Peter Benson, Chairman of the British Woodcarvers Association, runs courses for carvers of all abilities throughout the UK. He also travels to the United States to give seminars and talks, and is in regular demand as a judge for carving competitions. His own work centers on miniature carvings, including fantastic Japanese netsuke.
Netsuke is an interesting art form of carving originating (I
believe) in Japan that has gained some popularity in this
hemisphere. Peter Benson shows you how it's done. Pronounced net-
soo-key, author Benson has written the definitive book on carving
netsuke. Once considered utilitarian kimono accessories, netsuke is
now small carvings and works of art meant for eye appeal. Benson
goes into great detail and illustrates the carving of nine unique
and interesting designs. A variety of materials are used from
ivory, wood, animal horn, amber, and even stone and the author
shows you how it is all done. There is an excellent list of tools
and other materials to get you started and Benson walks you through
the various processes. The author has a penchant for animals such
as a snake, toad, rabbit, dormouse, turtledove and fish and just
for variety, he throws in an apple and mask. All however,
intriguing and beautiful.
Packed with full-size patterns, step-by-step instructions - a nice
departure from the usual use of photographs - you too can craft a
wonderful instrument.
THE ART OF CARVING NETSUKE, by Peter Benson, is a guide to making
miniature sculptures that were invented in 17th-century Japan to
serve a practical purpose. It features nine projects and detailed
instruction for carving realistic impressions of scales, feathers,
fur, hair and more. The introduction provides a fairly thorough
history of netsuke, while a gallery section shows exceptional work
by netsuke carvers from around the world. Benson has been carving
for more than 60 years and currently teaches carving at the Essex
School of Woodcarving in Great Britain.
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