Monday, February 28, 2011

A Few Things About Wooden Furniture




One of the most used materials in furniture construction is wood. This may be due to easy handling and the fact that wood is abundant. Wood is also available in different colors and textures; these features allow a piece of furniture to be made entirely out of wood. To add on top of that, wood can also be used in succession with other materials such as metal, stone, aluminum, brass etc. Whichever combination is used, there is little deviation from the process of making normal wooden items. 


 


The most important factor in the process of making wooden furniture is the humidity; the humidity of the raw material is required to be below 10 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, it will get fungus and will ruin the furniture completely. The staining process of the furniture is another factor to look out for. If it is not done properly it will come off easily and destroy the whole item. It will also not be as strong as it should be with good staining. There are two methods in the production of wooden furniture. The first method is using machinery, which is available in fully or semi automated. The second method is wood carving and handicrafts; small, handheld tools are normally used for the job. Though there is a big market for handmade items; due to intense labor requirements, the final production costs are a bit too expensive to adopt in large scale production.


 


The most commonly used types of wood are beech, birch, oak, rubber wood, Chinese hardwood, acacia, maple, pine, redwood, rosewood, walnut and teak. Each type of wood has its own property and uses. Pine, beech, birch and rubber wood are used for indoor and oak, hardwood and teak are good for outdoor use. An example would be teak wood, while it can be used in the outdoors or indoors it is expensive.


 


The coating process for wooden furniture differs depending on whether the furniture is for indoor or outdoor use. While normal varnishing and staining procedures are good enough for indoor furniture; outdoor furniture require additional coating made for outdoor purposes to be applied on the furniture. Otherwise, it will be useless on such extreme weather condition outside.


 


The popularity of wood as furniture material will definitely last, as it is not only vast in variety and availability but also light in weight; which makes it easier to handle than most other materials. Wood is also quite durable for its value in money. That fact alone guarantees its popularity for time to come.


The Patron Saint of Animals - St Francis




St. Francis is well know as the patron saint of animals and people love to display his statue in their garden for just this reason. Many styles of statues are available and you will just have to choose the one that is right for you. Consider the material the statue is made of, the price and what the statue depicts before making your selection. Your statue will last for years to come so you want to make sure you choose you that you love and won't want to get rid of.





Many like the look of the seated St. Francis. Placing this statute in your garden shows you understand just how this most favored saint has touched the lives of all. By depicting this patron saint surrounded by animals, the artist has captured the quality and nature of this gentle man. The detail is exquisite and many believe this captures his essence better than most artwork. The cast stone statue will resist peeling thanks to its unique finish. This statue stands 28" tall and will grace whichever area you decide to place it in.





The earthy color tone blends well with nature and enhances the carved stone. With this statue you see Saint Francis holding a bird with woodland animals clamoring at his feet. This statue is 27" high and 15" wide and rests on a 12" base. The cast stone construction ensures your statue will last for years to come as does the hi-tone stone like finish.





Others select the Caretaker version as their choice of garden art. Cast from real wood, this statue appears to be an actual wood carving and is just one part of Layhou Lam's Glimpses of God collection. Thanks to its uniqueness and beauty, this Statue will quickly become a conversation piece in your garden or yard. You may also decide to place this statue in your home as it looks beautiful anywhere. Your connection to nature will continuously be reinforced every time you see this statue, you may wish to purchase one for indoors and out. Whichever statue you choose, it will be a reflection of your commitment to nature and animals as well as a gorgeous piece of art.


Build Your Own Woodcarving Bench




Whether wood carving is just a weekend hobby or a serious pursuit, you may eventually wish to have a carving bench. You can build your own bench with minimal effort and benefit from having the perfect place to carve your creations.





In order to ensure safety, a stable bench is important. You will want your seat to be the right height so that you can sit up straight and aren't slumping over your work. You will need to decide if you want your bench to also provide tool storage, a vice, and whether or not you want it to have flat or tilted surface. Study commercial benches for ideas.





Once you have decided on what you need, you can start building. If you will be attaching a vice make sure the bench is heavy enough so that it will remain stable. If you carve heavy pieces you will also need to ensure that your bench can support the weight. Choose sturdy wood that is free of knot holes and cracks. You do not want any weak spots on your wood carving bench.





Six feet is a good length for a bench. You can use 2x4's cut to length for the top of your bench. 2x3's can be used for the legs. Make sure the legs are well braced so that your bench remains sturdy. If you are going to add shelves, you may want to make them removable so that you can enlarge your work space if needed. Adding a drawer is an excellent idea as it will give you a safe place to store your wood carving tools so they do not get damaged.





By designing and building your own bench you will have a good place to work that is suited specifically to your needs.


Olive Wood Tree




Olive wood, an evergreen tree, is a wood that has fragrance. It is a shrub which is an inhabitant of Asia, Mediterranean and Africa. This wood is basically used for various wood carving purposes. The concept of making scenes of Olive wood Nativity started from Bethlehem in the 14th century. This ancient tradition of beautiful wood carving with olive trees is continued to this day.





Basically, this wood is a squat and short which rarely exceeds eight to sixteen metres in height. You may be aware about the fact that the branch of olive tree has always been a symbol of wisdom, peace, prosperity, pureness and glory for the entire world. The olive tree wood has been mentioned in the Bible. In fact, olive trees have always been a good source for olive oil. The olive oil is used for various purposes all over the world. Olive oil is generally used for cooking purposes. Besides this, it is also used for the purpose of skin and hair treatment. For the purpose of crafts art wood obtained from olive trees is the best source.





The crafts work which includes this wood has always been a good profession for the entire world particularly in the holy land where a large number of people work and are having their own workshops for wood crafts work for olive. Some of the popular Christmas gifts and souvenirs all over the world include nativity scenes of this wood. As a matter of fact, Bethlehem olive wood is dense durable and heavy along with distinctive colors that are ranging in nuances of creamy and red pigments with irregular brown, wild black and gray lines.





As far as beauty of grains and variety of coloring is concerned wood of olive trees is one of the finest woods. Sometimes, the pattern of grain is nearly non existent with just one grain swirl giving an elegant beauty to the piece. Moreover, one of the heaviest, hardest and most solid woods ever known to man is Bethlehem Holy Land Olive wood. This wood is also very long lasting and resistant and is the natural choice for thousands of years as the wood for sculptures. One of the properties of the olive tree is that it has the capability to produce fruits even in unproductive and rocky land.





In addition, Olive trees can survive strong winds and droughts, and they also have the capability to grow in an excellent manner on fit drained soils up to level of 8.5 on a pH scale and even have the capability to tolerate under the conditions of salty water. Hence, olive wood is really an excellent wood for various wood crafts work due to its prominent features. You can gather more details on Holy land Olive Wood with the help of internet.


Sunday, February 27, 2011

Use Power Tools for Exceptional Results




Wood carving or any work related to wooden base cannot be completed without using some kind of tools. Using traditional hand tools for carving is very popular among the carvers. However, they can increase their efficiency and improve the fineness in the carving work with the help of tools specially designed for wood carving.





Carving requires a great deal of delicacy and excellence. A little extra hit and the wooden board will not get the desired shape! At the time of carving the wood and making it a piece of art one needs to pay proper attention. Ask any wood carver and he/she will let you know the importance of precision. The tools for wood carving are designed specifically to help the artist/carver get the desired results.





The wood carving tools are durable and require minimum maintenance as compared to other tools. If you want to maintain the efficiency of those tools, you need to put a drop of oil or two everyday and you can certainly get the lifelong service from such modern day tools for wood carving.





Other than carving, you can use the power tools like power saws, power drills, multipurpose power tools for industrial as well as personal usage. It will without doubt increase your efficiency and will save your time & energy at the same time.





Proper use and regular maintenance of these tools will improve your wok quality and your income as well. So go for modern equipments and tools they can help a lot in completing your tasks.


Staining Wood Filler




Wood fillers come in handy and have any number of uses. I have found, though, the best results are those I have made myself as opposed to store bought. These can be created using sawdust and different types of glue, depending on what you need the finished product to look like.





Staining wood filler?





Some of these techniques will take a stain and some will not.





If you have a wood chip or gouge on a piece of furniture that won't be readily visible you can use carpenter's glue or a cyanoacryate like Mister Glue's Instant Glue. The end product will not take a stain so best to use this type of fix for areas that will be painted or not visible. This can be done a couple of different ways. If you have a very thin chip or area to fill you can put in some sawdust and then a few drops of Instant Glue which will wick in and make for a very hard filler. Sand it smooth and you are done. This will set up very quickly. Another way of doing this is to use white or yellow carpenter's glue.





Make a fairly dry mix. Use it to fill a bottom tear out, a void in plywood, a chip or a gouge. Let it dry then sand smooth. The wood glue may stain a bit but the Cyanoacrylate will not. I've had many people use the CA (cyanoacrylate) to do repairs in wood carving as well but remember that it won't stain so use it judiciously. If you are not putting stain on the finished product you can often, with practice, get the sawdust-glue filler to match the color of the wood - as long as you are using the same wood, obviously.





