Photo Credit:

Mel Schockner

Please contact me at parables@jchristopherwhite.com if you are interested in having a class in your area. I would be glad to try to make that happen if you can provide a guarantee of 6-10 students.

Class Description

PRINCIPLES OF MOVEMENT IN DESIGN

This class is designed to challenge a person's way of viewing woodcarving altogether. The emphasis is on sculpting wood into a series of lines, planes, and forms. Simple principles of movement are repeatedly applied and exercised as students turn a piece of found wood (primarily Mesquite or West Texas juniper) into polished fluid forms. Once learned, these principles become tools that can be applied in furniture making, woodturning, woodcarving, or classic sculpting.
 

Students will learn the use of the cabinet maker's pattern rasp, designing a piece to shine, and how to finish wood to a glass like glowing finish. They will also learn how to bring out the full potential of a piece of wood by finding, simplifying, and refining the inherent lines, planes and forms found in the wood. Use of grain pattern is also touched upon.
 

Students may learn to remove wood and establish planes through the use of gouge and mallet or power carving with an Arbotech? disc and typhoon burrs on the end of a flex shaft power tool.
Wood is provided for the first project, students will sculpt an abstract sculpture that can stand alone or be used as a base for an additional representational sculpture of a bird, fish, or other subject. (Choice of subject must meet instructor's approval.)
 

Students Will Learn:
1. The principles of movement, balance, and design.
2. Use of negative spaces in design.
3. How to bring a plane through a negative space.
4. Designing a piece to receive a glasslike finish.
5. Recognizing wood grain from the outside.
6. Harnessing grain to enhance detail.
7. The use of cabinet maker's pattern rasp.
8. The use of gouge and mallet (hand carving)
9. Use of typhoon burrs on flex shaft (power carving)

* Wood for initial project included in the tuition fee. Additional wood available for purchase.

Class Materials List
 

* For a better understanding of what stylized sculpture is, please read this article.

Class Materials List:  (click to print out)

* Sand bags - use either old blue jean legs cut into 18'-20' sections sewn shut approximate ' full of sand or use old tube socks tired off ' full of sand (for those who are
Flying bring empty and I will have some sand.)
* Dust collector (If you have a portable one and are driving.)
* Dust mask
* Foredom or similar tool - include attachments:
. '' by 2'' sanding drum with 150 grit Swiss gold sandpaper
. Typhoon burr - 5/8' and or '' diameter red flame '' shank
(You may order these from Belcher Carving 937-845-0346 or The Woodcraft Shop 800-397-2278 or www.thewoodcraftshop.com)
* '' Gouge with #5 or #6 curve
* Nicholson #50 cabinet maker's patter rasp
* Nicholson 8' second cut file (half round)
* Sandpaper - 220, 400, 600, 1500 grit (3M wet/dry) Available at auto body supply stores.

Note: Mainly bring the tools you are most proficient with.

To order the Nicholson pattern rasp # 49 and/or #50 call Boggs Tools (800) 547- 5244
Second cut half round files are available in a variety of sizes (8" or 10") at Texas Tools (806) 763-1641
All other tools are available at Belcher Carving (937) 845-0346 or The Woodcraft Shop (800) 397-2278