The Craxford Snelling Workshop

Naturalistic Leaf Having to add an extra leaf onto the back/bottom of the original due to project brief stating multiple leaves (I missed this). So more roughing out. Trying to make each leaf work together throughout the carving, not necessarily touching but getting the direction and volumes to work together. I like the scutch hammer,…

Brushed Lettering Started the day by drawing out a skeleton alphabet, to help guide my brush strokes, and also practice my proportions. By first break I had finished my first alphabet. After going through this alphabet with Phil, we found several things I should watch. Most notably my thins were far too thin. Making the…

Brushed Lettering Long piece of paper, around five to six feet in my case, with a chalk line marked on at ninety millimetre/three and three quarter inches. This is with a three-eighth’s brush (or ten millimetres). The ‘ink’ we’re using is watered down Gouache, just lighter than single cream. Looking after the brush using gouache…

Naturalistic Leaf Mostly worked with the punch and deer foot, still working volumes and figuring out composition. Feels good working in the round and free carving. Much harder. End of day photos. CSW Ltd. Sign

Naturalistic Leaf Started the last carving project, only spent half, or less, on it but am happy with the start and where I want to take it. mostly used the point and punch but also used the scutch comb. Found it was actually usefully for getting a rough idea of where I wanted a shape…

Brushed Lettering Practiced brushed lettering before Phil’s workshop. Using ‘The Origin of the Serif’ by Father Catich and ‘Writing and Illuminating and Lettering’ by Johnston. Lots of work still to do. But practicing the strokes will hopefully help mastering the forms.

Torso Modelling Last day today, lots of intuitive modelling, Kim giving us measurements we ask for as we need them. Divided areas on Phil and the clay into day manageable areas so we can better see the changes of planes and the lines of the figure. Need to think about the shape/flow of the line.…

Torso Modelling Started again with some measurements around the neck and shoulders, working from the sternum notch to the termination of the neck. Need to think about how. Cutting at an angle, leaving rough modelling etc. think about why it doesn’t look right. How does it relate to the rest of the carving? I took…

The Floating One Did a half scale drawing of both the original design and the redesign I did, to check both fit inside the stone. Torso Modelling Missed two days. Kim said not to try and catch up. Focus on what’s next. Trying to keep the level of modelling the same all over. Looking at…

3rd Year Work Work on maquettes over the weekend and today, just photos of some of the work.