Basic Wood Carving Class

(2 days) Familiarize yourself with the tools and materials of the trade during this preface to wood carving.  Each student will create an address plaque to take home. Learn to sharpen and control the chisels you will use  to carve recessed numbers & letters, the staple of any sign carver. You will add a recessed ornament to enhance your design and receive instruction on how to seal the wood so it is ready for paint or gold leaf.

Intermediate Wood Carving Class

(4 Days) The goal of this class is to introduce the student to three dimensional sculptural wood carving. Working in front of a mirror, you will transfer the reflection to a wood block and carve  in relief.  As you become more comfortable  you will increase  depth by exploring the proportions and contours of your image and translate them to the wood by removing the superfluous material  from the block.  Dave Clarke will coach you how to see in three dimensions.  Essential  for creating 3-dimensional sculpture.  Students are not expected to finish their carving by the end of the class but leave with an exceptional  foundation of portrait carving.

Gilding Workshop

(1 Day) There is something magical about a gilded wood carving! It is distinctive and alive. The gilded surfaces reflect off each other, dramatizing the subject. This one-day workshop focuses on the art of applying and burnishing gold leaf successfully over complex carved shapes. Learn how to properly prepare the wood.  Knowing exactly when the sizing is ready to accept gold is probably the best lesson any gilder can learn. You will learn it from experience as well as a few other tricks I use in gilding. This fun workshop is a must for anyone wishing to produce wood carvings professionally.

Drawing From a Live Model Workshops

(2 evenings per month) Every other Tuesday evening , the Clarke Artworks studio features a live nude model to work from.  Drawing from a live model, or figure drawing, is an art form that is both challenging and fun. Utilize the model to develop ideas and concepts in any medium you wish. Participants are welcome to draw or paint during the sessions. This is not a lesson but an open workshop for people who wish to practice their art. You do not need to have previous experience, or worry that you have "no talent." There are no grades or judgment involved. It's a simple evening of inspiring music, a professional model, and your creativity.

Catered One-On-One Workshop

Classes cater to the individual, on a one-on-one basis, with specific learning needs. Let me know how what you would like to learn and we will spend the day focusing on that specific area of instruction. Whether you wish to continue training from a previous class or workshop or desire to learn something new the  personal attention you will receive  can be rewarding.

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