Documenting/Cataloging your carvings

[Creekside_Carver]

I was wondering how most people document or catalog their carvings?

I was thinking of taking a picture of all 4 sides and combining the 4 images into 1 image like the picture I have attached. I was then going to use clear sheet protectors (the pocket type) and place the composite image along with any supporting documentation (ie. patterns, sketches/drawings and notes). The sheet protectors would then be placed in a 3 ring binder.

I am sure most of you probably have better ways to do this so I am interested in hearing your ideas.

Also, what notes/records do carvers keep pertaining to a carving? (time it took to complete the carving, wood used, paint/color/finish used etc.)

thanks for any suggestions/replys.....Curtis

bunny+composite copy.jpg

[Paul_Guraedy]

I started out numbering my carvings consecutively and continued this for a few years. Then, quite a few years ago, I read an article of someone that numbers theirs by using the year as the first two numbers and then consecutively for that year. This way they see a number on one of their carvings and immediately know the year and, even roughly, the part of the year it was carved. For instance my carvings for this year start with 07 and pick up in order 01, 02 and become 0701, 0702, etc. If I am asked about carving 9512, I know that it was carved late in 1995. Since I carve slowly, it was probably late in the fall.

Now, if I carve several of the same pattern such as simple Christmas ornaments, I give them all the same number and may/may not put the number on the carving.

I keep notes on each carving, but they vary somewhat. If it was from a pattern, roughout or blank, I list the originator. I have notes on the painting, size, and anything else of interest to me or whomever ends up with the carving.

A few years ago, I started making sure that I have pictures of each carving. I take them with a digital camera and keep a couple of copies (one on DVD and one on my computer).

[Lynn O. Doughty]

I take photos of each piece I do from various angles, one group of the carving in it's finished but unpainted state and another when it is complete and mounted. With digital cameras this is an easy thing to do quite cheap compared to the old film methods.

A lot of carvers number their carvings for various reasons. I have never seen the need of this other than to know how many you carved and possibly when you did it. But, as I doubt of someone will ever ponder over an "early Doughty" I don't do it. I do put the year I did it on each piece. That should be enough.

One thing I do do with my large scenes that might mean something to someone someday and that's to put little messages between the two bases. How I like the piece, whether it's raining, snowing, or the sun is shining, little things like that. I doubt if they're ever seen but maybe someday down the line someone will take the piece apart and see that back in 2015, while I was working on my gazillionth Wrangler the world ended!

[jamesfa]

I just sign and date the carvings,then take several pictures of the finished carving and save them to a DVD and on my computer.
i will save any patterns .reference materials in a clearplastic protector and save in a binder.

Jamesfa

[Donna_T]

I keep a list of carvings--when I started, when I finished, who I gave it to or sold it to, and the number. Somewhat like Paul mentioned, I use a running number and end with the last two digits being the year. For instance, I think I finished one last week that was #76207...it was my 762nd carving (since I started 17 years ago) and it was finished in '07. I always sign my carvings with a permanent marker on the bottom--once in awhile, I'll actually sign right on the back of the carving.

I also keep a photo album of bigger, finished carvings--sometimes showing 2-3 views.

Donna T