WOOD SCULPTURE: MATERIALS AND TOOLS
Sculpture is
derived from the Latin word “sculptura” which
means to carve. A sculpture
is a three dimensional art form. Its medium is varied as it includes wood,
clay, stones and any other object that can be made into an artistic rendering. Wood
sculpture is therefore
the art of making figures or designs in relief or the round by carving wood.
Even though
there is a wide range of wood available on the Ghanaian market, not all these
wood are suitable for carving. The Ghanaian sculptor can choose from the
following in carving a piece. The most suitable for carving is the ebony
also known as the dark wood. There are others like the “Burmese teak”
popularly known as the teak, the rosewood,
the mahogany
and the “)sese”.
There is also a
wide range of carving tools available to the sculptor.
The sculptor can choose
the locally manufactured one or the imported ones from Germany, Japan and
Italy.
The most
important of the carving tools is the carving bench where all the carving is
done. There is also the bench vice
which holds the piece during the carving process. There is the wood saw
for cutting the wood. Ghanaian sculptors make use of other carving tools like
the saw file
for sharpening the saw. The plane
is used for shaping the wood in board carving. Ghanaian sculptors also make use
of the carving stone which is used to sharpen the tools.
The U-gorge is
used for taking out the sketch and the V-gorge for designing the wood during
the carving process. The chisel
is used to mortise and dress the art, the file
which is used for dressing the work or the art. The spoke shave
is used to smooth the work after carving. Finally, the make use of the square and the tape measure
for measuring the length of the wood.
Before the
sculptor comes out with a beautiful piece like the one above, he would have to make
a choice between the woods mentioned and also use each of the carving tools
for its right purpose to arrive at an amazing piece just like this one.
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