Woodworking and me
At school I did woodwork for a single year and achieved the class position of 23rd out of 30. That was a very long time ago, but right up to last summer I was convinced that I was not “good with my hands” and had no artistic/creative ability at all. There was a time when I enjoyed making Airfix models, but that was the sum total of my creative efforts.
Before the reader expects a dramatic revelation of a newly discovered rising star of the woodcarving world, let me explain that I am still very much a beginner and my three pieces of work so far completed are not masterpieces. However, what my Woodpecker in particular does represent is the achievement of something I did not think possible for me!
I went along to one of Anthony’s short Summer Courses last year. I think my attitude could be best described as having an open mind as to how I would get on. After gentle guidance from Anthony and considering a wide variety of subjects I chose to do a relief carving of a Horse Chestnut leaf. After gathering a recently fallen leaf from a local tree and downloading a picture or two from the internet I was ready to draw an outline on a piece of lime wood. All those old negative feelings about not being able to draw meant that this simple piece of copying took me ages!
The actual carving I found enjoyable from the very beginning! Anthony is an excellent and vastly experienced teacher and guides you right through the creative process. He is always positive and encouraging. He doesn’t take over, but is there to give expert, ongoing advice on technique, effects of the grain, which chisel might be best for this part of your carving, how to correct any little mistakes, and much more.
The Greater Spotted Woodpecker is my second carving and it is French oak. It took me many hours and I enjoyed every one of those hours. I was surprised to discover that there is little chatting in the workshop. Like me everyone seems to be fully engrossed in their work. We don’t have background music either – I for one wouldn’t hear it anyway, such is the level of my concentration. We are much more interactive as a group when we break for coffee and we do encourage each other then. No doubt taking our lead from Anthony, there is never anything other than warm, positive comments.
I am now an established weekly regular in the Carving Room and I also have a carving table at home. I love it!
Steve Moss
At school I did woodwork for a single year and achieved the class position of 23rd out of 30. That was a very long time ago, but right up to last summer I was convinced that I was not “good with my hands” and had no artistic/creative ability at all. There was a time when I enjoyed making Airfix models, but that was the sum total of my creative efforts.
Before the reader expects a dramatic revelation of a newly discovered rising star of the woodcarving world, let me explain that I am still very much a beginner and my three pieces of work so far completed are not masterpieces. However, what my Woodpecker in particular does represent is the achievement of something I did not think possible for me!
I went along to one of Anthony’s short Summer Courses last year. I think my attitude could be best described as having an open mind as to how I would get on. After gentle guidance from Anthony and considering a wide variety of subjects I chose to do a relief carving of a Horse Chestnut leaf. After gathering a recently fallen leaf from a local tree and downloading a picture or two from the internet I was ready to draw an outline on a piece of lime wood. All those old negative feelings about not being able to draw meant that this simple piece of copying took me ages!
The actual carving I found enjoyable from the very beginning! Anthony is an excellent and vastly experienced teacher and guides you right through the creative process. He is always positive and encouraging. He doesn’t take over, but is there to give expert, ongoing advice on technique, effects of the grain, which chisel might be best for this part of your carving, how to correct any little mistakes, and much more.
The Greater Spotted Woodpecker is my second carving and it is French oak. It took me many hours and I enjoyed every one of those hours. I was surprised to discover that there is little chatting in the workshop. Like me everyone seems to be fully engrossed in their work. We don’t have background music either – I for one wouldn’t hear it anyway, such is the level of my concentration. We are much more interactive as a group when we break for coffee and we do encourage each other then. No doubt taking our lead from Anthony, there is never anything other than warm, positive comments.
I am now an established weekly regular in the Carving Room and I also have a carving table at home. I love it!
Steve Moss
Bird on a twig by Dale Taylor
Bird on a Twig
A first attempt at carving by Dale Taylor.
