Designing in clay...

..as a further step towards creating more carvings of my own design  I am taking the carving advice given to me by three well respected carvers (Marv Kaisersatt, Fred Zavadil, and Joe You) and am starting my next design in clay.
   This summer I had the pleasure of seeing a local artisan (Phillippe Faraut) work clay in his studios, he is an amazing artist and most happily shared some of his techniques.  So the wife and I trekked to the local Ceramics supplier and picked up some tools and 100 lbs. of clay.  I spent some of my most recent free time building two sculpting stands and with the recent holiday stretch I have been able to take some vacation and got around to creating this gentlemen on the left.  I am by no means an expert when it comes to working in clay and would only rate myself as a rookie.  Using the knowledge gained from my studio visit and employ some of the recent knowledge I gained by studying anatomy I was able to create him quite simply and yes I now know what a "Zygomatic arch" is and it's location.
The clay being utilized is VERY pliable and easy to mold without having some of the 'memory' and stiffness found in other clays.  It is true though that if I would like this to be permanent I would have to have it fired (unlike some other products that can be baked).  Since clay is not the final medium but rather wood then permanence is not a factor.  You may have noticed that the piece is not completely finished but can be easily completed in a matter of about an hour.  The progress shown in the picture took about 3 hours of fun time.
    As far as the design goes I did nothing special to prepare but knew the headshape and basic essence of the face.  I let caricature and anatomy steer me the rest of the way.  Once completed I will transfer a side profile to a block of my finest basswood and let the chips fly...I'll try and post pictures as progress is made.

A look into another carving mentors world...

For all of you who know Marv Kaisersatt's work the CCA Website is hosting a slideshow of the infamous apartment.  If you know me you know how much I admire this man's work and the effort he puts forth.  The images show only a portion of his work.  I have on a couple of occasions been able to have a couple of conversations with him and he has been a big influence in the creation of "my style of carving".

http://www.cca-carvers.org/marvs-apt/marv-apt-slideshow.html

So if you have a chance, DO check this out as it will give you some insight as to the artistic effort he puts forth. 

I would send a personal thank you to Marv for all he continues to give to the rest of us, our art has been forever blessed by your contributions.

CCA 2010 Seminars...

...the CCA has announced the instructors for their annual seminar to be held in Converse, Indiana in 2010.  More information can be found at the following link:

                   http://www.cca-carvers.org/cca_seminar.html

Stay warm out there!!

...and a one, and a two...

...and a three!  The carving at left was carved this Fall and is destined to be given as a present to a nearby friend.  It was carved in a class given by Mr. Eldon Humphries, here in western NY.  This humorous character is one of Eldon's designs (he has got a quite a few good designs he is currently working with).  This class was very enjoyable and Eldon is a good instructor and each carver left with a well completed carving. 
   Having said all this, I must be honest and say that this carving is really not "my style".  I was shown the carving prior to deciding on the class.  Now this might have you asking "why would I spend the money on a class that is going to carve a figure I personally would not normally carve?".  The answer is quite simple though.  My artistic skills are the composite of all types of knowledge from all sorts of places, media, and instructors.  I attend classes in the hopes that I will learn a new technique, or techniques I would care not to repeat.  The more methods I have at my disposal the greater of variety of carvings I can produce.  So when you are contemplating your next course ask yourself "what can this instructor offer me?"  Once you have an answer to that you can determine whether or not you would be getting your hard earned monies worth.
  As for this class and this carving...I learned to simulate ruffles and scrolls.  Something that will come into use in the future, as for the carving I am sure my friend will cherish it as it truly represents the eccentric individual he is. 

How do I...

  Inspiration can come from just about anywhere,  however, when we are inspired we often find that we just don't know how to go about it.  A nice assortment of reference books can assist with this. 
  In the picture shown at left is Andrew Loomis' "Fun with a Pencil" a great instructional drawing book that was purchased off of Ebay.  Also in the picture are Cartoon Animation which I use to help me design motion into my carvings,  Tales from the Crypt which has great physcal detail of the human body especially when it comes to expression, and the last book is Warner Brothers "That's all Folks" which is a wonderful history of the Animators and how their work and efforts grew with time and effort.  These books as well as a whole lot more provide me the basic information I need to create the effect I am looking for.  So next time you are at your library browse through the drawing and animation books as well as books about the things you know (I grew up reading Tales from the Crypt comics and watching Bugs Bunny).  For more immediate results you can always do a Google image search too.
  Enjoy the holiday weekend...carve something!

