StampCarvingClass

SAMPLES: There are four gorgeous samples ready to view.

SUPPLIES/INSTRUCTIONS:
   Here are some of the things I did when I started--which wasn't that long ago. At the end of the lesson, I will give you the web address of the Carving Consortium. It is a good place to check out more detailed instructions with illustrations, and there are links to many helpful sites to keep you learning and seeing what the real carvers are doing. Ü
   The Speedball kit I bought includes a block of their carving material (I really like theirs), an instruction sheet with a few drawings you can trace and transfer to your block and carve. Also it has two v-gouge carving blades and a wooden handle they slip into. Later I purchased a different carving set of theirs that has a handle and several blades so I have a smaller v-gouge, and a handle that is easier to get the blades in and out of.
   The first thing you do is come up with a little drawing that you would like to carve. Hearts are a good start. They are an easy shape--everyone can draw one, and even if it is kind of lopsided, hey it is Folk Art! Cut your carving block with an exacto knife a bit bigger than your drawing. Make sure you cut your block with the bottom surface a little larger than the top surface. Your carved image will last longer and stamp better. If you are good at drawing, you can take a pencil and draw right on your carving material. I prefer to draw on a piece of paper, cut it to the same size you have cut your carving block, and lay your drawing face down on your block.Then hold it securely onto the block and take your finger nail and burnish over the lines you have drawn. You can lift up an edge to see if it is transfering. If it isn't, keep rubbing. If you are going to carve letters or numbers, make sure they are backwards on your block, so they stamp frontwards.
   Now take your #1 or #2 V-gouge and carve along the lines of your drawing. Make sure you carve away from your design, and it helps to place your block onto a nice thick phonebook while you are carving. You can let your wrist hang over the edge of the book. This just lets you dig a shallow groove as you carve. You don't want to go real deep. Also turn your block as you carve around your image, don't move your hand. After you have carved around your image once, go around it one more time. Now you can carve everything away that isn't the image you drew. After you have carved away some, ink up your block with a dye ink pad and stamp it so you can see where you need to carve more away. You will end up inking and stamping and carving away more several times. Just keep carving until you get the look you want. And about those little lines around the image--some people love them (me included), and some people want to keep carving until there are no little lines. It is up to you.
   When your carving is complete, you might want to mount it onto double stick cushion. I also then put mine onto Halos loop. The carving material reacts to the glue in the loop unless you put the cushion on it first.
   I hope this has helped you decide to give carving a try. Please email me if you have any questions. Lou Ann.