Using Circles
Carver’s block is like writer’s block – how do I move forward? When it happens to me, it is usually in the form of having a piece of wood and an idea, but I’m not sure how to execute the design idea with the wood I have. Often the wood has a thinner profile than what I would like, so I start sketching my idea on graph paper. I was walking my dog one morning and saw a Bittern take the classic stance with his head in the air so the stripes on it’s body were like camouflage blending in with the surrounding vegetation. I wanted to carve this. I had a piece Brazilian walnut but it was only 3.5 centimeters thick, so I applied some design techniques I learned in a sculpture design course I took over 40 years ago; provide circles in the design to keep the eye moving and you provide a pleasing experience for the observer. In the picture I drew in my note book you can see the design profile and the various circles for eye movement. The picture of two completed Bitterns 21 and 18 cm high and 3.5 cm thick were from my sketched design.