From:
madison@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Date:
Sat, 4 Jun 2005 21:57:20 -0400
Subject:
straightedge cheating; Karin Sprague workshop
Norman,
Thanks for info about various sharpening stones. (I was simply given two
diamond stones and told one was "medium" grade and the other "fine." I
wouldn't have a clue re: the # of grades. So much to learn!
I've used the straight-edge "cheating" method for rectangular outlines for some
of the colonial images I carve. I'm not so sure it's really cheating. :-) A
woodcarver friend of mine says folks would have used whatever they needed to to
get the effect they wanted... On many Colonial stones you'll see scribed lines
for the placement of lettering -- I have to belive the carvers used some kind
of straightedge tool for those long lines....
As for Karin's stonecarving shop -- what a delight! Particularly cozy in crisp
weather with the woodstove burning, the french glass doors admitting soft light
across the stones, classical music, incense, and the tap-tap-tap of multiple
carvers at work. I thought I'd died and gone to Nirvana. Signed up for a
repeat class with her just for the pleasure of being in the workshop!
She has an elaborate cable/pulley system and easels for carving her large
gravestones. She sits in one spot and hoists the stone up and down as she
needs to carve different areas.
I have no workshop other than the small easel in my livingroom! So I've not
had the pleasure of working on anything large. Nor have I established a source
for purchasing "good" slate, and more specifically honed slate. I'm working
only on small tablets, usually with rough surfaces. It's great for hiding
beginner's mistakes but now I'm antsy to work on some honed surfaces.
Can you give me some idea of size and price of the slate you purchase? I
presume it's honed as well? What about shaping the tops of stone into arches,
etc? Who does and how?
s.
----------------------
Sarah Madison
Commonwealth College Advisor
504 Goodell
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
(413) 545-3527
madison@----------------
Quoting Norman Watts <Norman_Watts@------- >:
Quoted text begins.-To first cut into the slate and get a straight line I sometimes cheat
a bit by lightly drawing the corner of the chisel along a straight
edge. > I've been looking at the Karin Sprague workshop link. I would love to
work in a place like that. You must have had a great time there.
End of quote.
- Follow-ups
- message 00362: straightedge cheating; Karin Sprague workshop - Norman Watts (06 Jun 2005)
- References
- message 00351: Introducing myself - western MA slate carver - Norman Watts (04 Jun 2005)
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