linda L]

Hi all,
Made a trip to the local carving store this morning and I'm frustrated! I went with the intention of purchasing a "teaching stick." I think I have seen most of the ones on the market, and I'm not crazy about any of them, especially the price on the mass produced simpler ones . I did purchase the Enlow one with the multiple faces/expressions at a show last year.

I really want to learn to carve wood spirits and women's faces (not caracature, probably to use in the same manner as a wood spirit). Is there anyone here who would be willing to work with me to make me a couple teaching sticks? I'd be more than happy to pay you.

I have a ton of reference materials and books, but there is something about 3D that makes it so much easier to learn. Don't have anyone near me to ask or teach me, so I'm pretty much dependent on what I can find in books and on the Net .

If anyone is interested, feel free to email me and we can decide where to go from there!

Thanks for all the help from everyone! Great group here with lots of help for we beginners!

Linda

[Thomp]

Linda,

I would surely take on the task If i was worth a hoot at carving wemons faces myself. but if i tought all i know about wemons face carving it would be all contained in a 5 minuet lesson,

[im currently carving several projects none with great finishings of the face.]

the can can gal im carving for my cowtown will have her dress tail lifted so high only the bridge of her nose will be exposed as her eyes peer over the top..

i was hoping to provoke the other better carvers to contribute when i started this thread, but not a lot came of the idea of helping others that need the help. guess it must be tough for some to teach?

[Linda L]

Well Thomp, I think you are too modest. I don’t know how long you’ve been carving, but I’ve visited all your sites and I’m impressed. Of course as a beginner it doesn’t take a whole lot to impress me ! I was really excited when you started this new topic, but it seems to have just kind of died.

I think I remember posting that one day in the carving group I attended for a short time at the senior center, the “instructor� tried to teach us how to carve a face on the corner of a block. He didn’t have a finished sample. I really made a mess of mine. Guy sitting next to me finished his before the class was barely started on their first cuts. I borrowed his, but returned it before I could use it. I could have learned more from studying that simple 10 minute carving than I could from hours of reading and looking at pictures.

I realize that for some, the carving of anything takes a lot of time. Geesh, to carve a face would probably take me weeks, if not months! However, after seeing how this guy did his I realized there must be carvers out there who can just “whip out� a simple carving in a short time. I’m not looking for perfection, just where the cuts go, how deep, and their relation to other parts in 3D. I wouldn’t dream of asking for a finished carving that took someone hours to do---besides, I couldn’t afford it!!! I am one of those who get really irritated when artist/craftspeople sell their work cheaply.

I’m really kicking myself right now. While at the carving store this morning, I saw a book that looked interesting. It was sealed in shrink-wrap and hubby was ready to leave, so I just put it back. Now I wish I had looked further. I may have to call them tomorrow and see if they could mail it. I just hate to buy it without seeing what's inside, and the store is almost an hour away. I think it had something to do with carving figures, but the carvings on the front were of a little girl and I think a woman. They were full figures and had beautiful female faces. Does this book sound familiar to anyone?

Anyway, I appreciate and agree with the concept of teaching sticks Thomp---just wish I knew someone who’s knee I could sit on (well, make that sit “at� ) and watch. Guess I am a visual learner.

Hope someone else steps up. I know women’s faces are very difficult and not many try them, so I wouldn’t be surprised if no one was comfortable doing one, but I know there are a lot of woodspirit carvers here.

Thanks again for your encouragement and contribution to all us beginners, it keeps me trying and not giving up!

Linda

[Thomp]

Sorry folks long post......

Linda,
modesty has nothing to do with ability... I know im not ready for wemons faces there fore i wont try.

A short time ago there was a fox chappel email notification of a clearance sale of overstock items i think it was and for about $15.00 i bought 3 or 4 books, each marked $14-24. each,, among them was a Carving the female face.. by Wally lueth Isbn #1-56523-145-7
the cover looked interesting it had a carving of a youthfull woman in full bust "dont know What i thinking"?. but i got it in the deal,
upon opening the book i found it really technical with bone structure charts muscle and not what i wanted, its more of an artistic instructional, than just plain ole down and dirty chip making,
this is a hobby for me and i run from lecture and book study.. style
i carve for the fun of it , and if i ever started to depend on carving to make me a living i probobally wouldnt carve any longer becuse i would rather shovle muck for a living,.


as to learning carving there are lots of tutorials on this board alone.
look for the mountian man mask carvings posted by Mark Gargac .

