On a roll with wood carving

[jojo]

This is a lovely piece Jon.

 

[jon r]

I have some lime wood that is begging to be carved, i guess i just like the colour of oak for these kinds of projects. Oak seems really nice to carve to me, holds good detail and lovely grain.

I have often wondered how the old masters of wood carving changed the colour of their lime wood woodcarvings... some of them are so dark and have such a nice sheen. Does anyone know what kind of wood die they may have used? I dont particualrly want to be using Ronseel hehe, i'd rather use some kind of natural beeswax mixture.

That's really nice.

I do a lot of carving in lime which is very easy to work, what was it like carving the oak?

cheers

Andy

 

[luckylee]

fantastic that mate, you have a really good talent there.

 

[Soloman]

Superb !
Soloman

 

[Andy2112]

Job well done Jon, very nice carving.

 

[Mick w.]

...well, I found an old alder branch on the floor which had a decently solid bit in the middle, so I've bought that home to dry out. Now all I have to do is wait til next september, when I can carve a leaf out of it!
Meanwhile, I suppose it's off to B&Q for a bit of pine board, unless any of you other carvers have any suggestions...

 

[jon r]

I'd just carve it now if i were you. I often carve green wood. To help stop it splitting paint the end grain with wood glue, paint or varnish or something. That way it will slow down the srying rate dramaticly.

...well, I found an old alder branch on the floor which had a decently solid bit in the middle, so I've bought that home to dry out. Now all I have to do is wait til next september, when I can carve a leaf out of it!
Meanwhile, I suppose it's off to B&Q for a bit of pine board, unless any of you other carvers have any suggestions...

 

[John Fenna]

I have some lime wood that is begging to be carved, i guess i just like the colour of oak for these kinds of projects. Oak seems really nice to carve to me, holds good detail and lovely grain.

I have often wondered how the old masters of wood carving changed the colour of their lime wood woodcarvings... some of them are so dark and have such a nice sheen. Does anyone know what kind of wood die they may have used? I dont particualrly want to be using Ronseel hehe, i'd rather use some kind of natural beeswax mixture.

I have dyed pine with a mix made from Oak Galls, rust and Vinegar
This carving was done for a play and was meant to be "distorted...ugly ...African woman giving birth" and was carved from 4 pieces of fencepost glued together

 

[luckylee]

woww, did you do that john?

 

[John Fenna]

woww, did you do that john?

Yes
A bit different to te standard Woodspirit
It now has pride of place in my livingroom

For scale it stands about 6" tall...
It was carved with an axe, a bowsaw, bushy knives and a couple of spoon knives - and it took a couple of days to do (but not full time!) - she is known as "Ugly Betty" ....

 

[luckylee]

Yes
A bit different to te standard Woodspirit
It now has pride of place in my livingroom

For scale it stands about 6" tall...
It was carved with an axe, a bowsaw, bushy knives and a couple of spoon knives - and it took a couple of days to do (but not full time!) - she is known as "Ugly Betty" ....

impressed bud.

 

[John Fenna]

impressed bud.

Thanks - but there are much better carvers on this site

 

[Treeclipper]

I have often wondered how the old masters of wood carving changed the colour of their lime wood woodcarvings... some of them are so dark and have such a nice sheen. Does anyone know what kind of wood die they may have used? I dont particualrly want to be using Ronseel hehe, i'd rather use some kind of natural beeswax mixture.

Hi Jon,
I must admit, I have an old tin of clear varnish and and a bottle of clear oil, that I just mix diferent things into to change the colour, lol not very expert but it works, last time my wife was throwing out some of the girls paints(it had dried out to a horrible crumbly mess) I nabbed it and used it to make different colours with the oil and rubbed it into the wood. I also use old wax rubbed over the wood to protect it. lol I'm to mean to buy stuff

here's my 1st 2 Lime relief carvings, one coloured one not:

http://www.andychapman.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/WebandeBaypics/1st%202%20lime%20surface%20carvings.jpg

you'll have to excuse my photography, I always seem to blur them

 

[jojo]

A trick I use sometimes is to dilute oil paints in linseed oil to change the colourof the wood. Artists oil paints are linseed oil based I believe and it works very well, you can darken the wood with burnt sienna or raw umber, (or use brighter colours for that special effect)