Carving
Posted: January 3rd, 2009, 8:31 pm
Why carve?
Many artists don't but there are valid reasons to do so other than being a CarvingJunkie.
Make a cut off branch a feature
Conceal a flat cut, large or small
Make a feature out of trunk damage
Carve taper into a straight trunk
Add character to deadwood
Refine deadwood from coarse to weatherworn
Get proportion, harmony and balance into the tree
Start by needing to improve a tree by adding carving details.
Observe deadwood in the wild and looking through books at carving features. Bonsai Today issues 103/104/105 have feature articles on carving.
Recommended equipment for small/medium trees - Dremel. For larger jobs a die grinder and specialised bits are good but I do small jobs and the Dremel works well. The Ozito, while much cheaper, is much cheaper and does not have the guts that the Dremel has, not that the Dremel has that much, but it is better to pay more and get better. Also recommended with the Dremel is the Dremel Flexishaft that allows greater freedom in carving, particularly in tight spots. When I'm working on olives and elms I just take it more slowly so I don't burn out the Dremel.
The Dremel comes with a flock of bits but not many of these are of use for bonsai carving. I have found the following bits to be excellent and can use 8 - 10 in one carving job.
107* 110* 115* 116* 117 121 124 190 193 194* 196* 9905 9934* [tungsten] 7117 [haven't used this but it looks good]. The numbers with an asterisk are particularly good. I have also gone on line and ordered burr bits from England that are wonderfully aggressive.
If you go to http://www.dremel.com and click Accessories then Carving you should be able to see the above bits. To get them is a case of going to several hardware stores, HobbyCo or Carbatech [Auburn, Sydney]. Hobbyco was recommended by a model maker but I have not checked this out yet.
Most important aspect of carving is SAFETY. You can buy another Dremel, another bit or another tree but you only have one pair of eyes. ALWAYS wear safety goggles. You should also wear a mask as the sawdust from some trees, like olives, are poisonous.
I follow THREE rules when carving
It MUST look natural
It MUST tell a story [have a reason]
You MUST refine your work to remove all manmade traces
I can take months to do a tree. One or two initial sessions to get the foundations going, a break of a day/week/month to just look at the tree and plan the next step. A second/third session/occasionally more to just get the basic carving done. And then another sitting period before any final adjustments and refinement, refinement, refinement.
Once I am satisfied with the carving and the finishing I leave the tree for at least 3-4 months so any exposed cambium can heal over and then I apply full strength lime sulphur AFTER thoroughly wetting the deadwood for at least half an hour.
Lime Sulphur can be purchased from Bunnings or any hardware or garden shop. It is deadly to roots so don't let it get in the soil. Take great care to ensure it does not drip down the deadwood and into the soil. Putting lime sulphur on dry wood is fine but it will take the wood weeks and weeks to season from yellow to a silvery grey. If you wet the wood well before using lime sulphur it goes on yellow and is silvery grey by the next day. Apply it with CHEAP paintbrushes because it will eat through most of the brush by the time the job is done. Remember, lime sulphur full strength for hardening deadwood.
Hints:
You can get greater detail carving hardwoods but should use less detail carving softwoods as the wood deteriorates too quickly.
Softwood trees [maples, pyracanthas, privet] would normally have deadwood rotting off in natural habitats but you can do it with discretion.
Try to avoid taking deadwood to the soil to minimise rotting from constant contact with the damp medium.
Don't carve straight lines - even a crack will not weather evenly
Shadows and depth are most important - it is the shadows that highlight and beautify your carving
Nature is not right or left handed so be sure your carving is balanced in both directions
Do and Do again
Stop carving before you go too far
If it looks hand carved you have not refined it enough
Timbermate puts out a wood hardener 'Earls Wood Hardener'. It works but it is expensive unless you do a lot of carving and it can sparkle which is not a feature you often see in nature. Lime sulphur temporarily eliminates this aspect but I am noticing it does come back.
Carving is not for everyone but for others it is an absolute thrill to take a round cutoff branch and turn it into a shari or jin that looks as tho it has been beautifully ravaged by years in the elements.
