I have had little time to devote to this project, or any carving leading up to and during the Christmas and New Year Season. However quite a bit of progress has been made on The Bound Heart Lovespoon since the last post. For this reason I will post mainly photos, to illustrate the WIP, with less written commentary until I reach the finishing process.
The dragon featured on this design is the traditional Welsh flag dragon except for his tail positioning, which overlays some of the Celtic knot-work, to be carved next. This overlaying is also intended to make the traditional heraldic style of the dragon fit with the overall art nouveau style of the lovespoon.
So as with the other carved elements in the design, the overall form of the dimensional space for the dragon to occupy, is shaped and then the dragon’s main forms are drawn over this prepared area, ready for carving the dragon’s form.
Levels are first established for the various parts and the carving proceeds downward through the form, re-drawing the various parts as their level is reached.
The ribbon structure upon which the dragon stands is carved in conjunction with the dragon as it bends downward around the left lobe of the heart. At the same time the dimensional travel of the doubled-over long ‘S’ bends of the tail, need to lay harmoniously and with fair curves over the intended knot-work on the right hand side.
Gradually the parts of the dragon form are carved with outlining stop cuts carved back to, with shallow gouges with sometimes direct chisel edged cuts, or at other times, long slicing cuts, almost parallel to the stop cut. The latter when cutting against the, often changing grain direction, makes it necessary.
With the main form of the dragon established and the bolder details added, it is time to leave the detailed refining of the dragon to a later stage. The next element for attention will be the Celtic knot-work and the overlaying dragon tail.
Lovespoons, Graphics and other Wood-Art 