Stainable Wood filler:





If you are staining wood filler where you are doing the repair to the gouge, hole or imperfection, then there is something you can do for that as well. If you use clear varathane with sawdust from the wood you are filling - at least the same color - then it should not show when you finish the wood. One can use a water based urethane as well. Many other floor finishing urethanes will go to a yellow or amber color when dry so make sure that you get one that dries clear. Again, make a very dry mix of the sawdust and the urethane and put it into the area that needs filling. The water based urethane will dry more quickly that the oil or solvent based as well. Let it set up enough to sand and once smoothed out and dry you should be able to apply your stain successfully.





The best sawdust to use is sawdust from the wood you are finishing but try different types. I generally like to use very, very fine sawdust.





One other method that I have not tried (successfully) that was suggested to me was this: place some of the stain on the area that needs to be filled and then start sanding that area - the sawdust should adhere to the stain or other finish and fill in the gap. As I said - I have not gotten this one right yet - I either need more practice or maybe I'll just stick with the ones that work for me.





I do caution you, though, on all of these tricks, to test them! There are lots of variables - test whichever technique that you are going to use to repair the furniture on an area that doesn't matter before using it on that piece that everyone is going to see every day.


Archery Bow Making




If you plan on living in the wild, want to pick up an interesting hobby, or pretend you're Robin Hood without the merry men, you can always take up archery bow making. It takes some degree of skill to make a good bow, but archery bow making can be very rewarding as well. Imagine taking down a deer or other game using a bow you constructed yourself.





You can use many materials when constructing your bow. For instance you can use ash, yew or bamboo wood. The material is up to you, and some will work better than others, but for the purpose of this article we will use yew wood. Here are the steps you need to take in order to construct a bow.





First off, you will need a sharp knife and axe, a piece o straight, unflawed yew wood and some kind of string that isn't to stretchy.





Carve the wood so that it looks slightly like a boomerang. Next take the string (rawhide works well) and wax it. This is to protect it from the elements more than anything.





Now make some arrows. They have to fit the bow itself, and the arrows usually have fire hardened tips. The arrows should be short enough that they won't break on contact.





Next carve two notches on the end of your finished bow, and loop the string around each end. The string should be tight enough to give it enough power to shoot an arrow a goodly distance. If the string is too loose, or stretchy, it won't shoot well.





You can also devise some kind of handle and nock system, if you so wish.





Some people also make composite bows. This is done using more than one type of material and a lot of glue. People usually use horn to reinforce the wood of the bow. A composite bow that is made properly is infinitely better than a normal wooden bow. It is tougher and usually has more power. It also takes a lot more practice and time.





Archery bow making isn't for everyone. Hell, you can go buy a bow for a couple of hundred bucks instead of sweating to make your own. Pre-made ones are usually better too, having been constructed by a corporation.





But for people who enjoy a challenge, archery bow making can be a lot of fun, and a good way to pass the time. It might come in handy too, if you ever find yourself trapped in the wild.


Saturday, February 26, 2011

Wood Carving Tools




Wood carving tools comes in different styles that depend on shapes, uses and sizes. Before you decide on which tools you acquire it is very important to consider the three basic factors.





Tools are always designed for particular functions. To start with the parting tools have V shapes that are very narrow and smaller in size. The cutting edge is either 40 or 60 inches and in most cases it is used for finishing the corners that are found on the inside.





The veining tools come in U shapes. They are very small in size and they are used for making grooves and rough lines. The flutes are larger compared to the veining tools. In most cases they are used for making surfaces very smooth and giving it a good finish.





Chisels ranges from narrow sizes to the widest size. They are mainly used for flat-cutting of edges occurring at 90 degrees and making good finishes for the sharp edges. The skew tools are like chisels that provide straight cutting for edges occurring at 45 degrees. Depending on the type of cutting they can give a left skew or right skew.





The long bent gouges are used in making concave curves. They are mainly used for roughing and making hollows. The spoon gouges have a concave shape with straight shanks. They are also mainly used for gouging. The back bent gouges are similar to the spoon gouges except they have convex-shaped curves that bends backwards. They are mainly used for chopping undersides.





It is therefore good to note that the size of the wood curving tools will determine the radius of the curves. Hence tools that contain low size numbers are mostly used for finishing. On the other hand tools that contain big curvatures have size numbers that are big to be able to make deep cuts.


Wood Carving - How to Choose the Right Style




Wood carving is a special craft. It requires extreme patience that could flourish with a fine imagination. If you decide to become a wood carver, you'll have several styles to choose from. You could use just a piece of wood and a small knife. Or you could go so far as using power tools. So how can you know which style is best for you?





There are five main styles of woodcarving. Each style is distinctly different from the other. These styles are whittling, chip carving, relief carving, intaglio carving and carving in the round.





Whittling. Whittling involves the removal of pare shavings or bits of wood with a cutting blade. It is the simplest form of wood carving, but not actually the art of wood carving. Because whittling is and always should be very simple, this is a critical differentiation to bear in mind. A piece of wood and a knife are all you require. And because it is so simple, whittled objects don't have much detail, as is the case in all other styles of wood carving.





When you're holding a whittled object in your hand, you absolutely know it. Each knife stroke is clearly seen. It remains as simple as when it began centuries ago, during the time of cavemen. Isn't that amazing?





Chip Carving. Chip carving involves the use of several knives to remove small pieces of wood (chips) from a flat wood surface. These are specially made chip knives that are used to push or pull at the wood, cutting upwards or downwards to free each chip.





Chip carving has become so popular that it is now its own art form. The main technique is to chip varying triangular shapes from the wood. This creates complex patterns that are often geometric in nature. Free form lines are regularly used to accentuate these chipped patterns. You could really let your imagination go.





Relief Carving. This type of carving is done on a flat back cut of wood with images cut in 3-dimensional fashion. These are the wood carvings you see on walls or sitting on tables or surface tops.





There are two types of relief carving. A low relief carving is identifiable by the visual effect that is created. Without shadows to imply deep carving, the product appears very shallow and is thus considered low relief. In high relief carvings, a spectacular depth effect is created by the addition of shadows throughout. Both types result in carvings with good dimension and detail. The end product is polished to create a very smooth surface. Then it may be painted, waxed or varnished.





Intaglio Carving. This style of wood carving is very similar to relief carving. But instead of looking as though it is above the wood surface, it looks as if it is part of the wood. The designs are below the suface because they are carved deep into the wood. Think of old wooden rolling pins. Remember the cute little pictures that were carved into it? That's intaglio carving.





Many furniture makers really like the style of intaglio carving. It has come so far as to be fitted for a blank space, carved separately and then inserted into the furniture. How about that? It can even be found in dining tables and in bedroom furniture. It's wonderful for wood paneling. You can even see it in specialty plaques, as part of an existing decorative item or as the actual surface of coffee tables and end tables.





Carving In The Round. This is the most advanced style of wood carving. The product can be viewed from all sides with a full and easy view of all details. It is carved out of the wood and its base serves as a supporting platform or as a pedestal. The carving could be a person, an animal or a landscape-nearly anything you can imagine. It could be life-sized or to scale. The sky is almost the limit with carving in the round.





This style of carving requires quite a number of tools. A variety of knives, gouges and chisels are a bare minimum. The use of power tools is not surprising and often expected. The final product then is usually quite spectacular. Oftentimes, a product of carving in the round is easily mistaken for a porcelain creation. The details are that impressive.





Wood carving has been around since the days of cavemen. With time, it has become quite an impressive art to behold. It's very relaxing, often exhilarating and extremely satisfying. If you're looking for a hobby, wood carving could be just what you're looking for.


Protecting Your Wood Carving Knife Edges




Whoops!





We've all done it. Used a carving knife to slice the lid of the Donut box open, gotten up to answer the phone with a chisel on our knee only to have it drop onto the floor and ruin the edge. (and then to make it worse, it was only a telemarketer!) Things like these happen to all of us and then we wonder why our tools keep getting dull. If we can learn to prevent these things from happening the life span of our tools will increase dramatically.





Things that can damage your edges





Sandpaper. Sandpaper is probably the worst on any edge. It contains the same Aluminum Oxide or Silicon carbde particles that help create the edge of your knife in the first place. When you carve a piece that will eventually need to be sanded, carve it as close to finished as you can without using sand paper. After you start sanding your carving, you really cannot go back to carving again. When you sand, you are leaving these sandpaper abrasive particles in and on your carving which, when you use your knife to touch up an area that has been sanded will abrade against the edge, thus dulling it.





Other tools. These tools most often have gone through an extensive Heat treating process to get them hard. When they bang against each other they will get dull.





Misuse of your tools. I've done this myself. I've gotten to the point where I can start sanding my carving and used my carving knife to... yes, slice up the sandpaper into smaller pieces. Don't do it. Have a junk knife to do this.





The table or bench. Tools roll off or get pushed off the table and onto the floor. (that darn cat!)





Put your knives on a tray with rubber drawer liner glued to the bottom to keep your tray from sliding. I purchased my lining at Home Depot for $2.50 a 6 ft. roll.





Don't ...





Store your knives and chisels together in the same compartment. You should have a compartment for each individual tool. When you store these tools in the same compartment the hard steel of these tools bang together as you are walking to the car after the carving club meeting and get dull.





