Let's talk shadows

Look at Tip 3, that I introduced to you a few weeks ago. 

Tip ​​​1. Don't over carve the pattern. 
Tip 2. Remove different size chips.
Tip 3. Remember, shadows create interest.

If you'd like to go back and read these earlier emails, Click HERE

Whatever style of carving you're doing, caricature, relief, in-the-round, chip carving, you have to vary the depth of your cuts in order to create interesting and attention grabbing shadows. 

With this in mind, look how Tip 3 relates to the first two tips. 

If a pattern is over carved, all the shadows tend to blur together and there's no main point of interest for the viewer to focus on.

Considering Tip 2, if most of the chips in a carving are the same size, all the shadows are the same and again, it's a rather bland finished piece.

Here are a few carvings we can look at and check out the shadows.

This one is a "first carving"

Good depth on the cuts to separate the hat from the body. The nose and mustache tend to blur together so more variety of cuts is needed to create shadows to make one stand apart from the other. Well done for carving numero uno.

This is also a "FUN first carving". If I hadn't added the purple circles, you'd quickly notice there's nothing of interest in these spaces. Nose, eyes and brim of the hat form shadows to set them apart. I'd say the carver stopped a bit too early and called it good enuf. I'm sure next time they'll add more details, remove more wood and end up with a more interesting carving. Great start!

This is the 6th carving for this chap. Look at the nice shadows inside the two purple circles on the left. The shadows form a separation between different layers of hair. Also, the individual strands of hair have decent depth. Maybe a bit more would create even more interest. I circled the eye even though it is a bit hard to see. Eyes take practice to get a good finished result. As is now, for #6 it's okay. This carver has a good eye and my guess is he has some previous arts and crafts background. Keep on!

And now just a couple of samples, from one of my favorite professional carvers, Nancy Tuttle. Every time she posts her work, they jump off the screen! The realism in her carvings is phenomenal. And she accomplishes this in part, with shadows. Every wrinkle, skin pore, and unique expression is accomplished by focusing on making cuts deep enough so the light reflects off of it to create the perfect shadow. Varying depths of cuts create different intensity of shadow. There's something all of us can learn from her work!

?To stain or not to stain?

Compare the two photos below and look for shadows.

Shadows on the left, stain color on the right!

I like to stain free form carvings like this because the shadows alone don't seem to make the entire image stand out as it should. 

What do you think? Share your comments in the Community by 
Clicking HERE!

March Project, Two Lions Free Form Chip Carving

Platinum Project-A-Month Members will get this pattern applied to an 8" x 10" clear basswood board. 

I've carve the top lion and created the Lion Carving Part 1 and 2 video tutorials. They are posted in the Video Archive!
 
Part 3 was created during the Live Webinar on Tuesday, March 8th, where we discussed "Chip Carving Irregular Shapes", and carved the bottom lion. It too is posted in the Video Archive.

The upper corner element is optional. I carved it as a positive image. If you don't want to carve it you can always remove it from the wood by either sanding or using a Tombow Sand Eraser.

Upgrade to PLATINUM NOW to take full advantage of this project and the full collection of Videos, Patterns and Courses. It works out to only $10/month. Think about how easy it is to drop $10 these days and you'll realize this is a FANTASTIC value. Sign up NOW and thank you! 

Here's a high-speed look at the end of the video tutorial, Part 1.

CLEARANCE Knives on SALE!

I only sell perfect Knives, so when something isn't quite right I drop the price and sell them as Clearance. There's nothing wrong with the blade, it's just the handle where something is a bit off.

Diamond Deluxe Set G - Thin handles if you have small hands, regular price

Ruby Modified Knife H - Unique Lacewood Handle, Nickel Rivets, regular price

CLICK HERE to check out these knives!

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for reading!

You can do this and I can help!