Carving

Carving is similar to sculpting or modelling, however can be more problematic. Carving, as the name suggests, means using various tools such as knives, files and other blades to remove material to reach an end result.

Famous renaissance artist Michelangelo is famous for his skill at carving; particularly marble. Michelangelo once famously quoted, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free” highlighing the nature of the art. In the same vein, we must also recognise that carving often means that once something is removed, it's removed, making it a very delicate and expensive art.

Carving can be experimented with, though it can be on the costly side compared to the other techniques you may wish to incorporate on a final project. Since carving can be done on many materials such as wood, stone bone and even ivory, it’s a versatile technique with which to experiment. It's advisable to first create three dimensional carving ideas using modelling clay or cheaper modelling materials to get the final product well planned before moving on to more expensive materials. The prototypes used will be good evidence in your portfolio for idea development so remember to photograph each attempt and collect for your working diary.

A good research for the history behind carving is the Louvre in Paris, home to the largest collection of carvings throughout history. Click here.