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Carving the acanthus leaf / written and illustrated by Mary May.

By: Publication details: Fort Mitchell : Lost Art Press, 2017.Description: xii, 311 pages : illustrations ; 29 cmISBN:
  • 9780997870268
Subject(s):
Contents:
1. The Acanthus Leaf: A Rite of Passage for the Classical Woodcarver -- 2. Getting Started with Woodcarving -- 3. Getting Started -- 4. The Basic Acanthus Leaf -- 5. The Basic Acanthus Leaf With a Twist -- 6. Acanthus Leaf on a Moulding -- 7. Rosette -- 8. Acanthus Leaf on a Cabriole Leg -- 9. Acanthus Leaf on a Turning -- 10. Acanthus Leaf on a Bracket -- 11. The Italian Renaissance Leaf -- 12. Italian Renaissance With an Added Twist -- 13. Scandinavian-style Leaf -- 14. The Greek Acanthus Leaf -- 15. The French Rococo Leaf -- 16. The Baroque Leaf
Summary: Learning to carve the acanthus leaf is – for carvers – like a pianist learning a Chopin étude, a young oil painter studying the genius of Rembrandt or an aspiring furniture maker learning to cut dovetails by hand. For carvers, especially those who focus on Classical Western ornament, there comes a time they will inevitably encounter the acanthus leaf, learn it, master it and finally incorporate it into their own designs. “Carving the Acanthus Leaf” by Mary May is a deep exploration into this iconic leaf, which has been a cornerstone of Western ornamentation for thousands of years. May, a professional carver and instructor, starts her book at the beginning. She covers carving tools and sharpening with the efficiency of someone who has taught for years. Then she plunges the reader directly into the work. It begins with a simple leaf that requires just a few tools. The book then progresses through 13 variations of leaves up to the highly ornate Renaissance and Rococo forms. Each lesson builds on the earlier ones as the complexity slowly increases.
Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Call number Status Barcode
Book Book CGLAS Library Blue 736.41 MAY (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Available 13114

Includes bibliographical references.

1. The Acanthus Leaf: A Rite of Passage for the Classical Woodcarver -- 2. Getting Started with Woodcarving -- 3. Getting Started -- 4. The Basic Acanthus Leaf -- 5. The Basic Acanthus Leaf With a Twist -- 6. Acanthus Leaf on a Moulding -- 7. Rosette -- 8. Acanthus Leaf on a Cabriole Leg -- 9. Acanthus Leaf on a Turning -- 10. Acanthus Leaf on a Bracket -- 11. The Italian Renaissance Leaf -- 12. Italian Renaissance With an Added Twist -- 13. Scandinavian-style Leaf -- 14. The Greek Acanthus Leaf -- 15. The French Rococo Leaf -- 16. The Baroque Leaf

Learning to carve the acanthus leaf is – for carvers – like a pianist learning a Chopin étude, a young oil painter studying the genius of Rembrandt or an aspiring furniture maker learning to cut dovetails by hand. For carvers, especially those who focus on Classical Western ornament, there comes a time they will inevitably encounter the acanthus leaf, learn it, master it and finally incorporate it into their own designs. “Carving the Acanthus Leaf” by Mary May is a deep exploration into this iconic leaf, which has been a cornerstone of Western ornamentation for thousands of years. May, a professional carver and instructor, starts her book at the beginning. She covers carving tools and sharpening with the efficiency of someone who has taught for years. Then she plunges the reader directly into the work. It begins with a simple leaf that requires just a few tools. The book then progresses through 13 variations of leaves up to the highly ornate Renaissance and Rococo forms. Each lesson builds on the earlier ones as the complexity slowly increases.