Читать книгу Illustrated Guide to Carving Tree Bark - Jack A. Williams - Страница 7

Cottonwood bark is my choice as the ultimate media for carving due to its rough exterior surface and the beautiful red and gold tones found in the interior of the bark. On average, cottonwood bark is one of the easiest carving materials to use due to its softness, but I have found an occasional piece to be nearly as hard as rock. These, thankfully, are few and far between.

When I began carving bark, I followed the trend and carved wood spirits like so many other carvers. I found this to be fun but looked to find a more individual way of challenging my progressing carving skills. I soon found that more unique shapes better held my interest. Over time, I learned to take advantage of the natural irregularities and textures in cottonwood bark, using them to create carvings of whimsical houses and castles.

Back then I thought the best kind of bark for carving was five inches thick, five inches wide and two feet long. These approximate dimensions were wonderful for realistic face carving and for wood spirits. My ideas concerning the “perfect” piece of bark have most certainly changed.

I now purposely look for twisted, gnarled, uniquely shaped pieces of cottonwood bark. Some of the bark I pick up almost tells me what to carve just by its basic shape. With these pieces, I can create lighthouses, churches, tree houses and more. I utilize natural flaws and lines in the bark to enhance my whimsical creations.

I believe that you can force any carving out of a block of basswood or butternut, but when carving a whimsical house or other figure in bark, the bark truly leads you in the right direction. For this very reason, my houses are like fingerprints. There will never be two that are exactly alike.

Shanty on Beaver Creek

1½" thick, 3" wide, 8" long

Carved from Eastern Cottonwood Bark; lacquer and wax finish