Store sandpaper with your knives, put your sandpaper in a seperate container. Those particles fall out into your bag or box and abrade your tools.





Do...





Have a junk knife in your bag. Use this knife to slice up your sandpaper, cut open the super glue or scape the paint from your fingernails.





Put your tools back on or in places that prevent them from rolling off the table or into each other.





Keep a sheath on your tools. If you do this, you can store your tools together.





Sheaths- I've seen a lot of solutions.





You can use wine corks for your chisels and knives.





Woodcarving Illustrated has had projects to carve your own sheaths in the shape of thumbs, ducks etc.





Styrofoam- Just cut a block longer than your blade and stick it in.





FoamCore- Go to your local picture framer and ask for some foamcore cut offs. It is a styrene sheet with paper on both sides. It even comes in colors. You then can cut it to fit your tools.





Leather - glue up a piece of leather to wrap around your blade.





Phone books - I saw a lady at a show that rolled up a phonebook and taped it together to stick her knive blades into the end between the pages.





We all took the time to learn how to get a razors edge on our tools, now let's protect them!





View this and more articles on wood carving knives at www.DeepwoodsVentures.com


Woodcarving Knife - Why and Which One?




Carving wood can result in numerous sculptures and useful items. The end-result of carving woods will be soothing for the eye of the beholder. For this beautiful creation, the wood carving knife plays a vital role. Woodcarving knives are an extremely pertinent one of them. The use of these wood carving knives are as tools to round, smooth and trim woods while carving woods for creating an item.





The knives for carving woods will consist of two main parts - handle and the blade. The handle of a woodcarving knife will be long. This is to ensure a strong grip while working. Secondly, the blade of the knife will be unusually thin. The thin blade is necessary for a good control over the blade that is crucial for some exceptionally sophisticated works on woods.





Depending on the tasks of the carver, the types of wood carving knives will vary. In most of the cases, there are three types of wood carving knives. These are "Detail", "Carving" and "Roughing". These knives have varying length of both handles and the blades. Roughing knives have both the longest handle and the longest blade among the three. "Detail" knives have slightly shorter blade length that the "Carving" type. The tasks of each of these three knives also vary. "Roughing" knives take care of the bulk of the woods quickly. As a result, the blade of the "Roughing" type does not necessary be particularly delicate. The "Detail", on the other hand, handles extremely delicate touch of the carving tasks. "Carving" knives usage is the most and for any task between the most delicate and the roughest.





The quality of woodcarving task depends on how delicately the carver handles the wood carving knife set. The handling of the knives, on the other hand, depends on the easiness. This easiness comes from the handle of the wood carving knife set. A handle needs to fit in properly in the hand of the carver. The ergonomic design ensures that the carver does not get tired or can move the knife easily to produce subtle details in a work. The carver should test this before deciding on a woodcarving knife.





The strength of the blade is also crucial. Woodcarving works are on both hard and soft woods. The hard woods are harder to carve than the soft ones. However, the former is more durable than the latter. The choice of the blade is dependent in the woods. To work on soft wood, a slightly softer blade may suffice, while the hard wood will require a hard blade. However, in either case, preference of the blade to be professionally sharpened. The sharp blade ensures easiness of carving tasks, especially for those that require long hours of work.





Typically, a woodcarving knife set may not be enough for carving tasks. Every wood needs some pre-processing before its construction, suitable for actual carving tasks. Therefore, the knives should be complemented by a variety of other tools. Some of these tools include gouge, mallet and chisel. Normally, the carving task begins with a large piece of wood. Gouge may quickly bring that into shape. Mallet and chisel may also be required to shape a hard portion of wood for carving.





The end-result of a woodcarving task begins in the imagination of the carver. The knives are essential to translate that imagination into reality. The choice of a knife or sets of knives depends on the experience level of the carver and the detail of the work. There is nothing universal about which knife to be used. Therefore, just choose the one that best suits you and your work.


Friday, February 25, 2011

Shade Trees, Flowering Trees, And Evergreen Trees For Landscape Specimen Growing




Shade trees do not all necessarily shed their leaves in the fall (deciduous), but some shade trees are evergreen, and others can be classified as flowering trees. The fact that shade trees can cool temperatures in the surrounding landscape and cool off houses during the heat of the summer is well known. Some evergreen trees also provide shade all year, a factor that may be undesirable in some cases during hard winter freezes, when an evergreen shade tree may block off the heat rays from the sun that might melt snow and ice from a house roof or prevent infra-red light from warming rooms inside the house. Extreme southern states home owners in the United States may prefer shade on homes and buildings year round, and such evergreen shade trees as Live Oak tree, Quercus virginiana; Laurel Oak tree, Quercus laurifolia; and Darlington Oak trees,Quercus hemisphaerica, would be desirable for planting near houses.





Pine trees are also valuable shade trees for houses and landscape gardens. Such perennial shrubs as Camellia japonica and azalea shrubs must have year round shade for proper flowering. The camellia shrub and the azalea plant will survive only on rare occasions if planted in the full sun. The dogwood and redbud trees benefit from pine tree shade where they flower abundantly. The cherry laurel tree, Laurocerasus caroliniana Ait, is an evergreen shade tree that is covered with fragrant white flower clusters in March. The cherry laurel tree is a fast growing tree, sometimes growing 6 feet per year. Eucalyptus trees, Eucalyptus cinerea, are evergreen shade trees, but the 'Silver Dollar' eucalyptus tree usually is limited to planting in the warm temperatures of zones 8-11. The exceptional menthol fragrance of all parts of the eucalyptus tree makes it especially desirable where smog and other air pollution is problematic. The loblolly bay tree, Gordonia lasianthus, is often called the loblolly bay magnolia tree, and the flower fragrance, white color, and form look like a miniature flower bloom of the magnolia.





The southern magnolia tree, Magnolia grandiflora, is an outstanding shade tree known for the gigantic 1 foot wide fragrant white flowers during the summer and the glowing green waxy magnolia leaves that provide dense shade. Because of the dense shade and the mats of succulent roots that rise to the ground surface (like cypress tree roots), few shrubs or perennials can be successfully planted and grown underneath the Magnolia grandiflora trees. Other shade trees that could also qualify as beautiful flowering trees are black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia, shade trees that are covered with fragrant white flower clusters-just following the appearance of the fern-like, light green leaves. The black locust trees leaf color changes to bright yellow in the fall, and the wood has been used as waterproofed split-rail fencing for centuries. The empress shade tree, Paulownia tomentosa, (Blue Dragon Tree, also Princess Tree) is also a flowering tree that produces gigantic blue-purple flower clusters triangular in shape. The empress tree is known as an extremely fast growing shade tree that has been promoted by former President Jimmy Carter. The wood is valued as very strong and light weight; desirable in the Far East for furniture manufacture and wood carving.





Maple trees and Oak trees offer many species for shade and leaf change color in the fall. The maple leaf color can change to yellow, orange, and red. The Oak tree leaf color can vary from red, to orange, to yellow-gold, to brown. The Florida maple, Acer barbatum, shade tree turns a brilliant yellow color in the fall and then turns brown and remains on the tree most of the winter. Other important shade trees are the American elm tree, Ulmus americana, and the drake elm, Ulmus parvifolia 'Drake,' both coloring yellow-gold in the fall. The winged elm tree has strange scaly winged growths on stems and branches that are in demand by florists for their ornamental value in making dried arrangements.





The Chinese elm tree, Ulmus parvifolia, is known for its fast growth to provide quick shade. The Chinese elm is one of the easiest shade trees to transplant and can grow over 6 feet in one year if cared for properly. The American Hophornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana, is an under-planted shade tree that, during the fall leaf change, glows brightly in yellow-gold colors. The bald cypress tree, Taxodium distichum, is an excellent clean shade tree widely adapted to grow well on a variety of soil types. The bald cypress leaves do turn yellow briefly in the fall, but the bald cypress small leaf size requires no raking. The pond cypress shade tree, Taxodium ascendens, is a great tree to grow around pond-houses and wetland gardens, but should not normally be grown in well drained locations. The pond cypress roots rise from the water, swollen and large and are called cypress knees.





The black gum shade tree, Nyssa sylvatica, grows well in wetlands and the shade is beneficial to many aquatic plants. The water tupelo (tupelo gum, also sour gum) shade tree grows aquatically in many lowland wet sites. The leaves of the black gum and the water tupelo shade trees turn yellow-gold and orange in the fall. The Chinese parasol tree, Firmiana simplex, forms an umbrella (parasol) canopy with large bat-shaped leaves that turn brilliant yellow, then orange, in the fall.





The catalpa tree (fishbait tree), Catalpa bignonioides, has been used for centuries as a shade tree that attracts worms (fishbait) to be used in fishing. The Chinese tallow tree, Sapium sebiferum, is a fast growing small shade tree that produces a kaleidescope of colors on leaves in the fall of yellow, red, orange, blue, and purple. The Chinese tallow tree produces seedpods in the fall that look like popcorn after the leaves fall off, thus it is called the popcorn tree. The corkscrew willow, Salix matsudana "Tortuosa," and the weeping willow, Salix babylonica, grow fast into shade trees with distinctive linear leaves that turn yellow in the fall. The Ginkgo shade tree, Ginkgo biloba, is one of the most famous of the shade and its brilliant yellow-gold leaves that remain on the tree for a week or more when they fall to form a bright yellow circle underneath the barren limbs. The ginkgo leaves have been found fossilized in the Oriental archaeological excavations. The green ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica lanceolata, is a fast growing shade tree useful as a landscape specimen. The lombardy poplar tree, Populus nigra, is a fast growing tree, upright in form that is planted as hedges and windbreaks in the Western United States.





