Creative Woodworks & crafts 2002-04, страница 36

by Ivan Whillock

IB • Creative Woodworks S. Crafts April S002

Wood: basswood—one piece 1/2" x 6" x 9" (for the overlay); butternut or mahogany—one piece 3/4" x 10" x 10" (for the backer) Tools: band saw; No. 3-6mm, No. 3-14mm, No. 5-2mm No. 5-4mm, No. 5-20'mm, No. 11-6mm, and No. 11-3mm gouges; No. 41-12mm V-tool Shallow screws Mahogany stain Clear finish of choice

INSTRUCTIONS

Carve the overlay

Step 1. Trace the pattern onto the basswood and saw out the profile. Attach the carving to a scrap of plywood. Note: in other articles I suggest that the workpiece be attached to pegboard with short screws. However, since this carving is thin, it is safer to attach the carving to a piece of scrap wood with two or three spots of instant glue. A small amount will hold the carving in place, and it can be easily pried loose when the carving is done. Clamp the scrap wood to the bench so that you can work with both hands on the tool.

Step 3. Carve the face by first making a stop cut in front of the eye. Use a tool, such as the No. 5-4mm gouge, that fits the arc of the front profile of the eye. With the same tool, remove wood along the cheek line up to the stop cut. This will give you the cheek line just below the eye. Make shallow stop cuts at the eyelids and lower the eye mass so that it is just slightly deeper than the cheek.

Step 2. With the V-tool, make stop cuts around the hair, arms, and the line separating the mother and child. Do not make stop cuts for the facial features at this time. After making the stop cuts, begin the layering. Start at the lowest point and work your way to the highest. The woman's neck is at the lowest plane, along with the baby's chest. The woman's arm is the highest point. Make the lowest point about half the thickness of the wood, then gradually step the planes up to the highest, again the woman's arm. You can judge the elements that need to be layered by noticing overlapping planes. Starting from the top, the woman's arm overlaps her body, then her body overlaps the baby's arm. The baby's arm overlaps the baby's body, etc.