After hearing Anthony give an introductory talk and a demonstration of wood carving I was inspired to give it a try. The ‘Bird on a Twig’ is my first attempt. I chose the design from a book of photographs of old carvings and decided on a carving in relief, a picture on a flat surface, rather than a carving on the round (a 3D statuette) as I thought this would be simpler for a first try.
The first task was to draw the design, full size, on paper. It is useful to superimpose gridlines on the drawing which helps to keep the proportions correct during the carving. The drawing was transferred to the wood using tracing paper and then the chiselling began. The first job was to lower the background to the required level. This was done, mostly, using larger deep cutting chisels with finer / narrower chisels used to carve out the outline of the bird and the twig. The bird and the twig were then ‘rough’ carved paying attention to the areas of different height. This done the finer details were added and the surface smoothed using flatter chisels. Finally, the outline of the bird and twig was undercut to create shadows which enhance the 3D effect.
Thanks to Anthony for all his help and advice without which I would have never have produced any carving.
Drawing transferred to the wood. (Photo to follow)
Starting to carve out the background. (Photo to follow)
The bird beginning to take shape. (Photo to follow)
Dean Maiden
I have always enjoyed the idea of working with wood. Furniture and decorative items made from wood have a natural beauty and you have to admire the skill of the person who made them and the time involved in doing so. When I became aware via my wife of Anthony's carving classes I thought i would give it a go. A little apprehensive at first but soon made to feel comfortable by Anthony and the other wood carvers, I quickly came to look forwards to the weekly lesson. Starting with a lime wood relief, Anthony helped me discover the techniques used in this form of art. I then moved on to a sitting tiger which pushed me further. Its amazing how quickly the lesson goes when you are absorbed in what you are doing. I have just started a swimming otter which again will push me further. I am so glad i took the plunge and joined Anthony's classes. All I need to do need is create some of my own space to continue this enjoyable activity at home.
Steve Thirkill
"Denbo" This was my first attempt at woodcarving. I chose a relief carving to begin with and I wanted a sign for a new summerhouse that I was building so it seemed an obvious project. It is made using Lime wood which is close grained and soft, so ideal for a beginner! It took me about 20 hours work to complete and I learnt a lot about the use of different carving gouges and various techniques as taught by Anthony. (Photo to follow)
"Gargoyle" This is my second woodcarving project. I wanted to do a carving 'in the round' but firstly I had to make a clay model of the Gargoyle that I wanted to carve. I chose Cedar wood to make the model as it is to live outside. Carving a three-dimensional figure is very different to relief carving but very satisfying, learning to use even more tools for measuring and actual carving. About 30 hours work so far. (Photo to follow)
Val Taylor
My father was a keen woodcarver and he gave me all of his woodcarving tools. I had no idea whether I would be any good at carving, but wanted to give it a try for my dad so attended classes at The Carving Room. Unexpectedly, it has been one of the most relaxing hobbies I have done. Working with the natural material of wood with its lovely textures and beautiful grain is so relaxing and rewarding. I am really enjoying learning a new skill but there are also added bonuses. I have quite a stressful job so I look forward to coming to class, switching off and spending a few hours working on my carving in the stress-free environment The Carving Room provides. I am still very much a beginner but this really does not matter.
Anthony Griffiths - Wood carving
I have been woodcarving since I was a teenager and forty years later I still like woodcarving very much! Sometimes it is difficult - If you want to carve - say an Owl or a Cat – you have to remove all of the wood that does not look like an Owl or a Cat – and knowing which is the right bit to take off – can be difficult and can have its moments!
Sometimes I never know if it’s going to work out and often it feels quite intense, and the intensity makes me feel a little bonkers. Often the hours pass very quickly, the carving seems to carve its self and I don’t wish to stop. I prefer to carve the harder woods – it takes longer, is more effort and it is very rewarding. The sound of the mallet against the gouge is nice and the sound of the gouge, pushed through the wood by hand (without a mallet) is really nice.
A first attempt at carving by Dale Taylor.