Many artists don't but there are valid reasons to do so other than being a CarvingJunkie.
Make a cut off branch a feature
Conceal a flat cut, large or small
Make a feature out of trunk damage
Carve taper into a straight trunk
Add character to deadwood
Refine deadwood from coarse to weatherworn
Get proportion, harmony and balance into the tree
Start by needing to improve a tree by adding carving details.
Observe deadwood in the wild and looking through books at carving features. Bonsai Today issues 103/104/105 have feature articles on carving.
Recommended equipment for small/medium trees - Dremel. For larger jobs a die grinder and specialised bits are good but I do small jobs and the Dremel works well. The Ozito, while much cheaper, is much cheaper and does not have the guts that the Dremel has, not that the Dremel has that much, but it is better to pay more and get better. Also recommended with the Dremel is the Dremel Flexishaft that allows greater freedom in carving, particularly in tight spots. When I'm working on olives and elms I just take it more slowly so I don't burn out the Dremel.
The Dremel comes with a flock of bits but not many of these are of use for bonsai carving. I have found the following bits to be excellent and can use 8 - 10 in one carving job.
107* 110* 115* 116* 117 121 124 190 193 194* 196* 9905 9934* [tungsten] 7117 [haven't used this but it looks good]. The numbers with an asterisk are particularly good. I have also gone on line and ordered burr bits from England that are wonderfully aggressive.
If you go to http://www.dremel.com and click Accessories then Carving you should be able to see the above bits. To get them is a case of going to several hardware stores, HobbyCo or Carbatech [Auburn, Sydney]. Hobbyco was recommended by a model maker but I have not checked this out yet.
Most important aspect of carving is SAFETY. You can buy another Dremel, another bit or another tree but you only have one pair of eyes. ALWAYS wear safety goggles. You should also wear a mask as the sawdust from some trees, like olives, are poisonous.
I follow THREE rules when carving
It MUST look natural
It MUST tell a story [have a reason]
You MUST refine your work to remove all manmade traces
I can take months to do a tree. One or two initial sessions to get the foundations going, a break of a day/week/month to just look at the tree and plan the next step. A second/third session/occasionally more to just get the basic carving done. And then another sitting period before any final adjustments and refinement, refinement, refinement.
Once I am satisfied with the carving and the finishing I leave the tree for at least 3-4 months so any exposed cambium can heal over and then I apply full strength lime sulphur AFTER thoroughly wetting the deadwood for at least half an hour.
Lime Sulphur can be purchased from Bunnings or any hardware or garden shop. It is deadly to roots so don't let it get in the soil. Take great care to ensure it does not drip down the deadwood and into the soil. Putting lime sulphur on dry wood is fine but it will take the wood weeks and weeks to season from yellow to a silvery grey. If you wet the wood well before using lime sulphur it goes on yellow and is silvery grey by the next day. Apply it with CHEAP paintbrushes because it will eat through most of the brush by the time the job is done. Remember, lime sulphur full strength for hardening deadwood.
Hints:
You can get greater detail carving hardwoods but should use less detail carving softwoods as the wood deteriorates too quickly.
Softwood trees [maples, pyracanthas, privet] would normally have deadwood rotting off in natural habitats but you can do it with discretion.
Try to avoid taking deadwood to the soil to minimise rotting from constant contact with the damp medium.
Don't carve straight lines - even a crack will not weather evenly
Shadows and depth are most important - it is the shadows that highlight and beautify your carving
Nature is not right or left handed so be sure your carving is balanced in both directions
Do and Do again
Stop carving before you go too far
If it looks hand carved you have not refined it enough
Timbermate puts out a wood hardener 'Earls Wood Hardener'. It works but it is expensive unless you do a lot of carving and it can sparkle which is not a feature you often see in nature. Lime sulphur temporarily eliminates this aspect but I am noticing it does come back.
Carving is not for everyone but for others it is an absolute thrill to take a round cutoff branch and turn it into a shari or jin that looks as tho it has been beautifully ravaged by years in the elements.
...ill even shorten my avatar...