Learn about a technique to make large chips easier.
Howdy !
Have you ever carved a pattern with large chips? One of the patterns I chose for this past week’s Platinum member webinar had large corner chips that some of the attendees quickly identified as challenging…and they were correct in their assessment!
Trying to carve a large chip in a single pass is not an easy task. When I’d try to do just that, I usually got myself in bigger trouble using extra force to get the necessary depth. I’d roll my wrist over to get more leverage, resulting in a steeper angle on my cut so the cut ended up deeper! 😧
A better approach to carving large chips is to carve a smaller chip inside the larger chip,
and then carve the larger chip. Removing the smaller chip allows space for the wood to go when cutting the larger chip, putting less pressure on the blade.
Below, you can see the wood moving into the space of the smaller chip as I made the cuts.
This made the cuts go smoother while maintaining the correct angle, too!
If you’ve ever struggled with large chips or have avoided patterns containing them, try this technique next time. I hope you find it makes those large chips a little easier. 😀
You've asked to see what members have been working on. This is a carving I recently did on a 16" plate. The design was inspired by Asian mandalas, and the quote is by the 6th century BC Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu. I
painted the carved letters with acrylic paint, and the finish is a toner consisting of General Finishes Arm-R-Seal (an oil based wipe on finish) and General Finishes New Pine gel stain.
I'm very grateful to you and Marty for teaching me this wonderful craft.
Best wishes,
Mitch
Wow! 😮 Your carving is fabulous!! All clean cuts and nice continuous lines. I like the pattern - very detailed and well-balanced. An equally good job on finishing. I don't see any paint bleed on the lettering, and an even finish on everything. I'm glad you found chip carving so that you can enjoy creating such beautiful art!
We have the Plate for your next Project!!
All plates are clear basswood and ready to carve. Flat, Rim, Scalloped Heart, Scalloped Rim, and many others available!