they cover every gouge and knife cut he made carving that mask so far. hes doing a great job. even tells you which tool he used where in the step.
it should assist you greatly in about the best hands on you will get from the internet for free,,,
---
elwood troll has posted some nice sites where the eye and ear are done in tutorial style.

here is a link to a gnome or woodspirit stopper head tutorial that i found rather remarkable and teaches you to use the gouge instead of just the knife to do the cuts aeround the eyes and nose.


other freebees:
FREE ONLINE TUTORIALS

it dont take a lot to get me impressed ether, Linda,
one minuet im boared or it may be a week long thing but hearing or seeing something may spark off a chip flying session,,, whether the project makes the shelf or the scrap pile is usualy the test...
i guess you call it artistic license, to work when you feel creative.


Now envy of how other carvers can get you into trouble and make you vain and bitter,.of how fast they carve and it isent the skill you want to achieve,
in other 3rd world countrys mexico, vietnam, china, there are fast carvers, 10 minuets to knock out a tourist trinket. but it dont make that product a treasure, but a memento of an expencive vacation.


your teacher's will helps you achieve your knowledge, you impress on what you like as you evolve your style other knowledgeful carvers can just about tell who you were taught by,,,

and teaching something the wrong way causes the student 3 times long to correct the problem.


back to the teaching sticks.
grab a one by one stick 6 inches long, mark it into 6 one inch sections, carve the bottom section into a head, then progrossively move up the stick to the begaining,


im too far from washington for you to set on my knee. , and my knee wouldnt take it if you were to set on it very long. (my heart would probobly fail) or my wife would club me.. but ill do what i can to help you get out of a stuck spot, mu email is in my signature, write anytime


If your a begaining carver, start with the simple things get you a kevlar glove, and some northern basswood, or clear butternut something like maybe popular solid but not rock hard.
use to your tools, learn the cuts they make on scraps, keep them sharp as i usualy wreak a carving becuse im to into removing stock that aint what i want in the carving, than to stop a second and hone a tool... you can tell dullness by, the tool not preforming as good, wood splitting, curling under the cutting edege and tearing.


each tool is designed for one specific task, buy quality, and remember you dont have to be a tool collector to be a carver,
i would suggest a knife a 1/4 gouge and a 1/8 v gouge to start with,

Although many other carvers prefur a chip carving knife for their only tool,


i too think im more of a visual learner, a hands on guy... i can get ideas from books but rough for me to grasp concepts from reading.


might i suggest you go do the teaching stick or the tutorial on woodspirit bottle stopper
it will get you well on the road to learning your tools.

[Linda L]

Thanks again Thomp, you've given me a lot of information I can use. I've got a 3" binder full of downloads as well as a good library started. Some of the links you gave are new and I'm having fun reading and learning from them.


BTW, I called the store and found the book---not a very good one....

I actually started carving about a year ago, but poor health has kept me at a snail's pace. So, I study when I can't carve. When I pick up the knife, hopefully the chips will fly (in the right places, of course!) I have my glove, strops, and several tools, all good quality, ready to go when I'm able.

I have the 2X2X12" basswood, but I guess I feel a little intimdated. Kind of like cutting into expensive fabric when I sew---the first cut is the hardest, but once it's done I'm off to the races!

Thanks again, I'm in the starting gate waiting for the bell---watch for me at the rear of the pack, stopping to smell the roses !

Linda

[Old_Gord]

Thomp has provided some good sites for you to peruse.
One book that deals with making study sticks is Mary Finn's book "Carving Eggheads", I know that the title sounds like it's all about carving basswood eggs, but only half the book is about carving eggheads, the other or first half deals with making practice sticks of eye's, then noses, followed up with mouths, open and closed. Lots of step by step pics and instructions.
It's well worth looking for , try some of the online woodcarving supply stores, some will be sure to have a copy, price is quite reasonable .
Here's the ISBN:0-88740-993-8.
Maybe Rick carries it at Little Shavers,try his web site.
http://www.littleshavers.com/Index.html

.

OG

[Linda L]

Thanks! I'll check it out.

Too bad the title is so misleading, I probably would have bought it a long time ago!

Linda

[jamesfa]

Hi Linda
i have not done any female faces with much success, but on my picturetrail site i have a picture of a step by step for carving a face on a corner.
i use it for new people at our carving club who may want to try a face.
have a look and see if its what you want.

Frank