Tips
from Ian Norbury Author of the Art
of Ian Norbury and several other carving books.
Woodcarving
Illustrated Issue #28 Page 75
When
asked what he could offer carvers to help them improve, Ian rendered advice
in his inimitable style.
Carve
Within Yourself. So many carvers try to do things beyond their ability
and they make a mess of the attempt. It can be frustrating and depressing.
A better approach is to carve something that is within your ability
and do it really, really well. Slowly work your way up from there.
Pretend you're being paid to do it. If you're not 100 percent behind
it, then you're just wasting wood and time.
Get
the Most From Your Book Purchases. When you buy a book on woodcarving,
read and follow every single wood and study the photos. The tendency
is to just look at the pictures. As a write of books, I can tell you
that I don't put the words on paper just ti fill the space.
Take
Your Time. Forget all the stuff you read about machines and gizmos
to make the carving process go faster. Don't ever forget that what
you are making is a unique object, a work of art. You have to get
it right, and to get it right you have to take your time.
Always
Use the Best Wood You Can. It's really no more difficult to carve
a beautiful piece of wood than a dull one. The beauty of the wood
then enhances your carving.
Quick
and Easy Sharpening. Sharpening with an oilstone will produce the
best edge. But it's very time consuming and only very skilled people
can get a very good edge. Using machines, anyone can get a second-rate
edge very quickly. I much prefer having a second-rate edge quickly
than spending the time to sharpen with
an oilstone.