The river birch tree, Betula nigra, is a beautiful landscape tree with unique flaking bark that is replaced by slick bark in the spring. The river birch can be planted as a single trunk specimen or as a clump. The sassafras shade tree, Sassafras albidum, grows fragrant parts including the flower, bark, and the roots that were used during the civil war to make sassafras tea that produced a narcotic effect on wounded southerners. The Sourwood tree, Oxydendrum arboreum, and the sweetgum shade trees, Liquidambar styraciflua, both produce spectacular leaf color in the fall, both the sourwood and the sweetgum trees turn yellow, orange, and red in progressing stages. The sycamore tree, Platanus occidentalis, is perhaps one of the best trees for fast shade. Sycamore trees can grow to 2 feet in diameter & 50 feet tall in 20 years.





Bamboo trees and bamboo plants have been used as shade trees, privacy hedges, and borders. Bamboo plants grow rapidly and 40-50 feet (Timber Bamboo) and are useful as windbreaks as well as shade screens for privacy that cover 180 degree focused light rays. Annual flower beds are often planted in front of bamboo tree screens for partial shade, and many shrubs and bushes grow well when placed in front of bamboo tree screens, if the bamboo plants are the clumping type.





Shade trees have been used through the ages to shade landscapes, homes, buildings, or as shelter and food for wildlife. Some shade trees offer extra benefits such as beautiful flowers or evergreen foliage. Other shade trees can bear fruit, such as mulberry trees, apple trees, pear trees, and the evergreen loquat tree. Still other shade trees bear valuable tasty nuts, such as pecan trees, walnut trees, and chestnut trees. Other than the shade benefit, bright leaf color of the fall cooling off period, makes the planting and growing of shade trees a pleasurable and worthwhile effort.


Carving and Painting Duck Decoys




Duck Decoys are constructed of different materials. Most of which are factory manufactured of molded materials such as plastic. I've seen some made of a rubber like material you can inflate to use them and deflate them for easy transportation. You can factory manufactured duck decoys made from cork like material.





There are very good carvers out there who carve decoys from wood. Their artwork can really make those pieces of wood come to life once they have them painted up. Many people look for these decoys and pay good money to get them. This type of decoy is mostly used as art for collectors but there are people out there who carve working decoys for duck hunting. There is a self satisfaction and great admiration by other waterfowl enthusiast for people who carve there own decoys and find them really work for them as a duck hunter or even a wildlife photographer.





One problem that occurs when using decoys is the paint comes off after time. After a while those life like decoys can become very un-life like. Once this problem comes to affect you, there are a few choices you have to remedy this. You can purchase new decoys or you can repaint the old ones.





Don't get all frustrated this can be fun and you can purchase books on the subject to learn how to paint your own decoys. Think of the satisfaction you will get when the decoys you paint up yourself come back to life once again. When you put them in the water and they actually work for you.





Why not get into carving your own duck decoys. Think of the pleasure that would bring whether you want to put them on your mantle or in the water and use them as working decoys. You can get books on carving duck decoys as well.





Whatever your enjoyment is, duck hunting, collector, photographer or hobbyist, carving and painting your own duck decoys can bring you great pleasure.


Video Editing Tips




Many people get all wound up about creating a marketing video. The countless cheerful recommendations on the net about "keeping it real" tend to get lost in your anxiety about looking unprofessional or amateurish when you make that first video. But here's a secret for you, in case you've forgotten it: You can always edit!





Editing is the best feature about video marketing. You get to have all the fun of making the video. And then you can sit there and cut out every bit you don't like, or tighten up the "script", if there's a point where what you're saying on screen seems to drag.





If you've forgotten something, you can insert it.





If your target market are all visual learners, you can insert second mini-videos - just drag and drop new clips into your story line - showing them examples of what you've just been explaining.





And if you're demonstrating how to use a physical product - for example, your video is about wood carving - you may not even want your actual recorded sound track at all, for some sequences. You can replace those screeching truck noises from the highway and your neighbour yelling at his dog with appropriate music.





So there you are: You've explained how to use the wood carving tools, and now you're going to demonstrate carving a face into your block of wood. Segue in the music, speed up the action so it's not dragging on and on - and just show them 1 minute of you actually doing some wood carving, at your speeded-up pace.





Much more entertaining than real-time slow, methodical scraping of wood with trucks roaring by, don't you think?





Tips for Inserting Missing Information





If you've forgotten to include some key point in your video, it's easy to go back and insert it. Just shoot the "missing bit" - and drag and drop into your storyline.





If it's something as simple as forgetting your URL at the end of the video, this is easy as pie: However, if what's missing is you explaining a key point in your "How To" video, you'll need to make it look as if the new section wasn't thrown in later as an afterthought.





The first way to keep it consistent is easy: Just wear the same clothes and especially make sure your hair looks identical to the way it was in your original video. But there's a second part to this, and people often fail to include it.





Make sure your lighting is identical. If you shot your video outdoors, it means waiting for the same sort of weather, and shooting the "fill in" segment at the same time of day. If you shot the original video indoors and there is any source of natural light coming into the room at all, the "same time of day" rule also applies - but you shouldn't have to worry about weather (unless your video was shot on a bright day, and there's an abnormally dark thunderstorm rolling in).





Never Forget Your Notes





This brings us to our last tip: Make notes about your video, as soon as you've shot it! Include things like the time of day, camera settings, lighting details.





But if you're really not happy with that first video, and all else fails, you can always go for the ultimate "edit" of all.





You can simply re-shoot.


Learn to Carve Wood!




If you are interested in the time honored tradition of authentic wood carving, then perhaps you should learn to carve wood! It truly is one of the lost arts of society. Machines do most of the work now, but true wood carving by hand is an art-form and a trade that has been handed down through the generations.





Many people spend their lives perfecting this rare art-form. There are many people who will pay generously for a head board that is specially carved for their bed or furniture that has a unique and artistic feel. People who are looking to make a little extra money should learn to carve wood! Some people make an extra income by producing beautiful products for customers.





While earning money is a great side-benefit of becoming a wood sculptor, you might best be aware that most people need professional tutoring to reach a full-time level of income at any such art form! There are many teachers that can show a student how to create such a business.





Many people will build a trusted following after they begin wood carving. The truth is, people who appreciate wood carving will want to go back to their original wood carver if they have more work they would like done. If you want a new start on life, learn to carve wood! It is a wonderful pastime and something you can pursue for the rest of your life.





You can learn to carve wood a variety of ways, such as taking classes in woodcarving, or studying under a master carver. Some people are self-taught, although this kind of talent is not common. Most carvers take classes, and many join woodcarving clubs. Such clubs are located in most parts of the US.


Thursday, February 24, 2011

Wood Carving Basics




There is woodcarving and there is whittling as the old-timers call it, the latter of which is the oldest of the two forms. The three main things required to begin carving are 1. Either a whittling knife or a six piece basic carving set, 2. A soft wood, and 3. Imagination and desire.





As you progress in talent you may graduate up to chainsaws and hardwoods but for today we will stick with the basics. The basic six piece carving set consist of the following tools: A straight gouger, straight veiner, straight chisel, bent v-tool, straight skew, and a bent chisel.





These tools come in different handle shapes so it is up to you to decide which type feels more comfortable in your hand. Most sets can be purchased for under $50.00.





There are four basic types of woodcarving you can do and each type may require different tools for the job. As stated earlier whittling is the oldest of these and requires nothing more than a carving knife. Then, there is Carving in the Round, Relief Carving, and Chip Carving.





For hand carvers the best wood choices are Basswood, Pine, and Cottonwood. If you choose wood that is either to soft or to hard you will not be able to achieve the desired results. Once you have the correct tools and wood in hand the rest is up to you.





Woodcarving is a wonderfully inexpensive hobby that allows the artist to escape pressures we all face and let the problems of the day float to the floor along with the shavings.


Sharpening Wood Turning Tools - 7 Things to Keep In Mind




Woodturning is one of the most basic of crafts and the requirements are simple; a wood lathe to hold the work and make it spin, wood to shape and tools to cut the wood. This is woodworking at its most basic. In order to also make it among the most enjoyable of woodworking crafts is that most basic of wood cutting needs, sharp tools. There are a few things to keep in mind when sharpening wood turning tools.





First is the edge that is sought after. Many wood workers seek to sharpen a knife, chisel or plane blade to a razor edge for a clean cut and lovely shaving. However the wood for a typical woodworker stays still while the blade cuts. At the wood lathe the opposite occurs, wood spins and the tool is guided to the cut. The spinning wood, often with bark, knots and perhaps included grit rapidly ruins a razor edge. So the edge sought is one that works well but is not so sharp as to disappear.





