The Sculpture Garden

[treejumper]

dont knock it detritus, toadstools are a good start for you, teaches you a lot about handling the saw in unusual positions. Be aware that when carving you can be using the kickback zone of the bar, so be careful. I've earned some good money out of toadstools in the past, unfortunately my first attempt at a bear, well it looked like the results of an unfortunate mismarriage between scooby-doo and yogi bear!! wish I had more spare time to practise!

 

Nice one Big A - lol big style! - Tears rolling down face - " results of an unfortunate mismarriage between scooby-doo and yogi bear!! "

[Roger Day]

Hey WOW Great Response People. I’m overwhelmed. Will try to reply to everything.

 

To: MattyF

Look forward very much to seeing your “messing about” in The Sculpture Garden.

By the look of your profile picture you have some imaginative ways of doing things (Crane and all that - I could use that for doing large pieces, Strung up in a harness, The thought had crossed my mind)

 

To: detritus

Yea, keeps me alive. It is a wonderful way to promote what I think is one of the most beautiful things in the world. I’m with the trees and the tree folk me. Fungi are one of my favourite forms, don’t knock it, I’ve made a lot of mushrooms and they are “Rightly” always loved by the public. “There is Magic in Them Woods”

 

To: Big A

Agreed----- SAFTY FIRST----

I do all sorts of “Out of the rule book” stuff to achieve my ends.

This is from years of practice but one of the fundamentals is to set your chains for sculpting. Apart from gaining a really good understanding of tooth geometry always keep the depth limiters on sculpting chains high to minimise reaction. Standard kit is designed for maximum cutting; in sculpting you want control and an ability to use the saw in ways other than a deep cut for which they are designed. I could write a whole essay on the subject but refrain from boring you here.

Big A I just love your sign off "Cry 'God for Harry, England and Saint George!'" it makes me chuckle every time I read it. KEEP UP THE FLAG you are a warrior of worlds my friend

BEARS!!!! I carved a big bear once, ended up being a bit too cartoony for my liking.

LESSON-only make things you really want to.

 

To: Steve

Please Steve, post your pictures, the more the better!!!

Don’t be shy now folks, get your pictures rolling….. We can all gain from this wealth of experience.

 

To: pecontools

I don’t treat most of them.

Being mostly oak they are durable and with time will weather a silvery gray which I personally find very attractive. Oil is great for nourishing the wood but with repeated applications it will eventually make it go very dark, even black. The client has the choice. Surface treatment is something I have not really investigated, please any suggestions are welcome.

Love your profile picture. Glad I wasn’t there.

 

To: Arborist

Thank you for your very complimentary remarks. In the same vain I have to say the truth is YOU CAN do it. We all have the talent. What I am very lucky to have is the Time & Persistence to achieve my dream.

 

To: Tom D

Woww Great. Good for you. Love the scale of it. Magnified natural forms are always a winner. Really highlights the beauty of something that can so easily be taken for granted. Seed forms especially (fungi fruiting bodies included) are just so naturally sculptural. Got any more projects you can maybe show us? I tried a cone once, never finished it, got too technical, will post a pic of it if I can find one.

SANDING

Of cause sanding is an option; rough sawn wood has its own textural vibrancy which can be put to wonderful effect.

The sanders I use are: - Disc, Drum, Belt, Palm, and Hand (of cause). All Grits

Mostly disc as you can get 16 grit which is very aggressive, and therefore sculpts the form by sanding. That is how I achieved the purity of curvature in the bench heading the tread.

Selling

I make to sell and take commissions. All is good. Doing it is my thing.

 

To: Mr Edd

YES YES YES

David Nash is excellent. I was lucky enough to see his show in Lewes last year. He really has a great philosophy behind his work. Google him everyone please!!!

 

To: Buzz

Yep burning is a common tool in the wood sculptor pallet. Removing the charcoal is totally disgusting if you just want it ebonized (Victorian chimney sweep syndrome) Smoothes the wood and accentuates the grain beautifully though. I’ve done my time.

 

To: treejumper

What can I say “Been there, done that” The humor in life is a blessing, enjoy the show.

 

 

Below- One of my mushrooms for detritus and one of my favourite David Nash pieces.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

More pictures, More Adventures, IN THE SCULPTURE GARDEN

[David Humphries]

Some crude whittlings of my bored lunch times.

The ring of children was inspired by my first kids ante natal group, and is meant to celebrate those six kids births.

Dolphins were started with 026 then finished by chisel and my Eagle was was meant to have remained on its pirch in the woods but unfortunately was made to fly off elsewhere.

[Roger Day]

Crude it is not, Sketchy yes, a dynamic stylization yes. The sketch work of some of the world’s greatest artists is well known and loved for its spontaneous vitality. I really like the rhythm of the children and the fluid movement of the dolphins is great.

This is a great example of the faceted nature of sculpting with chainsaw cuts. Profiles cut front to back, then from side on. It is the fundamental technique. If you want more realism, develop the quarter views and do some rounding off

Thank you for showing us your work Monkyd. Have you got any more? Really, the more the better.

[detritus21]

I'm well impressed with it all. Gives me some motivation to give more of it a try. Just need to save myself some decent lumps of wood rather than making firewood out of it.

[David Humphries]

A couple of years ago Jeff Higley was invited to come and transform an Oak trunk into a memorial bench which was named 'To dream of Birds'

My involvement was merely to cut the trunk to size and under Jeff's eye, cut out its very basic shape before sitting back and becoming mesmerised by Jeff and Kates craft.

http://www.landartnet.org/jeff_higley.htm

[Roger Day]

Hey MonkeyDd

So much work done by hand has left me speechless for a day. What a lovely project to be involved with. I am definitely up for more public art like this; the more the value of our trees is highlighted within the social consciousness, in this practical, interactive and sensual fashion, there has to be a benefit for everyone.

Only good can come from this. Please everyone keep you senses keen for opportunities of this kind and tell us about them. Sponsorship can be found for well presented ideas I am sure, lottery millions, arts council, etc

 

Below My sketchy attempt at a pine cone texture as promised to Tom D

[Steve Bullman]

my first bear

[Dean Lofthouse]

Sure you got the right message Steve, mine would have read, "if your selling owt your not welcome"

[Dagmar]

I'm a huge fan of Urs-P Twellmann, his stuff really intrigues me. I wish that I had the time and talent to have a go................

 

Check out his website here http://www.twellmann.ch

Have a close look at the miniatures gallery, theres some amazing stuff there.

 

You can also buy photobooks on the site;

 

Check out these examples.