7

Author's Preface 15

CHAPTER I

PREAMBLE

Student and Apprentice, their Aims and Conditions of Work--Necessity
for Some Equality between Theory and Practise--The Student's
Opportunity lies on the Side of Design 25

CHAPTER II

TOOLS

Average Number of Tools required by Carvers--Selection for
Beginners--Description of Tools--Position when in Use--Acquisition
by Degrees 31

CHAPTER III

SHARPENING-STONES--MALLET AND BENCH

Different Stones in Use--Case for Stones--Slips--Round Mallet
Best--A Home-Made Bench--A Makeshift Bench--Cramps and Clips 42

CHAPTER IV

WOODS USED FOR CARVING

Hard Wood and Soft Wood--Closeness of Grain Desirable--Advantages
of Pine and English Oak 48

CHAPTER V

SHARPENING THE TOOLS

The Proper Bevel--Position of Tools on Oilstone--Good and Bad
Edge--Stropping--Paste and Leather--Careless Sharpening--Rubbing
Out the Inside--Stropping Fine Tools--Importance of Sharp Tools 52

CHAPTER VI

"CHIP" CARVING

Its Savage Origin--A Clue to its only Claim to Artistic
Importance--Monotony better than Variety--An Exercise in Patience
and Precision--Technical Methods 63

CHAPTER VII

THE GRAIN OF THE WOOD

Obstinacy of the Woody Fiber--First Exercise in Grounding--Description
of Method--Cutting the Miters--Handling of Tools, Danger of
Carelessness--Importance of Clean Cutting 69

CHAPTER VIII

IMITATION OF NATURAL FORMS

Difficulties of Selection and Arrangement--Limits of an Imitative
Treatment--Light and Distance Factors in the Arrangement of a
Design--Economy of Detail Necessary--The Word "Conventional" 82

CHAPTER IX

ROUNDED FORMS

Necessity for every Carver Making his own Designs--Method
of Carving Rounded Forms on a Sunk Ground 88

CHAPTER X

THE PATTERNED BACKGROUND

Importance of Formal Pattern as an Aid to Visibility--Pattern
and Free Rendering Compared--First Impressions Lasting--Medieval
Choice of Natural Forms Governed by a Question of Pattern 96

CHAPTER XI

CONTOURS OF SURFACE

Adaptation of Old Designs to Modern Purposes--"Throwing
About"--Critical Inspection of Work from a Distance as it Proceed