Second is the equipment needed. Woodworkers often get a beautiful edge with various stones while woodturners are more at home with a good tool grinder. Most of the time the tool will be sharpened at the grinder and presented to the wood. A good wheel made of aluminum oxide with a grit of 80 to 100 will give a serviceable edge with a good surface left on the wood.





Third is the skill needed to sharpen that array of woodturning tools. Many woodworkers will need to sharpen straight edges with the possible foray into sharpening saws and wood carving gouges. Woodturners have tools with blades straight, curved, round, and fluted. Many have angles of sharpening that vary along the curved edge. While being able to sharpen freehand is a great asset, sharpening guides are wonderful assets to both the professional and the amateur.





Fourth is the frequency of sharpening. While the person who has learnt how to sharpen a knife well will find themselves infrequently going to the sharpening bench, a woodturner may find themselves at the tool grinding machine every couple of minutes. This makes a difference as to how a person sets up the shop to prevent too many footsteps between the wood lathe and the grinder.





Fifth comes the selection of tools. Principally they are made of three materials for the blades, high carbon steel, high speed steel and specialty steels. For all intents and purposes, most turners use the high speed steels. They will hold an edge longer than high carbon and are significantly cheaper than the specialties. A grinder with that aluminum oxide wheel will do a good job on them and will be adequate for each of the others, especially when using a sharpening jig.





Sixth is the consideration of what cuts are required by the tool. This may mean that some otherwise identical tools need to be sharpened with different configurations. Turning wood bowls is an excellent example. Some cuts are best performed with a bowl gouge sharpened straight across at a forty five degree angle. Others need a similar bowl gouge but shaped to have long wings and an angle varying from about seventy degrees at the tip to forty five along the edges. Again, a sharpening jig simplifies the sharpening process.





Seventh and perhaps most important is learning to relax while sharpening the various tools. If a poor edge or the wrong angle is obtained, it is a simple matter to return to the tool grinder and fix it. Tension is more likely to ruin an edge than is poor technique. Besides, woodturning is meant to be fun. Relaxing and enjoying such a large part of the process only adds to the amusement. Once again, consider making or buying a sharpening jig to add to the joy of woodturning.





Sharpening woodturning tools is a skill accessible to everyone who wishes to turn wood or work with a wood lathe. There are a few things to keep straight but as in all things with wood turning, practise may not make perfect but it goes a long way to getting great results.


Decorative Decoys




In recent times, however, these decoys have become more detail oriented. For this reason, many people now use waterfowl pieces for their home or office.





As mentioned prior, the biggest difference between a hunting decoy and is the attention to detail. Hunting decoys will often be caught in a hunter's line of fire, being destroyed at the simple pull of a trigger. Since they are meant to lure animals in shooting range, hunting decoys need to be designed so that members of the animal kingdom will mistake them for real life organisms. Decorative decoys, on the other hand, are carved for aesthetic value, and thus must be lifelike enough to trick the human eye into thinking that a piece of wood is in fact a real animal.





The question remains, how do artists make such realistic decorative decoys? The following are techniques that carvers use to fool people into thinking that a wooden sculpture is a duck:


• Using accurate dimensions: Carvers will take measurements of waterfowls to guarantee that their statue is exactly the same size as the actual animal. For example, if a certain duck has a beak size of.901 inches, the artist will accurately design his or her decorative decoy with a beak length of.901 inches.


• Looking for particular poses: Waterfowls tend to place their neck and bodies into unique stances. When creating, artists will be sure to carve the duck in a way that appears as if the animal is indeed alive, but not moving.


• Precise painting: Painting decorative decoys may be the most important aspect of the entire process. A wood carving is only as good as the paint job that will go on top of it. Artists will take into account each and every color and shade that a waterfowl has and paint the decoy accordingly.





A decorative decoy can add a special, nature-like feel to any house. Since there are many places that have wood carvings for sale [http://www.decoywoodcarving.com/]., but be sure to choose the one that will truly fool people into thinking that a duck is living in your home.


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Cutting Boards -- Is Glass, Plastic, or Wood the Best Choice for You and Your Kitchen?




Trying to decide which sort of cutting board you should purchase for you kitchen? Here are some of the benefits and negatives associated with plastic cutting boards, wooden cutting boards, and tempered glass boards:





Plastic Cutting Boards





One of the benefits of plastic cutting boards is their nonporous surface. In other words, you do not have to worry about the juice from your meats and vegetables creeping into your cutting board and staying there. They are thought to be the most sanitary, especially since they are dishwasher safe. When you are done chopping away, you need only to set your board in your dishwasher, and you are set - it will come out clean and as good as new.





And while you may not consider any plastic cutting board to be "beautiful" - there are some stylish ones out there. You can find plastic cutting boards in a multitude of colors, so you can match it to your kitchen décor. Besides, plastic cutting boards are generally the least expensive - you can therefore get more for less money. It is a good idea to have multiple cutting boards in your kitchen. Come people even prefer using only certain boards for meat, and others for vegetables.





Another great thing about plastic cutting boards is that there are some thin, mat boards. These boards are flexible and are therefore great for transferring food. Also, because they are so thin and lightweight, they are great for taking on camping trips and picnics. Of course, sharp knives can and probably will eventually cut through a thin plastic cutting board.





Wooden Cutting Boards





Wooden cutting boards have been around for ages. Chefs have been putting their meats and vegetables up on wood chopping blocks and wooden countertops for many centuries, and there have not been too many contamination problems to speak of. Of course, in general, the major concern with wooden cutting boards is a question of sanitation. They are very porous - in other words, those meat and vegetable juices that were repelled by plastic cutting boards can, indeed, soak into a wooden one. Germs can get trapped in the cuts made by knives.





Properly cleaning your wood cutting board, though, will obviously help with the problem of sanitation. Most wooden cutting boards cannot, unfortunately be put through the dishwasher - check the care instructions before you place it through the dishwasher. If you have any doubts, it is best to handwash it if you want it to last a long time. Use hot water and soap to wash it. After you rinse it well, just set it out to dry. As mentioned before, most wooden cutting boards are rather porous, therefore, it might take a while for them to dry (they will soak up some of that water). Make sure that you allow yours to dry thoroughly before you put it away.





For an extra cleaning, use vinegar or a bleach and water solution. It is very possible and quite easy to keep your wooden cutting board bacteria and germ free. Be especially thorough when washing your board after cutting meat - you do not want to have e. coli or salmonella transferred to your board and remaining there. Of course, some people say that bacteria does not generally like wood and that wood has natural germ-killing substances. Nonetheless, it can never hurt to thoroughly clean your board. These properties of wood may be true for some woods, but perhaps not all. Bamboo, for instance, is known for its resistance to bacteria.





Many consider wood cutting boards to be more forgiving than others, and they work well with sharp knives - they will not dull your knives as quickly (this is why most knife storing blocks are made of wood).





Of course, another important aspect of wooden cutting boards is their charm. You can store your wood cutting board away in the cupboard, for sure, but you could also leave it out. You can display it, on the wall or on the countertop. A wood cutting board adds a sort of rustic charm that other cutting boards just cannot meet. There are some very beautiful hand-crafted wooden cutting boards out there.





Tempered Glass Cutting Boards





These boards can be very beautiful. You can find tempered glass boards that have wonderful designs and pictures. You can even find ones that match you décor perfectly. Of course, there are other benefits besides "looks" associated with glass cutting boards.





They are very resistant to heat (it can double as a 'hot pad'). Also, they are very easy to clean - you can just stick them in the dishwasher. However, tempered glass cutting boards are not perfect. For one thing, the sound of a knife on one of these boards can make you cringe. More importantly, glass cutting boards can dull knives quicker.





All in all, just try out a few different types of cutting boards and see which ones work best with your cooking routine. As far as the sanitation of cutting boards go - any cutting board can be a breeding ground for bacteria and germs if not cleaned properly. Similarly, practically any cutting board can be very safe if you simply take the extra time to clean it. Choose your cutting board bases not solely on sanitation, but how easy it is to use, how easy it is to clean, and how well it matching both the décor of your kitchen and your cooking style.


Oaxacan Wood Carvings, A Tale of Two Villages




We are often asked about the history of Oaxacan Wood Carvings. As with many aspects of Mexican culture, the origins of these colorful, collectible creatures are fused with myths and facts. The following is an account that is as accurate as possible from a world where history is verbal more often than written.





For centuries, the poor in Mexico have used organic materials to fashion tools, utensils, religious artifacts and toys. So begins the story of Oaxacan Wood Carvings.





In the valley of Oaxaca, there are two rural villages, Arrazola located 30 minutes outside the city of Oaxaca in the shadows of Monte Alban, and San Martin Tilcajete located 45 minutes on the opposite side of Oaxaca. Both have become renowned for their highly collectible wood carvings. The history of how Oaxacan Wood Carvings became part of Mexico's heritage of popular art, centers on two men, Manual Jimenez, a farmer in Arrazola and Epifanio Fuentes, a farmer in San Martin Tilcajete.





