Shop route or studio route?

[mikeg]

So, in keeping with Ivan's article, did you come to carving from woodworking or from another artistic medium? I came from the shop. And even though I know Ivan said that his examples were extremes, I do find that I do like clean cuts and an even finish. How about you?

mikeg

[whitecree]

Haven't seen the article yet, but I came to carving by way of 1) drawing & painting, and 2) being drawn into helping carve a pair of 42 foot dugout canoes. What a blast!

[Hugh]

The dug out canoes sounds like an interesting project. I think I've read your posts about doing them.
My grandfather and his work shop, filled with wood shavings, sawdust, home made tools, the smell of wood, the wood stove crackling, the whole atmosphere left me with a life long love, of working with wood.

[squbrigg]

Interesting article, but curious if it can be simplified to just two forms.

Coming from a ship modelling background I believe I must be the plans and clean cut kind of guy! In that field, everything has to be so exact and exactly according to the plan.......BUT! Nothing is ever as it seems! I also have this bent and twisted need to carve scenes of the sea involving vessels under sail in a variety of conditions, not following any specific plan, but focused mostly on the seas conditions. I did a couple already and plan to do more, and it's like an obsession that I have to do, and none of what I produce is "the right one"! Very artisitc, and at complete odds with my other side, but it is there and undenable!

Bob

[millhoused]

I came to carving by driving by a sign that said wood carving show.

It was the Miami Valley woodcarvers show in Middletown Ohio.

I stopped in and was hooked.

This is a wonderful hobby. Perhaps one day it can be my full time job.

I'll have to get a lot more serious about it for that to happen.

Thanks,
Don

[hi ho sliver]

I was an artist and did oil painting for many years and also had a wood shop, then one day I heard a loud click, like two magnets stuck together and viola! there it was the two merged and now I can't unstick 'em!

[Kenny_S]

Being a somewhat soso artist and woodworker,Building cabinets whathave you, I came to wood carving and now I am a somewhat soso carver.

[Tom H]

Same here Kenny. But less than a so-so carver. Retired at 50. But had to keep busy. Taught woodshop in early 60's, so got back into it by building cabinets for local shops. Built a 24 x 30 shop on the back of garage, after 12 years the cabinets suddenly got real heavy. My wife refused to help me move and deliver them. Had do do something with wood. Thought carving might be interesting. Had always been a dremel user for Noahs Ark animals, but never thought of it as carving. Bought a Murphy bench knife and started using up the wood scraps. Don't carve in the shop, too dusty for the computer. Converted an unused bedroom for carving. I got it made...Now if I could just carve a little better. Tom H

[Aliciana]

We had a cottage on a Lake and I was always looking for interesting pieces of wood especially Hard Maple ,when they die and eventually fall ,they have some really odd branches ,suddenly I had a knife in my hand and I would make the Branches more interesting and then it developed into something else and there it began, carving but I never stayed away from gnarled wood ,or found wood. or Driftwood
Aliciana

[watercarving]

I've always wanted to carve since I was a kid. I didn't come into it from shop or studio. I've always liked the creative side of thing and have played music for years so it's not a surprise to be involved in something artsy.