Remember--the laws which govern all good art must be known before they can be obeyed; they are subtle, but unalterable. The conditions most favorable to your craft must first be understood before these laws can be recognized. There yet remains at your own disposal that devotion of energy which is the first essential step, both in the direction of obtaining clearer views and in conquering technical difficulties.
I have to thank the following gentlemen for their assistance in providing photographs for some of the illustrations: Messrs. Bedford Lemere & Co.--H. Sandland--Charles C. Winmill--W. Weir--J. R. Holliday and F. K. Rives.
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
Average Number of Tools required by Carvers--Selection for Beginners--Description of Tools--Position when in Use--Acquisition by Degrees 31
Different Stones in Use--Case for Stones--Slips--Round Mallet Best--A Home-Made Bench--A Makeshift Bench--Cramps and Clips 42
Hard Wood and Soft Wood--Closeness of Grain Desirable--Advantages of Pine and English Oak 48
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
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
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
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
Necessity for every Carver Making his own Designs--Method of Carving Rounded Forms on a Sunk Ground 88
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
Adaptation of Old Designs to Modern Purposes--"Throwing About"--Critical Inspection of Work from a Distance as it Proceeds 103