Manuel Jimenez began carving as a young man developing his skill and using his imagination to create religious figures and toys. As with many rural farmers, Manuel tried many occupations in addition to farming: cane cutter, barber, musician, and carver. He experimented with a number of woods and discovered a native brush wood, copalillo, to be perfect for his creations. After having carved for many years and trying to sell his wares in Oaxaca and Monte Alban, he was finally "discovered" by the American folk art collector, Arthur Train who was captivated by his work. Train helped promote Manuel's career by selling his wood carvings at his store in Oaxaca. In the 1970's important collectors like Nelson Rockefeller and folk art museums purchased the work of Manuel Jimenez thereby establishing Manuel's reputation. Just a few years ago, Manual Jimenez, then in his 80's, passed away, leaving his folk art legacy to his sons, Isaias and Angelico. Both worked side by side with Manuel for years as students and later assuming the role of painting and carving Manuel's designs.





At about the same, Epifanio Fuentes, was also becoming known in folk art circles for his enchanting carved angels, signature pieces which he still produces today. Epifanio learned to carve from his father, a farmer, and used his skills to add to the farming income, as many carvers continue to do today. Eventually, Epifanio taught his wife to paint, and later his children to carve and paint creating a true family cottage industry. Several of the Fuentes sons, Zeni and Efrain in particular, enjoy international notoriety as skilled artisans.





Today, both villages have many talented carvers and painters each with their own unique style. Wood carving has improved the lives of these villagers as evidenced by newly paved roads, new schools, street lights and the prevalence of cell phones, none of which existed even 15 years ago.


Make Money From Wood Carvings, Without You Carving Anything




Wood carvings have always been popular. Most people, who have ever been to countries such as Indonesia, or the Philippines, will have seen them being made by hand. The talented craftsmen sitting cross-legged on the floor, chipping away at a piece of wood, until they have created an animal, person's head, or other wonderful piece of wood carving. These unique one-offs always seem far more special than anything we could make. Then, one day, you visit a craft shop back home, and see a shelf filled with identical wood carvings. How do they get them all to look the same? Surely, one craftsman cannot be that precise each time? Well, no, they can't. The secret behind this mass-production is a wood-carving machine. This is where you can set up your own lucrative business, making woodcarvings, without having to lift a single carving tool yourself.





The wood carving machines take one wood carving, and make identical copies. The way they work is almost magical. The original carving is literally traced by the machine, and it carves a second copy as it goes. That original carving, that costs two hundred bucks, say, then becomes two. The opportunities are endless. You can make as many copies, of any wooden carving, as you want to. Each one is identical to the first, and can therefore be sold for the same amount of money. Wooden seats for stools, wooden book ends, wooden Christmas tree decorations, and anything else that you can find, can all be duplicated in the same amount of detail as the original.





The only outlay that you need to make is for the machine, and the wood. Some of these wood carving machines can be found, second-hand, on sale for as little as a couple of hundred bucks. So, if you made a copy of a carving that originally sold for $200, you could sell the second one for the same amount of money and have recovered the cost of buying the wood carving machine with only one carving! The wood that you use can also be any type that you can find. You can even find wood for free. A lot of people have trees in their gardens that they do not want anymore, and have them cut down. Quite often, the trunk is then chopped up for fire wood. However, if you get in touch with a person who you know has just had a tree taken down; you can probably get some of the wood before it has been chopped up into smaller pieces. They will be glad that you take it off their hands, and probably not want any money for it. It is worth getting in touch with your local tree surgeons, or other companies that actually cut down the trees, and see if they can get hold of the wood for you cheaply.





Before you know it, you will be creating wood carvings that are every bit as good as the original hand-carved ones, and building a nice little business out of it that you can expand massively!


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

All About Oaxaca Wood Carvings




One of the hottest new trends today in the world of investment grade art, is Oaxaca wood carvings. Delicately carved, sanded and painted sculptures made from the wood of the Copal tree that flourishes in the hillsides of the Oaxaca Valley of Southern Mexico.





A Way of Life for Generations





Carving with basic tools has been a way of life for generations in this isolated region of the planet where things like childrens toys and home decorations were always whittled from the soft Copal wood. However; beginning in the early seventies, a new far more progressive art style began to evolve.





A New Style of Oaxaca Wood Carvings Evolved





A few talented wood carvers with names like Manual Jimenez began to create experimental brightly colored animated and expressive works that were painted in bright bold colors. Over time, as these artists worked in their isolated villages, a complete new style of sculpture evolved.





Wide Recognition North of the Border





Of course it wasn't long until occasional travelers who happened to venture off the beaten path began to come across and become smitten by Oaxaca wood carvings. However; it would take a couple of decades more before they would begin to receive wider recognition north of the border.





Quirky Whimsical and Often Comical





As it stands today, these quirky, whimsical and often comical wooden sculptures are sought after by avid collectors around the globe and especially in the US, Canada and Europe. The result of this uptick in popularity, is that today demand often outstrips supply. Particularly with regards to high end creations of the most notable artists.





Proving to be a Viable Art Investment





Oaxaca wood carvings have also proven to be a viable investment, as an art niche market. Also unlike other styles of investment grade art and sculpture that require large amounts of money to get started in, these works are actually quite affordable.


Wood Carving and African Handicraft




For many years, the art of wood carving from Africa is known to be one of the most beautiful, natural and unique in the world. It has maintained its huge economic and cultural importance to the people of Africa in general and to the artists in particular. This art of wood carving is centuries old and is passed down form generation to generation. This enables the work to become not only consistent, but also better with time.





The exact impact of wood carving on culture differs from tribe to tribe. Among the Akan of Ghana and La Cote d'Ivoire the use of wood carving in symbolism is recognized right form family (Obusua) to the state (Oman) level. As an example, wooden stools symbolise power and authority. In Kenya, among the Kalenjin tribe, wooden clubs (Chepunyo) are carried only by circumcised men and their design varies from one age group to another.This culture is obeyed,sometimes in total disregard of ones high and powerful status in modern day society.Such is the power of wood carving in African culture.





The economic aspect of wood carvings, on the other hand, is a more recent development. With better communication among nations, and the onset of the internet in the nineteen nineties, the beautiful, unique African wood carvings acquired wider exposure to the outside world. They were marketed as home and office decors, gifts to loved ones and domestic utensils. They did not disappoint.





Many different types of materials are used in African Handicraft. Wood and soapstone are commonly used to make unique, exciting sculptures while baskets are woven from natural fiber such as sisal. In keeping with tradition, sculpting is done by men while basket weaving is done by women. Most sculptures take the form of animals and humans with close link to the country of origin. Even when African handicraft items are based on the same subject matter and design, the fact that they are handmade with simple tool, makes them very unique. No two items will be alike. Wood remains the most important material to the artists mainly because it is easily accessible. It is also relatively easy to carve items out of wood enabling the artists to express their thoughts more easily and freely.





However, do not be fooled that African wood cravings would not be of high quality just because they are made from some natural material and with simple tools. The wood is either soft or hard - Both types have their own bads and goods. Whether the wood used is soft or hard, does not affect the quality of the end product. The final product will be something you will be extremely proud to show off.





The purchase of unique, original African wood carvings is on the rise because the products are truly exquisite and one of a kind piece of art. They are made from materials local to the country of origin by very talented and hardworking citizens of Africa. Just one look at these beautiful creations will assure you that you are not only in the presence of a beautiful handicraft but also something which represents African culture, history and heritage.


Bird Carving As a Specialty in Wood Carving




Today in the world of specialization we no longer regard someone as a medical doctor, but as a pediatrician or allergist or some other form of specialization in the medical field. This holds true for many professions, trades and other aspects of our world today. Specialization also holds true for the arts and crafts in general and for the woodcarving or sculpturing art in particular. Those that specialize in carving fish belong to the National Fish Carvers Guild and a number of other organizations cater specifically for fish carvers.





Similarly some woodcarvers do nothing but carve birds and no other objects or figures. The premier magazine for the bird carving fraternity is the Wildfowl Carving Magazine. Many bird carvers belong to bird carving groups and organizations such as the International Wildfowl Carvers Association and others. Even those that carve birds are divided in sub specialties, such as, stylized bird carvers, who visualize a bird in the shape and grain of a piece of wood. Another group is decoy carvers, who duplicate ducks, shorebirds and seabirds for the purpose of using them to lure birds to hunting blinds for sport hunting. Most decoy carvers today, however, carve their decoys for competition and decoration.





One of the specialized areas in bird carving, is the creation of realistic life size birds. Both the detail and colors of the plumage are replicated as close to reality as possible. As a matter of fact, some of the experts in this area of carving are able to create wooden masterpieces that is difficult to distinguish from the real bird.





I have spent numerous hours for the past seventeen years to create lifelike creations of birds in wood. Through many hours of practice on my own and tutoring by the masters, I have learned that the most important factor in this carving process, is to simulate every detail of the feathers of the bird. Secondly, painting a carved bird realistically can transform, a below par carving, into a finished product that is worthy of admiration.





In my article on **Carving Realistic Bird Feathers in Wood** I have outlined the carving process used by me and many other bird carvers to create realistic looking birds. I encourage you to look at bird photos in any of the resources referred to above to appreciate the art of bird carving.


