carving patterns

[stave]

I have received a great many queries concerning carving patterns on my website and through other avenues. I was wondering what the real interest among novice carvers is. Being there are a number of carvers on this site I thought I would throw it out there and gather your opinions.

It has been suggested by some that there is a need for patterns for relief carvings of all kinds and 3-D carvings to a lesser degree. My thought is to produce patterns, photographs of the finished piece, short concise instructions about where to start etc and to provide a basswood blank for the project. The idea is to produce a kit so to speak while trying to keep it in the $25 to $35 range with shipping included. Does this appeal to anyone's interests and do you think this is a fair price?

I would deeply appreciate any and all comments from anyone who has input to give.

Thanks for taking the time to offering your opinion.

Stave

 

[b4man]

Fantastic idea! I hope you'll run with it.

Not sure about pattern ideas tho. If I were given a choice I might choose grapes or maybe a kids theme..

Scott M gave me a kit much like you are describing to learn Intarsia. He had picked up several of these kits a while back. It was a wonderful ornament with 3 types of wood and a very simple instruction sheet and pattern.

Good luck and I want to order one!

 

[ScottM]

Stave, I do think there is a market especially at the beginner/novice level. I would be interested.


Barbara did you attempt that bell yet?

 

[silbendy]

As someone interested in learning carving that hasn't gotten past the research stage (working on finding tools from your suggestions presently) I think this would be a great idea. If you put together kits to work through a progression of learning skills it could really take off. Say the first few kits designed to just give people basic familiarity with tools and then from there add a progression of kits that each teach one skill you would teach someone if they were working with you regularly.

If you designed it that way you could have a series of explanation of the techniques on your website with the kits for learning that technique listed on the page explaining that skill. Once you have it developed well it could turn into an online course (or series of courses) or a book.

I definitely would be interested myself if you were to do this.

 

[cskipper]

I think it is a great idea too. You might want to offer a couple different patterns for the first few levels.

 

[KenOfCary]

I would definitely be interested. I've purchased several patterns from different sources.

I recently purchased something similar to what you're describing from the Nora Hall website. It was a DVD with a video of her carving the pattern, the pattern as a PDF file on the DVD, and a plaster cast of the finished carving. It also had a list of the tools that she used to do the carving. This was a grape cluster, which I'm currently working on to apply to a Wine Cabinet that I'm making.

I've been trying different schemes with this and another grape cluster pattern (which I think I like better) trying to decide whether to carve it as an overlay or directly into the front drop down door.

I'm not sure you would need to supply the Basswood as part of the kit as this is readily available at most wood or woodworking outlets. And in the case of my grape cluster, I'll be doing it in either Maple or Walnut. The cabinet is Maple so either it will blend in or contrast.

Part of the process is learning to carve hardwoods.

Your pricing seems about right, the DVD made the Nora Hall offering a bit more expensive.

- Ken.