Carving Ethics

[montana]

I read the thread on carving ethics and it really got me looking hard at my carving style. The cowboy and hunter are carvings I did when I was around 24 (I'm now 29) and the captian is a couple of days old. I'm afraid that everything I have carved lately is starting to look like every other caricature carving. The more tips and techniques I read the worse it seems to get (I loved Lynn's video's). Any ideas or thoughts on how to get away from this? Thanks

[Thomp]

i think we just sometimes just go with the flow,

i been stuck there for a good while now, because of health reasons i aint been doing much carving for the last year or so, just been picking at the carvings i had started but they too look the same as carvings from the year beforem
lots of time i think i just might need another different shaped palm tool, but cant justify the 20 i already have??

so if you find a answer please post it!

[doris]

find your own ideas from your heart, inspirations are everywhere, not only from caricature carvers, make drawings and clay models to fix your vision, and then try replicate the clay model rather than reading tips from other carvers... your first caricatures are very nice, they are different. the sea captain is like you said similar in what we see often... i am not a caricature carver, but i always carve what my vision is, not what i see carved elsewhere, so that´s why i felt qualified to reply your question

[MHarnett]

Doris it right. Think up your own ideas and carve them. You can try them out in clay first, which helps alot in working out ideas and poses. The more you do the more you will develop your own style. Either way carve what you enjoy. Almost all of us carve for enjoyment. We carve what we like, it doesn't matter all that much if the carving look alike or not, but as I said the more you carve the more of your style will develop.

[gtech]

Once I start carving a subject from a template or from another carving, I try to put the original aside and just follow what I have in my head. I try not to refer anymore to what inspired me so that I don't just copy it.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not. But that's how I tried to learn once I learned how to use the tools. Of course, as long as it's not an excuse for not being able to learn how to do some of the things we have to know...

First copy, then improvise.

Gilles

[tbox61]

My carving experience has grown to the point where I can pick up a carving book, like any of Mike Shipley’s or Pete LeClair’s, follow along, and make a pretty close representation to what is being shown. I can cut out a blank from a pattern and feel comfortable that it will look like what I am trying to make when I am finished.

I am looking forward to trying a cowboy head with Lynn’s tutorial.

My problem is that I have ideas in my head that I can’t articulate to paper. I think I may have solved that problem, though. I am helping a guy in our office get started in carving. He is an awesome artist, and is extremely talented in taking ideas and putting them on paper, so I think we will make a good pair.

I think every carver needs a base to start from—I started with Jack Price’ book on carving little guys and graduated on to more difficult projects.

However, if I NEVER graduate to making original pieces on my own, I will be more than happy to replicate the projects in the books I have!

[pallin]

It is very clear that many carvers find satisfaction in doing the same things over and over with little variation. Others have to try something "new" with each project. Learn to recognize which type YOU are. If you're not finding enjoyment in the carvings you do, try something different. There are MANY forms of carving.

[tomrsey]

I think that it is pretty natural to mimic other carvers when learning. The more you carve, the more comfortable you become, and the more your own take on thing starts to creep in. The more you carve, the more it looks like your own.

[Mitchell]

Don't carve what you read in books, etc.

Sounds simple, but if you are trying to carve what others carve, yours will look like someone elses.

There's nothing wrong with doing that - it is a great way to learn. But to eventually make your own techniques, and "style", you will have to break away from how others do it...if that's what you really want to do.

PS - I want to change this title because it does not really deal with "ethics", but I can't figure out a better one just yet....

PSS - Here's a thread that is not on the same subject specifically, but has some good ideas and comments... I really like how she made notes (not published) of what she likes and dislikes of other carvers... this would be a good way to figure out a path to developing your own style.

[big dave]

your style is your style don't fight it just grow with it.