Monday, February 21, 2011

Wood Carving - Bevels and Cutting Angles




Most wood carving tools are cutting tools. Every cutting tool has at least one bevel. This is the sloping surface coming off the edge. But it's more than jut a sloping surface. It's actually a cutting angle. So the bevel supports a specific cutting angle that determines how the tool can be used. Experienced carvers know about bevels and how they affect cutting efficiency.





If you're just starting out as a wood carver, and you're going to purchase carving tools for the first time, here are some things you should know.





Some carving tools leave the manufacturer without a bevel. This means that you'll have to be the one to make the cutting angle, which determines the shape of the bevel. Many experienced wood carvers prefer new tools this way because they want to put the cutting angles on themselves. They don't want to have to remake an edge.





Non-beveled edges are only recommended for those wood carvers who already know how to sharpen knives or similar types of cutting tools. Beveled edges are essentially wedges and every metal wedge is, in effect, a knife. When you know how to sharpen knives, you can make the cutting angle (AKA the sharpening angle) just the way you want it. You control the bevel exactly.





It's pretty easy to find new carving tools with pre-set bevels already ground in by the manufacturer. Nevertheless, the new carver must be aware that, even though the cutting angle was created by the tool maker, it may not be the correct size or shape that they want. Don't just assume that the bevel is correct. Know your needs, i.e. your specific carving tasks, and get the right tools. You shouldn't rush this.





The cutting angle of your carving tool, or the length of the bevel, determines the strength of the wood you can carve. At its very basic, the greater the cutting angle, the steeper and shorter the bevel. The greater angle means more cutting strength on the edge. The stronger the edge, the harder the wood to be cut. What does it all mean?





If you're going to cut soft woods, you'll want a small cutting angle on your tool's edge. This is a very thin edge and makes for a very large bevel (a long backwards slope).





If you're going to cut hard woods, you'll want a large cutting angle on your tool's edge. This makes for a much thicker, slanted edge and a small bevel (short and steep).





Here is another important point to keep in mind. The size of the cutting angle on your edge can determine how much control you'll have when carving.





If you're using a carving tool with a small cutting angle and a large bevel, more of your hands can rest on the wood. This provides better control and, therefore, better carving. Unfortunately, your edge isn't as strong as it could be.





If you're using a carving tool with a large cutting angle and a small bevel, less of your hands can rest on the wood. This could make carving a bit clumsy because you've got much less control of your hands. It's a curious thing. You've a strong edge that cuts fast but mistakes are easily made.





Because we're talking about bevels, here are the three main types of bevels that can be found in wood carving: straight (square) bevels, rounded bevels (convex) and hollow (concave) bevels.





Straight bevels. As the name sounds, these bevels have a straight square edge. They provide the most efficient cutting and the greatest strength to the edge for its sharpness. Many wood carvers prefer this type of bevel.





Rounded bevels. The profile of a rounded bevel is convex and looks the exact opposite of a hollow bevel. More effort is needed to cut the wood because the wedge is normally thick. Therefore, cutting angles are large.





Hollow bevels. Hollow bevels are concave and look the exact opposite of a rounded bevel. It's a very unique shape but working with it isn't very easy. Oftentimes, the hollowed bevel will unknowingly ride up on the edge of a cut so you've got to watch every part of it all of the time.





When you know the fundamentals of how cutting angles on beveled edges affect cutting efficiency, you'll know so much about any cutting tool that you hold in your hand. Simple mistakes can be avoided and you'd be well on your way to becoming a skilled wood carver.


Proper Care of Wood Carving Gouges




Proper care of wood carving gouges is important in order to ensure the longevity and quality of your tools. Carving gouges are one of the most used tools when carving and therefore are prone to a lot of wear and tear. By following these tips you can get the most use out of them.





First and foremost purchase quality tools. Quality tools will stay sharper and cost less in the long run. When sharpening your tools do not grind them. You will want to use a whetstone and strop, otherwise you may damage the gouge. For your carving gouges you will also need a set of ceramic slip stones to get inside the tool as well. Make sure the sharp edges are well honed, otherwise the tools will not cut cleanly. You will notice a difference in your carving when using properly sharpened tools, as they will seem to glide through the wood with little effort.





When you are done using your tools clean them and make sure they are dry before storing them. Carving gouges can be stored in either plastic or leather cases. The most important thing is that the case keeps moisture out. You want to make sure the case is sturdy enough so that the gouges do not accidentally get chipped or damaged. Find a safe place to store your wood carving tools in their cases, such as a toolbox or tackle box. This will keep them safe from being accidentally dropped or having weighted items land on them.





Improper care can ruin the best tools. By making sure your wood carving gouges are properly sharpened, cleaned and stored you will ensure that they are not just easier to carve with but also that your finished pieces will look their best.


You Can Be a Woodcarver




WoodCarvers in History


Wood carving is as old as the dawn of time. Prehistoric man, with a bare minimum of tools, used wood, the most abundant resource available to carve hand tools, eating implements and weaponry. As man's knowledge grew, so too did wood carving for the first wheel, small water craft and weapons for hunting. Woodcarvers grew in intelligence and in skill. Over time, woodcarvers were revered for their skills and respected in their trade. Today, woodcarvers enjoy this ancient craft as a hobby.





What Does It Take to Be A Woodcarver?


A good set of carving tools, including a mallet, chipping tool and a strop. Choose softer woods when beginning this craft. As you go along, you may want to add files, rasps, glue, clips, chisels and clamps to your wood carver's tool box.





Wood Carving As A Hobby


Clocks, benches, small tables, chess pieces and other items can easily be carved from woods. There are many books and guides on how to develop wood carving skills as well as suggestions for wood carving projects. In addition, videos, class instructions and shop demonstrations are also available for the beginner. Most wood carvers find the craft soothing and a great outlet for pent-up creativity. Learning the basics is important in order to create wood carvings that reflect skills and talent.





Wood Carving Craft For Useful Household Items


A Wood carving craft is functional as well as fun. Household items like clocks, spatulas, spoon rests, photo frames and a wood carved photo album make wonderful gifts that are especially appreciated since they are handcrafted and one of a kind. Wood carving saves money spent on gifts for a special person. Wood carved ornaments such as creches, wreaths and some Christmas trees make holidays more enjoyable. This is also true of decorations for Valentine's Day and Halloween.


Sunday, February 20, 2011

Albrecht Durer - A Northern Renaissance Phenomenon in Painting, Woodcarving, and Copper Engraving




Albrecht Durer, a German painter, theorist, and printmaker, was recognized as one of the most important contributors of Renaissance in Northern Europe. His paintings depict his scrupulous attention to detail. He was born on May 21, 1471, in Nuremberg. His father was a goldsmith from Hungary, who immigrated to Germany in 1455. Albrecht Durer became an apprentice under his father and learnt from him goldsmithing and the fundamentals of drawing. Later, due to his prolific talent in drawing, Albrecht was trained under Michael Wolgemut at the age of 15 in 1486. While working under him, Durer nurtured his knowledge by learning woodcarving and copper engraving. The earliest work by the artist was in 1484, a self-portrait, "When I was a Child," in silverpoint.





As per Germany's apprentice training custom, 'Wanderjahre,' Albrecht left for North Europe in 1940 and travelled through Basel & Colmar in 1492, Strassbourg in 1493, to return to Nuremburg on July 7, 1494. On July 9, 1494, Albrecht was married to Agnes Frey, the daughter of a local businessperson. Within a quarter of his marriage, the artist alone ventured out to explore Italy. While travelling through Alps, the artist gave some of the first landscape paintings to Western Art, "Nemesis" being one of those. Albrecht's paintings demonstrated the influence of Italian painters, such as Antonio Pollaiuolo and Lorenzo di Credi. He regarded Giovanni Bellini, the great Italian artist, as his mentor.





After his return to Nuremberg in 1495, the artist started his workshop, where he ventured into woodcarving and would carry out the tedious form of printmaking effortlessly. The several wooden carvings he created depict religious influences, as in his masterpiece, "Apocalypse (1498)." Albrecht created sixteen designs of this work, famous among them is "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1497-98)." The series brought instant recognition to Albrecht, including from his European contemporaries. His other famous woodcarvings include a series of eleven designs on the "Holy Family" and a series of seventeen designs on the "Life of the Virgin (1503-1505)." Albrecht Durer also started experimenting with copper engravings. These works are themed around Madonna, religious figures, and commoners. His famous works of copper engravings span from "The Sea Monster (1498)," "Saint Eustace (1501)," to "Nemesis (1502)."





During 1505-1507, Durer again visited Italy and started using his paint on linen. While in Italy, the artist created famous altarpieces, such as "Paumgartner" and "the Adoration of the Magi." After returning to Nuremberg in mid 1507, he created other famous paintings, such as "Adam and Eve (1507)" and "Virgin with the Iris (1508)." From 1512, Maximilian I, the Roman Emperor, started giving regular work to the artist. Later, Durer created three of his masterpieces, "Knight, Death, and the Devil (1513)," "Saint Jerome in his Study (1514)," and "Melencolia I (1514)." These three engravings portrayed 'Northern Renaissance' and showed the three activities of human life. "Knight, Death, and the Devil" emphasize the ethical, "Melencolia" depicts the logical, while "St.Jerome," the introspective part of life. His other masterpiece was "Durer's Rhinoceros (1515)," a magnificent woodcarving that attained tremendous fame all across Europe. The Emperor died in 1519. In 1520, Durer travelled to the various parts of The Netherlands to return to Nuremberg in July 1521, after being diagnosed for a hampering illness.