Sketchy Sundays...

  Sundays are my day!!  I work all week and have a sizeable piece of real estate that requires my attention regularly, but Sundays are mine!  OK, they are really only mine because the "spousal unit" is working.
  When this golden opportunity came about I wanted to make sure a portion of the day was dedicated to my love of Caricature Carving.  I also like a nice breakfast too, something I do not get everyday.  So every Sunday morning I get up and head down to the local diner and tuck myself away in the farthest corner booth and break out my sketch pad.  Over the last few years I have been working to break away and not just carve what everyone else is carving but rather to try and be able to carve what I would like to carve ( please understand this is my desire and in no way should be construed as a slam against those who love to carve the "standards")  .  Even if you are not looking towards designing your own carvings, if you draw at regular intervals, your carving skills will improve.  All you need is something to draw on and my personal favorite a Ticonderoga #2.  If you'd like to take it a little deeper, then I would recommend you visit your local art store,  pick up a simple sketch pad, a kneadable eraser (the gray blob in the picture),  and some Prismacolortm Col-Erase pencils (blue works well).  The visit to the Art store will not break the bank.  If it's truly an Art Store (not a major craft chain store) you should take some time to browse,  there are a lot of neat tools and methods that can come in handy.
  For something to draw pick a copy of someones sketches and just start copying (a sketchbook from Bobby Chiu at Imaginism.com is shown in picture).  This practice will help you overcome one of the biggest issues we face...overcoming our subconcious tendancy to see things as a "whole".  When we look at someone we tend to see their face, rather than seeing the parts that make up the whole.  Being able to break this down allows us to accentuate a feature appropriately to the point of Caricature.  Besides, doing it is just plain fun. It does not have to have a purpose, just let it be enjoyable.  Sure some days will be better than others, but who cares?  You are doing it for yourself and in doing so you are nourishing your artistic soul. 

   Ok, maybe thats just a little TOO DEEP...just go out there and enjoy the journey!

Daddies got a couple new babies!!

  Well I had been saving my pennies and with my visit to the Hickory show I could not pass up the chance to add a couple of babies to the collection!  When it comes to knives a Caricature Carver / Whittler can never have enough (and I of course am no exception to the rule).
   When it comes to knives most folks buy standard knives and just buy varying lengths and shapes.  The upsweep knife is gaining popularity with the carving community for its ability to provide a nice clean cut.  The two featured above are well made (really like the comfort of both handle shapes and Ralph's teardrop fits well in the palm) and perform as you would expect with a good amount of flex in each blade. 
  The only drawback to an upsweep is if you are not paying attention you can cut yourself deeply by pressing against what "you thought" was the spine.  It's a painful lesson and you only have to do it once to learn a valuable lesson (put your glasses on!).  I did it while checking out some beautiful knives at a show,  my embarassment could not be understated...DUH!
  At one point or another carvers learn that to get a proper clean cut with a knife you have to utilize a slicing cut.  That is to say that, on a draw, the knife is pulled through the grain while the blade is also being pulled across the grain. If you are unsure about this, grab your knife and scrap and give it a shot, do a few draw cuts and watch your hand motion it should not only be a pull but rather a "slicing" pull where the blade is also shifted in the direction of the hand you are using (to the right for right-handers and vice versa).  While a slicing cut can be using a standard blade,  the upsweep blade accomplishes this much easier and this ability is greatly enhanced when performing "scissor" or "push" cuts.
  The upsweep knife enhances the ability to achieve beautiful cuts in tight places and at least one deserves a place in a Caricature Carver's toolset.  These two already have an "official" place in my box and I am sure they will get a lot of use!

TIP:  When watching a demonstration from your instructor most students look at the wood to see where the "cut" is taking place.  Change your thought process and watch the carvers hand you'll learn a lot more about carving watching how they make their cut rather than the cut itself.  Remember the "cut" is only good for that particular portion of the carving while the "method of the cut" can be used over and over again.