Why would you want to make a new carving look old?

[Ashbys]

I really do not understand why people go to extreams to age thier carvings. I guess it goes back to the idea that existed in re-enacting that for it to be correct it needed a certain patina. Whihc many re-enactors went to extreans to add . Of course the simple concept of the items were new at the time and would not have a patina that came with age seemed to be out of concept, but I see a lot of antiquing process used in woodcarving as well and I really do not understand why? To speed up the aging process to make something look older now , what will it look like when it is old ?

Ash

[Tom-H]

Hey Ash, I hope people are making new things look old because they place more value on old stuff than new stuff. Maybe folks think that the old stuff is better built, worth more, more interesting, etc. Now there is a reason for me to make this statement. I'm old!
Tom H

[Lynn O. Doughty]

I think the technique of trying to make a carving, at least a caricature carving, look old by painting on burnt umber and linseed oil and then wiping it off started with Harold Enlows first book. Maybe the customers passing through Dogpatch, Arkansas thought that a dirty looking carving more represented the Ozark style than a clean one? Who knows?

I agree completely with you Ash, why spend hours creating something only to try and make it look old and dirty? When I do some grimey work outside and come up to the house with every pore, wrinkle and crevice caked with sweat and dirt my wife doesn't say "Oh Honey! Don't take a shower...You look so neat!" A more likely response would be "Don't even think of bringing that filthy body in the house until you hose yourself down!" Why should a carving be any different?

[whittlewomen]

I paint with acrylics and they leave my carvings chalky-looking. I dip them in linseed oil to take away that look. It seems to deeped the colors and give them a little sheen. Different stroke for different folks!!!

[Thor]

Michaelangelo began his career as a stone sculptor in a disreputable studio carving stone cherubs and burning them then burying them in order to falsely represent age. The reason was simple...money.
I think when you get famous doing anything, you can leave the finish just the way you want. Meanwhile....antique, antique, antique..
Ash, I've gotten into this same conversation with re-enactors before. It seems the argument is regarding the look of use on the object. With use, comes age. I know all of my medieval stuff gets used, and looks pretty old in a few years.

Thor

[Kenny_S]

Not to be smart aleck about it, but, "Because I can" and some people likes that effect.
If you don't listen to your custumers, you will not have them later.

However, I like the fresh new look also.
Guess it depends on what a person is trying to achive in the carving's look.
Lynn's cowboy carvings look great painted the way they are, but may or maynot look better with aniqueing.

Again, Matter of choice.

[Ashbys]

Hehe Thor,

I have only one statement to that, if your life depends on it , it will be maintained in good condition. Metal ages because of oxidation, wood ages because of lack of care.
If I use something everyday, like an axe to get fire wood , make tools with , protect myself with , I promise that axe will be taken care of . Trying to cut wood with a rusty axe is no fun.
If I have a wooden cart that will carry my goods . my family , my food, it will be taken care of.

I agree with Lynn, if I put my time and effort into doing a carving I want it to look like I took pride in what I did. I like natural wood finishes so I rarely paint, but basswood is an exception. I think that is one thing I really like about Lynn's work they are always bright and cheerful and look new.

Ash

[Ashbys]

Kenny ,
That I understand. If your customers ask for it , you have to supply what they ask .

Ash

[Paul_Guraedy]

We humans are an interesting and diverse lot and generalizations are usually wrong. However, there seems to be agreement that some things are more desirable in mint condition (coins); while other items (furniture) seem to be more pleasing when they have acquired character and differentiation through the aging process.

Although, in woodcarving, we call it antiquing, it is really a continuation of the painting process. I realize that many of us carvers do not believe that painting is necessarily a good thing. But, we paint a Santa Claus because it adds something to the art of the carving. We "antique" the face of a mountain man to bring out the wrinkles and add character to the carving. We decide to paint in the shadows on a relief carving of an old barn rather than trying to use the "antiquing" process because it works better.

To antique or not to antique is a thing that must be decided by the individual carver creating the piece. There should not be a right or wrong involved with this process.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I guess some of us are gonna be real valuable one of these days.......approaching antiquehood LOLCheers