Due to his ill health, the artist emphasized more on religious elements in his paintings like the "Crucifixion of Christ." In 1525, a couple of his books, "The Four Books on Measurement" were published at Nuremberg. He died on April 6, 1528, at the age of 56. His famous workshop is now a museum. Albrecht Durer was a great artist of 'Northern Renaissance,' a fact manifested in his huge following. He was an all-encompassing genius in painting, wooden printmaking, and copper engraving. He has quoted, "If a man devotes himself to art, much evil is avoided that happens otherwise if one is idle."


How to Make a Wooden Train - A Quick Overview For Novices




Trains are loved by children and adults all over the world. They never seem to go out of style. The train has made its way off the tracks and into our jewelry, our toys, and our lives. There are cartoon characters that are trains and there are books about living and talking trains. It may be the distinctive sounds that the train makes or the classic beauty of the older style, coal burning trains, but something about them has made them classics to have as toys and as decorations around the house. Some train sets even sell for thousands of dollars.





Wooden trains bring together the classic beauty of trains and combine it with the eloquence of wood. These trains tend to be bigger than the track models that various companies have made over the years. These trains are no less valuable or beautiful though. They can be both played with or kept as heirloom decorations. No matter what the intended use of the wooden train set is, the result will be a treasured work of art.





The most common style for a wooden train set it is the old style coal burning trains. The complexity of the trains depends greatly upon the function of the train. If the train is meant to be a piece of decoration, spending more time on the small details like the areas at the chimney of the train and the edging around the train is a good idea. If the train is destined to be a toy, these details can be over looked.





The standard idea for the train is to take a cylinder block, and attach a square block to the end of the cylinder. This creates the engine and the engineer's location. A chimney is typically designated as a second cylinder, attached to the first cylinder and going strait up. This is typically done by drilling a hole for the second cylinder in the first cylinder and then inserting and gluing the second cylinder in place. Again, the complexity of the details can be individualized. This is just a brief description. The whole thing can then be set on a second square block and wheels can be added to the train. A hook or eye can be attached to the back of the engine to allow one to attach the next car.





Most train cars are simple squares. The squares can be hollowed out or can be very shallow to allow for railings or such and the transport of different items. Each of these cars should have a hook on one side and an eye on the other to allow them to be attached to the other cars. Be sure to get the hooks and eyes lined up properly other wise the cars will not fit properly.





Painting of the train set can be done in a variety of manners. One can either paint each individual piece separately before assembling or one can paint the train once it is assembled. Another idea for the wooden train is to simply varnish the train to maintain the woods integrity while keeping it looking like wood. No matter how one decides to paint or decorate the train, it will be one of those beautiful works of wood crafting that will be treasured for years to come.


Styles in Interior Decoration




If you want to rearrange your living space in a professional manner, choose a certain style or leitmotif, and stick to it throughout the process of renovation of your apartment or house. There are so many different styles of decoration, furniture selection, design and equipment.





Classic style





A conservative choice of colors





Milder tones characterize a little more modern and relaxed approach to traditional style. If you want to strictly hold settings classic style, using the colors of precious stones with gold and silver accents.





The combination of old and new





Originals and reproductions of classic elements of the interior can be used together to achieve the more traditional views of the area.





Bedroom decorated in classical style is usually a dominant bed with canopy and wood carving, with the inevitable large panel headboard that is leaning on a multitude of large, nicely decorated bag. Next to the bed, in these rooms are (depending on available space) often include boudoir with a mirror, cabinets with large drawers and antique chests.





Classic style is characterized by large and lavish dining rooms and salons for dining. They are usually equipped with a large dining table, chairs, surrounded by slender lines with a square backs, with an extra sitting in the comfortable form of leather or upholstered chairs. Along with them are usually located in the dinning room and small round tables that can be easily moved as needed to serve tea or coffee from porcelain set (alternatively, there are carts for serving tea). These salons are often interconnected large glass doors which makes them easy to merge into one large space for family celebrations and gatherings. Although the classic style is no longer so strict, still characterized mainly by large pieces of wooden furniture on which at first glance sees the hand of a skilled craftsman and graceful lines. In recent times it is often mixed with modern materials and brighter colors that give the area a less formal but still elegant touch. Such an uncompromising blend of old and new is often shown as a winning combination for areas with a long tradition, such as old houses, villas, apartments with high ceilings and so on.





English "Country" style





There are many sub-versions of English "country" style, from traditional to very strictly formal, based on the maximum practical space. Traditional English country house originally belonged to farmers with simple desires and refined aesthetic demands. Materials and furniture were simple and functional, usually made by local craftsmen.





In this style, color, large areas have instinctively taken from nature. It is best to use fall colors: chestnut hue, various shades of green, pale yellow and orange give the space a warm and comfortable feature. Doors can be painted in bright or vivid, which is characteristic of the new chic house as are encountered in urban areas.





Equipment: hand-woven carpets, rugs, blankets, pillows and embroidered pattern furniture (usually inherited from older generations). All materials must have a line of age and wear, and should insist on old-fashioned bulky, but extremely comfortable furniture.





Furniture: Furniture is usually made of wood, iron and bronze. Good examples are dark oak chests with hand engravings, and a massive but simple wooden bookcase. The kitchens in these houses are mostly small and filled with cupboards, shelves, dishes and kitchen appliances. Kitchen table is large. English "country" style would necessarily require a large amount of fresh flowers, if possible, fireplaces and rich candlesticks that provide a comfortable space and a little festive atmosphere.





If you are in doubt keep the following tips: this style fits all, which is an archaic, somewhat worn down and everything that comes from nature.





Mediterranean style





Regional design: Italy, Greece, Turkey, North Africa and Southern Spain.





Design features:





Pointed out the thick stone walls with white cement and deep holes for windows, normally closed full wooden lounges,


Floors are paved with brick or terracotta with floral relief,


Everything is simple and practical,


Large beds with a canopy of bright embroidered linen,





Materials:Glass, quality wood, stone, knitted fabric, lace, reeds, brick, tiles





American Southwest





It is characterized by desert colors: yellow, blue, green cactus, gray mountains of Grand Canyon colors and unique designs that are the legacy of American Indians from Arizona, New Mexico and other regions of the United States.





There are two types of this style: "organic" version, with a huge furniture from roughly processed wood logs and planks, and pure natural materials like stone, iron and wood, as well as "urban" version, which is characterized by plastic decorations in the form of cactus and desert flowers, featuring images of the American West, the coyote figure, curves and the use of tiles in pastel colors, especially the peach color.





Commonly used color and other characteristics of the style:





Indian details


Organic materials, iron, wood, smooth stones,


Colorful fabric dyed with natural light colors,


Large furniture wooden logs, fireplaces and hearths,


Colors sunset in the desert, mountains and prairies.


Saturday, February 19, 2011

Care of Wood Lathe Tools




In order to get the most out of your lathe you will need sharp, well maintained tools. Wood lathe tools take a lot of abuse, much more so that most of the other equipment in your toolbox. This is simply as a result of the amount of wood they can go through in a short amount of time. Carving a large piece of wood that is turning at high velocity is enough to dull even the best chisel.





So what can you do to keep your tools sharp? The first and one of the most important things you should be doing is cleaning your chisels after each use. This small step will go a along way towards prolonging the lifetime of your tools and keeping them sharp. Taking good care of your chisel set with regular cleaning will result having to sharpen them less often and better results from your carving.





You want to keep your tools as sharp as possible, but you don't want to sharpen them too much. Each time you sharpen your wood lathe tools you are grinding a little bit of them away, and over the lifetime of your tools this will wear them down until they are little more than wood handles with little metal stubs on them. You might not have seen this happen, but believe me it does!





That said, all the cleaning in the world won't stop your tools from dulling if you use them frequently, at some point they will need to be sharpened. The process of sharpening a chisel is a fairly precise art, and the best thing to do is have an experienced wood turner show you how to do it. Failing that I would recommend watching a video of wood lathe tools being sharpened, as there's really no substitute for seeing it done.





With all that said I will give a quick overview of the steps needed to sharpen a chisel. First off you will need a tool grinder, preferably one that runs over three thousand RPM and for your wheel you will want aluminum oxide with something like sixty grit.





You should always wet your wheel with a little bit of water before sharpening, to prevent sparks and keep your tools from catching. Depending on the specific chisel or gouge you want to sharpen you will need to use different angles of attack and pressures to achieve the desired result. Tools should be applied to the wheel, with a light pressure, taking care not to force them as this can result in nicks and scratches, and it can be very dangerous if your tool catches at 3000 RPM.





With regular cleaning and sharpening you will keep your wood lathe tools at their best and your wood turning projects will never suffer because of inferior tools. There's nothing worse than working on a project for weeks only to have a gouge with a nick in it catch your spindle and snap it in two.


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