After hearing Anthony give an introductory talk and a demonstration of wood carving I was inspired to give it a try. The ‘Bird on a Twig’ is my first attempt. I chose the design from a book of photographs of old carvings and decided on a carving in relief, a picture on a flat surface, rather than a carving on the round (a 3D statuette) as I thought this would be simpler for a first try.
The first task was to draw the design, full size, on paper. It is useful to superimpose gridlines on the drawing which helps to keep the proportions correct during the carving. The drawing was transferred to the wood using tracing paper and then the chiselling began. The first job was to lower the background to the required level. This was done, mostly, using larger deep cutting chisels with finer / narrower chisels used to carve out the outline of the bird and the twig. The bird and the twig were then ‘rough’ carved paying attention to the areas of different height. This done the finer details were added and the surface smoothed using flatter chisels. Finally, the outline of the bird and twig was undercut to create shadows which enhance the 3D effect.
Thanks to Anthony for all his help and advice without which I would have never have produced any carving.
Drawing transferred to the wood. (Photo to follow)
Starting to carve out the background. (Photo to follow)
The bird beginning to take shape. (Photo to follow)
Dean Maiden
I have always enjoyed the idea of working with wood. Furniture and decorative items made from wood have a natural beauty and you have to admire the skill of the person who made them and the time involved in doing so. When I became aware via my wife of Anthony's carving classes I thought i would give it a go. A little apprehensive at first but soon made to feel comfortable by Anthony and the other wood carvers, I quickly came to look forwards to the weekly lesson. Starting with a lime wood relief, Anthony helped me discover the techniques used in this form of art. I then moved on to a sitting tiger which pushed me further. Its amazing how quickly the lesson goes when you are absorbed in what you are doing. I have just started a swimming otter which again will push me further. I am so glad i took the plunge and joined Anthony's classes. All I need to do need is create some of my own space to continue this enjoyable activity at home.
Steve Thirkill
"Denbo" This was my first attempt at woodcarving. I chose a relief carving to begin with and I wanted a sign for a new summerhouse that I was building so it seemed an obvious project. It is made using Lime wood which is close grained and soft, so ideal for a beginner! It took me about 20 hours work to complete and I learnt a lot about the use of different carving gouges and various techniques as taught by Anthony. (Photo to follow)
"Gargoyle" This is my second woodcarving project. I wanted to do a carving 'in the round' but firstly I had to make a clay model of the Gargoyle that I wanted to carve. I chose Cedar wood to make the model as it is to live outside. Carving a three-dimensional figure is very different to relief carving but very satisfying, learning to use even more tools for measuring and actual carving. About 30 hours work so far. (Photo to follow)
Val Taylor
My father was a keen woodcarver and he gave me all of his woodcarving tools. I had no idea whether I would be any good at carving, but wanted to give it a try for my dad so attended classes at The Carving Room. Unexpectedly, it has been one of the most relaxing hobbies I have done. Working with the natural material of wood with its lovely textures and beautiful grain is so relaxing and rewarding. I am really enjoying learning a new skill but there are also added bonuses. I have quite a stressful job so I look forward to coming to class, switching off and spending a few hours working on my carving in the stress-free environment The Carving Room provides. I am still very much a beginner but this really does not matter.
Anthony Griffiths - Wood carving
I have been woodcarving since I was a teenager and forty years later I still like woodcarving very much! Sometimes it is difficult - If you want to carve - say an Owl or a Cat – you have to remove all of the wood that does not look like an Owl or a Cat – and knowing which is the right bit to take off – can be difficult and can have its moments!
Sometimes I never know if it’s going to work out and often it feels quite intense, and the intensity makes me feel a little bonkers. Often the hours pass very quickly, the carving seems to carve its self and I don’t wish to stop. I prefer to carve the harder woods – it takes longer, is more effort and it is very rewarding. The sound of the mallet against the gouge is nice and the sound of the gouge, pushed through the wood by hand (without a mallet) is really nice.