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 Proceeds 103

CHAPTER XII

ORIGINALITY

Dangers of Imposing Words--Novelty more Common than Originality--An Unwholesome Kind of "Originality" 108

CHAPTER XIII

PIERCED PATTERNS

Exercise in Background Pattern--Care as to Stability--Drilling and Sawing out the Spaces--Some Uses for Pierced Patterns 110

CHAPTER XIV

HARDWOOD CARVING

Carvings can not be Independent Ornaments--Carving Impossible on Commercial Productions--The Amateur Joiner--Corner Cupboards--Introduction of Foliage Definite in Form, and Simple in Character--Methods of Carving Grapes 115

CHAPTER XV

THE SKETCH-BOOK

Old Work Best Seen in its Original Place--Museums to be approached with Caution.--Methodical Memoranda--Some Examples--Assimilation of Ideas Better than Making Exact Copies 137

CHAPTER XVI

MUSEUMS

False Impressions Fostered by Fragmentary Exhibits--Environment as Important as Handicraft--Works Viewed as Records of Character--Carvers the Historians of their Time 149

CHAPTER XVII

STUDIES FROM NATURE--FOLIAGE

Medieval and Modern Choice of Form Compared--A Compromise Adopted--A List of Plant Forms of Adaptable Character 153

CHAPTER XVIII

CARVING ON FURNITURE

Furniture Constructed with a View to Carving--Reciprocal Aims of Joiner and Carver--Smoothness Desirable where Carving is Handled--The Introduction of Animals or Figures 161

CHAPTER XIX

THE GROTESQUE IN CARVING

Misproportion Not Essential to the Expression of Humor--The Sham Grotesque Contemptible--A True Sense of Humor Helpful to the Carver 180

CHAPTER XX

STUDIES FROM NATURE--BIRDS AND BEASTS

The Introduction of Animal Forms--Rude Vitality better than Dull "Natural History"--"Action"--Difficulties of the Study for Town-Bred Students--The Aid of Books and Photographs--Outline Drawing and Suggestion of Main Masses--Sketch-Book Studies, Sections, and Notes--Swiss Animal Carving--The Clay Model: its Use and Abuse 191

CHAPTER XXI

FORESHORTENING AS APPLIED TO WORK IN RELIEF

Intelligible Background Outline Better than Confused Foreshortening--Superposition of Masses 205

CHAPTER XXII

UNDERCUTTING AND "BUILT-UP" WORK

Undercutting as a Means and as an End; its Use and Abuse--"Built-up" Work--"Planted" Work--"Pierced" Work 214

CHAPTER XXIII

PICTURE SUBJECTS AND PERSPECTIVE

The Limitations of an Art not Safely Transgressed--Aerial Perspective Impossible in Relief--Linear Perspective only Possible in a Limited Way 219

CHAPTER XXIV

ARCHITECTURAL CARVING

The Necessity for Variety in Study--A Carver's View of the Study of Architecture; Inseparable from a Study of his own Craft--Importance of the Carpenter's Stimulating Influence upon the Carver--Carpenters' Imitation of Stone Construction Carried too Far 223

CHAPTER XXV

SURFACE FINISH--TEXTURE

Tool Marks, the Importance of their Direction--The Woody Texture Dependent upon Clearness of Cutting and Sympathetic Handling 234

CHAPTER XXVI

CRAFT SCHOOLS, PAST AND PRESENT

The Country Craftsman of Old Times--A Colony of Craftsmen in Busy Intercourse--The Modern Craftsman's Difficulties: Embarrassing Variety of Choice 240