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I began my sculpting career as a
woodcarver, carving wood exclusively for ten years. Then I went to Vermont
and attended a marble carving class. It was a revelation. I was fascinated
by the variety of textural possibilities - the rough broken surface, the
unique marks produced by the different tools, the polished surface which
brought out stone's color. It was exciting to watch the way the stone
broke, always just a little out of your control, when drilled for
splitting with feathers and wedges or when struck with the hammer and
pitching tool. Stone opened up a whole range of new sculptural
possibilities for me.
People look at stone and wonder, "How can anyone
possibly carve that?" With some experience and the proper tools, I find
that I can now work the softer stones as easily as wood. Granite is
another matter, but with diamond saws and carbide tipped pneumatic tools,
that too can be shaped into beautiful forms.
This brief online tutorial will give you an overview of
the most popular stones for carving, the tools used, and the carving
process. With a little knowledge and the proper tools, carving stone can
be fun. Pick up a hammer and point chisel, find a stone - and just start
carving.
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