Learned something new

[jillsy]

This is something many of you may already do, but it's something I just learned on my own - maybe it'll help some others.

Generally, when drawing patterns of my Santas or snowmen, I just draw free-handed and carve from there. Well, since I have a whole book of graph paper now (thanks to Nancy Gs tutorial on painting!), it crossed my mind that I should put my drawing against the graph paper, just to see how well I did keeping things basically symmetrical.

What an eye-opener! I found that all of my drawings, like my handwriting, leaned slightly to the left. And none of the bottoms were straight, which would also cause them to tilt. I also found little details like one side of the body being bigger than the other, not really noticable in my drawing, but put against graph paper and you could see it easily (just count how many blocks on each side).

Just thought I'd pass this on. I drew up new patterns, using the graph paper as my guide, now I'll see how much of a difference it makes after the carving is completed.

Just thought I'd pass this on.

Jillsy

[wade clark]

Jillsy,
That's interesting!
Are you familiar with transferring patterns or drawings with a graph? It's easy, and you can adjust size too. Draw a grid in one size on the small drawing, say 1/4", and draw a bigger grid on another paper, say 3". The grids can be any size, and you can reduce or enlarge this way.
Draw whatever you see in the upper right grid into the upper right grid on your new paper. It won't be much in that kind of space, just a bit of a line. Then do all the coresponding grids, one at a time. Don't worry if they connect with the others, just focus on one square's transfer at a time. When you get them all transfered you'll have a pretty accurate likeness on your new paper. It might be easiest to picture it with a 1/4" grid and a 1" grid, but the sizes don't really matter. It helps me if I number them across and down.
You probably know more about this than I do. I was able to transfer a heron from a 6" photograph to life size, reading in a bird guide to figure out the actual height of a heron. I believe it said they were typically 29" tall, so I drew a grid with 29 horizontal sectors on the photograph and vertical sectors with the same spacing. Then I cut it out of the new paper and drew around it onto my block of wood.
Too much detail, hu!
Wade

[Nancy-G]

Ahhhhhhhh graph paper

[mdallensr]

Another "trick" I was taught is to look at your carving upside down (it's OK to turn the carving, not stand on your head). Also, look at it with different lighting. It's amazing to note the lack of symmetry with the simple techniques. This probably relates to the "right side of the brain" that we've talked about. Mike

[jillsy]

Wade,

Thanks for all that, but after reading it 3 times, I still dont get it! Remember, I'm not technical with numbers or measuring in any sense of the word! (Hence, why I free-hand it all!) I'm sure others out there will understand better than I.

Mdallensr, thanks for that advice. You reminded me of another trick - put your carving up to a mirror, you can usually see mistakes that way too.

Nancy - you're whacky!

Jillsy

[dart]

I don't use the graph paper but I do use try squares and rulers. I'll have to get some graph paper and try it.