[rickm]

I see several references to flat plane carving. My belief was that flat plane meant carving on a flat surface- like a relief I guess. Something not three dimensional I guess would be one way of putting it. But the little guys have fronts and sides and backs, so they are not flat?
Can someone assist in the meaning pls?

[Fergster]

Hi Rick, 'flat plane' really means the style of the carving - have a look at them again, and you'll notice how you can see individual tool marks, they are not sanded and rounded smoothly, shoulders, faces etc are often more squarish looking than they would be on a more naturalistic carving, etc.

[Eddy Smiles]

Rick..

Click on "search" and type in "Flat Plane." There have been a number of good threads discussing that very subject. We have some outstanding flat plane carvers on this forum.

[gene messer]

Hi Rick .. Thanks for asking about Flat plane carving ..

Actually it's not something new to carving .. it was a style of carving used in the 1800's by most european figure carvers of that time and the term meant a style of carving that uses mostly long flat planes in their cuts to resemble body and facial features in the carving .. Thats why most all flat plane carving is done with a knife .. but some artist like Emil Janel used gouges to get the look ..

It doesnt mean that their isnt any roundness in the piece .. it's just the cuts are placed to give it a rough straight cut to enhance the features ..

Carvers like C.O. Trygg and Rosell, and even the american carver Andy Anderson was considered flat plane carvers ..

Go look at some of their work and see how the technique is done .. The reason its not done too much today is because it originated in Europe and is not a american design ..

Harley Refsal is probably one of the best carvers of flat plane who began to bring back flat plane to american carvers ..

He has several books on the subject ..

Below are several ways I learned to carve the face in flat plane ..
Notice the straight deep cuts to accent the face rather then rounding it ..

I hope I helped you Rick

Gene

[Mitchell]

Check "similar threads" below.....

Specifically this thread: Sorry About The Flat Plane Confusion