Relief Carving Book Question

[makenchips]

I am interested in trying my hand at relief carving and wanted to know a good book recommendation. I was given the name of a book called "Step by Step Relief Carving: a manuel for artists and woodcarvers" by Roger Schroeder adn David Bennett.

Any one endorse this? If you had to buy just one on relief what would it be. Thanks for any assistance on this.

[RUssL.]

Chris Pye's book "Relief Carving in Wood. A Practical Introduction" is an incredibly detailed book on relief carving. "Step-by-step" is an understatement.

Russ L.

[dany meullins]

Hello.

I agree with RussL concerning the Chris Pye book. It is the best basic book available on relief carving. The project in the book is really simple (a fish), but the purpose of the book is not the project by itself. It is a cours about carving, and by doing your fish, you will be assured to carve and finish you relief, and you'll have learned a lot of stuff.

But if you're not a beginner (and you're not), you may not learn a lot with this book...

The book of David Bennet is more likely to suit an experienced carver. It's more oriented toward high relief, and a very good lesson about the use of perspective in carving. The working method of David Bennet is more varied than the Chris Pye one. It includes massive use of gouges work, but there is also a lot of tricks concerning power carving, used for undercut and texturing. And the Step by Step is excellent and very detailed...

I also have the DVD of David Bennet. "Relief Carving In A Different Light". It's older than the book, but it's the same lesson, on DVD. Excellent too.

So, for me, the David Bennett book is very technique and unique in his use of deep relief. Good stuff.

David