Official Luthiers Forum!

In case anyone is wondering what I've been up to.
This is tricky stuff! So far so good. Anyone know of a good low relief carving class?

Sort of seems like you've already gotten beyond what you'd learn in a class?

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

A class? Why? Are you looking to teach?!!!!

Gorgeous work! So this is the back of the head stock I suppose. What does the face look like? I've thought of doing a bti of carving on the back of one of mine, just as a way to hide a dent. But nothing this ellaborate.

Well done, can't wait to see it finished.

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Phil

http://www.oleninstruments.com

"Those who tilt at windmills are only considered insane by those who can't see the dragon."

I checked out the local carvers stuff a while back but wasn't all that impressed with what was going on. Not much out there in this style of low relief carving. I've pretty much been looking at pics and looking at engraving youtubes and watched the Chris Pye videos on his site. Read some books on carving and scrolls. Would like to find somewhere that also had teaching on the design as well as carving technic. I have to call a place in Mass that might be able to get me what I'm in mind of learning.

This is just practice for the front. Doing this basically self taught can be time consuming and leaves me open for discovering by mistakes how to do things correctly. Already pretty much taught myself building guitars from reading books and mostly forums and having made friends on forums share their knowledge with me. I ain't getting any younger and I think a good class might save me some time.

That's amazing Chris. Nice work!

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

Very nice. Great work there!...Mike

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Guitars, guitars and more guitars.

So are you teaching the class Chris!?!?!

Seriously though that is amazing work, I understand that wanting to find the right way to do it, but you sure seem to have a good feel for it already.

Good luck, cant wait to see the front!

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http://Michaudmade.com

See if you can find a high end gunsmith/stocker/engraver in your area. Could be one guy or the gunsmith may send work out. The engraving is incredibly complex lots of great design and the stocking can have quite a bit checkering and carved hunting scenes with inlay. Good luck your well on your way.

I also ran through a lot of gun carving youtubes too. Most of them are power carving theses days. I also have that equipment and a gravermax. I'm more interested in mastering using hand tools now although I use a power hand piece to do the stippling at this point. I'm looking into a way to use the gravermax to see if I can adapt palm chisels to work with my hand piece, the set of gouges for it is pretty limiting. The nice thing about using handtools is that they can go anywhere with you without the need for a compresser or power and they cut with sharper edges. I also use some gun checkering tools for cutting straight lines. I'll probably try some gun stock carving along the way too. Could be a source of income if you know what I mean.
I'm thinking David Calvo ,
http://www.davidcalvo.com/woodcarving_classes.html
might be a worthwhile class to check out.

Forum member Kent Bailey has posted some great relief carving in his guitars and would probably be worth talking to.
( eg http://www.kabart.com/index_files/Page9550.htm)

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Dave
Milton, ON

Looks excellent so far!

I don't think you'll find a step by step sort of guide for carving 'heads' like you can find for carving leaves or scrolls, etc. A good eye is going to help you more than a formula. Art is a skill that takes time and dedication to develop, like playing an instrument. Taking a drawing class is always a good idea.

If you don't have patience for that, a prudent approach would be to look at some historical examples and copy them on scrap until you are satisfied. There are endless classical sources for low relief carving, Trajan's column for instance. There's a lot of other stuff to look at from the renaissance, as well as the 19th century.

David Calvo looks like he knows his stuff.

I managed to get some carving in today. Should be able to finish this up by next weekend.

Chris,

That looks great. Are you going to bring that to the meeting at the end of June? I'd love to get a close look at it. Maybe a demo?

John

Thanks, I'm just not sure I feel confortable with it. I'm not sure of how to properly do things and I don't feel like I really know what I'm doing sometimes. I'm sure there are tricks to doing scrolls and stuff like that.

John, Where's the meeting and when?

The meeting is on June 29th at Jims.

Here is the link to the thread.
viewtopic.php?f=10112&t=40379

It would be cool if you can make it. Plus I really want to take a look at this crazy carving thing you have going on.

Thanks John...

Whoa Chris...that is very sweet!

Ken

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http://www.casperguitar.com

Chris.... Love it....you're teaching yourself a form of art. Seems like that's how most of us got into building guitars. I think there's a huge benefit to trying to solve the major challenges in a new technique by trying to figure them out first, then taking a class and seeing what the old timers have learned over time... I'd much rather do it that way than taking the class first. I just think I learn more by appreciating the really challenging parts first, then learning the tricks of the trade...

Whoa, Nellie! That's gorgeous, Chris. Whatever you're doing it's working beautifully. Keep going, buddy.

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George :-)

That is some incredible carving Chris! I really like the design as well. I echo the others in saying that you seem very accomplished. Well done!

Cris, that looks great! How do you finish it?

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

http://www.agrellcarving.com/
http://www.agrellcarving.com/
I don't know if he is still teaching but I studied under Ian and he changed my world. That was years ago. I hope he is still teaching but I don't see it on his website.

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Ken

Not sure about the finish yet.

All I can say is wow !!! That is beautiful

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust