Scenic relief carving is the art of bringing life and depth to a carving that is essentially two dimensional. In the traditional carving of Germany this is an exquisite and beautiful technique, and now Georg Keilhofer, a master woodcarver, shares it with his readers and students. Step-by-step he takes the reader through the carving of a plaque depicting a deer running through the forest. The difficulties and challenges of relief carving and techniques for handling them are explained. Everything is illustrated with full color photographs. This is Georg's second book. His first, Basic Relief Carving, has met with critical and popular success. This new book will take the reader further into the art of traditional wood-carving.

The carving of religious figures is a tradition that is thousands of years old. In earlier books Helen Gibson has shared her techniques for carving the nativity and the figure of St. Francis of Asissi. Now she turns her attention to one of the most dramatic figures in religious history: Moses. This strong, authoritative figure lends itself wonderfully to carving. Helen's friend, Harold Enlow, drew the pattern and Helen leads the reader step-by-step through the carving process. Each step is illustrated with a color photograph. The result is a rewarding carving experience and a great deal of enjoyment.

Carving is an area of woodworking that has wide appeal and can start as simply as whittling figures with a pocket knife. Since the cost of entry is so low, many people are willing to give it a try. But some people are put off by the conflicting information about what tools to buy, how to sharpen them, and by the bewildering range of carving styles. This book, with its common-sense approach to tools and sharpening, and its broad survey of the many styles is the perfect introduction for the novice carver. The projects will help the beginner become familiar with the tools and learn skills while trying a variety of carving styles to see which suits him best. The projects range from the traditional to the contemporary and reflect the tastes of today's woodcarvers.

In this wonderful folk carving book, Shane Campbell takes you step-by-step through the process of carving two attractive wooden figures. The first is an articulated angel named Ruby and the second is a whirligig figure named Angelene. Project patterns and over 260 color photographs accompany the straightforward directions. Shane also provides instructions for both painting folk figures and for aging them using a method that is delightfully simple and effective. A color gallery rounds out the book and provides examples of additional folk figures sure to provide every reader with new ideas. This book has something to offer everyone from the beginner to the most advanced wood carver.

Donna Hefty's folk carved nativity is so special it will delight the collector and be a real treasure to hand down from generation to generation. Adults and children alike will find it charming. Donna makes carving approachable and simple for all ages. Not only are there eleven highly defined patterns, but Donna will take you step-by-step through the process of both carving and painting. Each step is illustrated with a color photograph and an easy-to-follow description of the technique. A gallery shows the finished figures. The result is a wonderful project for carvers of all skill levels.

For the internationally renowned artist and wood turner Ernst Gamperl, the dialogue with the exceptionally vital material of wood is a source of creative inspiration. He works it with a technique bordering on magic and embraces its natural drying-out process in the design of his pieces, giving rise to impressive, powerful forms. Ernst Gamperl's most extensive work in wood to date was created from a 230-year-old oak tree uprooted by a hurricane. In an ongoing process lasting 10 years - the Lebensbaum (Tree of Life) project - he transformed this mighty tree into a unique ensemble of 97 differently formed vessels and objects, one of which was awarded the famous LOEWE Craft Prize in 2017. The publication is an impressive documentation of the artisanal-artistic work process as well as the Lebensbaum project in its entirety. Text in English and German.

Cleve Taylor takes to the road, steering readers effortlessly through every step needed to carve an impressive and humorous caricature of a motorcyclist and his bike. Over 225 color photographs illustrate Cleve's clear, concise instructions. When this basswood figure and his bike are complete, instructions are also provided for painting and aging. Patterns are provided for both the figure and the bike. The gallery photos at the back of the book feature additional biker figures by both Cleve Taylor and some of his carving students. For additional inspiration, three color illustrations by caricature artist Bruce Day round out the presentation. This book is sure to be inspiring for beginning carvers and a real pleasure for experienced carvers.

Engravers Gerd and Patrick Dreher are famous the world over for their masterly animal figures, each of which is cut from a single gemstone. In the early twentieth century, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather all cut gemstones for Faberge - mostly agate but also ruby, obsidian, aquamarine, citrine and rock crystal. Today, creations are still being meticulously made by hand using traditional techniques. The realistic miniature forms of mice, snails, toads, monkeys and hippos are designed by the two artists in multilayered and coloured gemstones so that, for example, the faces, palms of the hand or soles of the feet shine in an iridescent red-brown agate while the bodies are worked in the glossy deep black part of the stone. These unique engravings are today some of the rarest examples of the highest quality in craftsmanship, and represent fascination of the highest cultural degree in a world of increasing globalisation.

Headrests from Southern Africa - The architecture of sleep presents the subject of southern African headrests in a fascinating new light. The book, richly illustrated - often with in situ photographs, offers unique historical and personal information collected from many of the original owners and carvers of the headrests. So, for the first time African headrests are brought to life with detailed information and the stories of their creation, ownership, use and significance. The 438 headrests from the collections of Bruce Goodall from Cape Town and Frederic Zimer from Paris are presented according to 3 geographical areas: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo (where the Ntwane people live) and Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland). Since 2003, Goodall has made numerous field trips collecting, as well as interviewing and photographing the owners and carvers of headrests. In 2017, Goodall's collection grew substantially with the purchase of a comprehensive collection of headrests from the Msinga area of KwaZulu-Natal. This collection had been assembled and meticulously documented by the late Anglican priest Clive Newman and his friend and assistant, Mavis Duma, between the late 1980s and the mid-2000s. The Zimer collection has been built up since the 1990s through his many travels in Africa, and his acquisitions from collectors and African art dealers around the world. This publication not only offers insight into the personal and historical dimensions of this important southern African tradition through the text written about the headrests and their owners by Bruce Goodall, but includes essays by Newman, Nel and Leibhammer and a text about collecting by Duma. Together these facilitate a penetrating understanding of these valued items as well as a respectful appreciation of the cultures and individuals who made and used them.

Accomplished carver and teacher Cleve Taylor takes to the hills, carving mountain men of years gone by. With clear, concise instructions-illustrated with over 225 color photographs, Cleve guides wood carvers through every step and tool needed to make these popular figures from the past. Once the basswood figure is carved, instructions are also provided to paint and antique the completed figure. Patterns are included with the instructions to carve both the mountain man and his long rifle. The mountain man presented here is a challenge for the carver with a course or two under the belt and a delight for the more advanced wood carver.

Among the most popular of Tom Wolfe's carving books is Tom Wolfe Carves Dragons. From the day it came off the presses Tom has received letters asking for a Wizard book to go with it. What good is a dragon without a Wizard? one reader asked. Well, here it is! These fanciful figures let the imagination run wild. You can make them friendly or sinister, young or old, comic or deadly serious. Tom gives patterns and step-by-step instructions illustrated in full color. The gallery has a coven of Wizards, in both full-figure and bust forms. But that is only the starting point. From there a change in costume, setting, or facial feature can lead to an infinite variety of figures. As a companion piece or by itself, this is an exciting new project for carvers. Enjoy.

Nationally known carver Bob Lundy shares the techniques of relief carving in an easy to follow book. Amply illustrated, it takes the reader step-by-step through two carving projects and offers the information needed to carry out even more. With everything carved by hand, the book is written for both the beginner and for the veteran. Bob Lundy approaches his work with an eye for the personality of the carving. He will instill that sensitivity to the reader, giving the carver a feeling of closeness and intimacy with the figures that come to life from the wood.

Once again, Dick Sing makes his mark with his high quality, beautiful pens and pencils. Sharing his skill and expertise at the wood lathe, he teaches you how to make something more than a mere instrument for writing-this is art, a keepsake, a great gift, something to make the turner proud. In his first book on pen turning, Sing provided basic instructions and lots of helpful tips. This book also provides the basics, adding new kinds of pens and variations on some of the old favorites. Tips are given for ways to work with challenging materials or grain alignments to create spectacular results. Dick details methods which make beautiful pens time after time. More than 260 photographs and detailed instructions advise the turner on more than a dozen variations, plus there are sections on the special equipment he has modified to make pen turning easier and improve the quality. A gallery of pens provides inspiration for variety and creativity.

Manju netsuke have never been the subject of a book on netsuke. Many books ignore them completely and it is hoped that this catalogue will throw light on the differences between the manju and other better-known types of netsuke. Dr. Barnett was one of a handful of collectors of one particular type of netsuke, the manju. These were not widely appreciated until about ten years ago when interest began to increase and the exquisite workmanship and design of this group of carvers was noticed as an art in its own right and one which presents the artist with a challenge completely different from the more popular katabori netsuke, carved in the round. Dr. Barnett continued to collect until just before her death in 2000, by which time she had acquired some of the finest pieces to be sold over 30 years which will be presented in this book. Manju netsuke have played a small part in the many publications on netsuke, but there has never been a catalogue entirely devoted to the subject. The book aims to provide a description of each object and to explain the tales they illustrate and the sources of these tales, from literature and printed picture books. The range of subjects is wide and includes religious images, scenes from festivals, the theatre, historical incidents, folktales, classical literature and themes from nature. An introduction will include an essay on the history, uses and the collecting of manju in which the techniques of carving will be described and materials will be discussed. Artists biographies, a glossary and bibliography will be included. The catalogue will accompany an exhibition of many of the pieces in this collection alongside woodblock prints from the Ashmolean Museum's collection which illustrate the same legends and subjects. This will take place in the Eastern Art Paintings Gallery.

Four hundred stunning color pictures of world-class carvings accompany an authoritative series of interviews with the world's finest wood sculptors. An indispensable addition to the libraries of novice and expert carvers; certain to become a collector's item.

Soap carving is a fantastic confidence-builder for novice wood carvers, and a challenge for carving veterans who would like to explore a new medium. This fascinating book takes carvers to an advanced level, showing methods of making multiple-bar soap carvings of selected North American mammals. Beautiful color photographs and the text move step-by-step through the creation of eight animals: a bear and cub, wolf, cougar, prairie dog, harp seal, killer whale, and otter. Art, natural history, and environmental issues are integrated into the instructions to produce a super learning experience. Expert wildlife carver Lila Gilmer also makes an appearance to contribute her different approach to realistic soap carvings.

Weapons and tools are frequently found depicted in rock art in many parts of the globe and different periods and in varying social contexts. This collection of papers by leading rock art specialists examines the subjective and metaphorical value of weapons and tools in art, the actions that created them, and their contexts. It also takes into account that such representations incorporate and transmit some kind of understanding about the world and the relationship between objects and humans. Contributors analyse objects and weapons as status symbols, as evidences of cultural contacts, as ideological devices, etc. Divided into regional sections which, for once, do not focus on Scandinavia, chapters deal with the representations of weapons and certain kinds of tools (such as axes and sickles) in different prehistoric, protohistoric and traditional community contexts all over the world. Attention focuses on rock art, but also looks at stelae and statue-menhirs, as well as other kinds of 'container' or vehicle for this kind of depiction. The major concern is to discuss the possible meanings of these embodied signs in different areas and periods, since meanings are permeable both to time and space. Papers either centre their attention in broader approaches based on a specific area, region or people, or focus on particular case studies.

Accomplished carver Cleve Taylor brings the hard-working western cowboy to life in basswood. A combination of exacting detail and wry good humor make his carvings unique. Now Cleve shares his carving methods, combining hand and power tools, with you. Follow the detailed and lively instructions presented here to learn his techniques for creating western art. Each step is well illustrated with full color photographs. Once the piece has been carved, Cleve provides detailed instructions for painting and finishing the work. Patterns for four cowboys and a horse are provided. An additional pattern for a unique flexible wooden body pattern used to create a variety of realistic poses is included as well. The gallery provides perspectives of the cowboy carved and additional cowboys to fire the imagination and inspire the intermediate and advanced carver. The detailed instructions will make this book an enjoyable and educational challenge for the beginner as well.

This is the twentieth volume in the Public Sculpture of Britain series, the ambitious collaboration between Liverpool University Press and the Public Monuments and Sculpture Association that will eventually document the outdoor sculptural heritage of the whole of the UK. Public sculpture is defined in this context as any work of three-dimensional art located in an unregulated public space, typically consisting of free-standing commemorative monuments, architectural carvings and statues attached to buildings, and contemporary site-specific interventions. A subject that was until recently overlooked as a matter of marginal relevance to the history of art, public sculpture has been shown through the Liverpool University Press series to offer a range of important insights into the built environment, enriching our understanding of architecture and city planning, and raising many challenging issues relating to the development of society as a whole. This is nowhere better illustrated than in Edinburgh, where the richness of its history as a capital city, and the dramatic power of its urban topography, have combined to create a uniquely fertile breeding ground for public sculpture of every kind. With the coverage divided between two companion volumes, the study begins appropriately with the historic Old Town, and the various suburbs extending from it to the south.

The Thomson Collection contains examples of the highest quality of most types of medieval ivory carving, both secular and religious. These include large statuettes of the Virgin and Child intended to stand on altars in chapels, small versions for private use in the home, and folding tablets or diptychs with scenes from the life of Christ carved in relief.

The International Conference on Insular Art (IIAC) is the leading forum for scholars of the visual and material culture of early medieval Ireland and Britain, including manuscript illumination, sculpture, metalwork, and textiles, and encompassing the work of Anglo-Saxon-, Celtic- and Norse-speaking artists. The present volume contains a selection of papers presented at the eighth IIAC, which took place in Glasgow 11-14 July 2017. The theme of IIAC8 - Peopling Insular Art: Practice, Performance, Perception - was intended to focus attention on those who commissioned, created, and engaged with Insular art objects, and how they conceptualised, fashioned, and experienced them (with 'engagement' covering not only contemporary audiences, but later medieval and modern ones too). The twenty-one articles gathered here reflect the diverse ways in which this theme has been interpreted. They demonstrate the intellectual vibrancy of Insular art studies, its international outlook, its interdiscplinarity, and its openness to innovative technologies and approaches, while at the same time demonstrating the strength and enduring value of established methodologies and research practices. The studies collected here focus not only on made objects, but on the creative processes and intellectual decisions which informed their making. This volume brings Insular makers - the illuminators, pattern-makers, rubricators, carvers, and casters - to the fore.

Woodcarving remains one of the most popular crafts in the U.S. and continues to grow in popularity. While there are many books on how to carve wood, including Taunton's popular How to Carve Wood (1985), this book provides inspiration for carvers through original patterns. Any carver knows that once the technique is mastered, the greatest challenge is finding clear, well-illustrated designs to carve. This book solves that problem by offering a wide variety of carefully detailed drawings of designs especially suited to carving.

Trained in European carving and drawing techniques, artist/author Lora Irish presents an extensive library of ornamental designs with a traditional look. Included here are classic ornamental motifs from 18th century and other period furniture as well as original designs by the author. The motifs include line designs, triangular designs, square and rectangular designs, circular and oval designs, S- and C-curve designs, mirror-image designs, and free-form designs.

The book can be used in number of ways: The drawings can be adapted to the carver's preference or used directly as patterns, easily enlarged by photocopying and transferred directly to the wood to be carved. The patterns can also be used in other woodcrafts including woodburning and woodpainting.

Internationally known carver Pete LeClair turns his attention to the caricature bust. This classic form lends itself to wonderful interpretations, but is also a great way to learn more about caricature carving. Pete shares a great number of techniques and secrets in this volume, paying attention, as always, to the minute details that make the difference between a good carving and a great carving. Every step is illustrated with a color photograph and a clear explanation. Patterns and a gallery, showing all sides of the works, are included to help the carver even more. For those who know Pete's previous works, this will be a welcomed addition to their libraries. For those who do not it is an opportunity to learn the joys and intricacies of caricature carving from one of the best.

This is a beginner's guide from the world's most renowned chip carver! Wayne Barton - author of "Chip Carving and Art of Chip Carving" - presents what is unquestionably the finest guidance ever for the novice. He has been the driving force behind the craft's resurgence and his technical knowledge, design skills and ability to instruct remain unequalled. One by one, with the aid of colour photographs, he covers tools and materials, the best woods, holding and sharpening chip carving knives and laying out and transferring patterns. Borders, grids, rosettes, free-form design, positive image design and lettering all receive separate, in-depth chapters, as does Barton's special, time-tested hints.

Master carver, Ian Norbury, provides a detailed guide for all craftsmen to discover the art of creating facial expressions in woodcarving.