Stone Sculpture

Stone sculpting can be a very physically demanding art form to pursue, and I've heard it from those who sculpt in rock that it is also quite rewarding, and at times can be very intimidating. Whether working a small river rock of granite or the much softer alabaster and limestone's, or even working large scale in basalt or marble, whatever your style is - representational form or abstract shape, you should expect to develop a real love of tools, enjoy working tacitly, and be prepared at times to dawn earplugs, ventilation masks, and eye protection - and quite possibly work out of doors.

Stone carving outside is fairly common, as many folks are not inclined to dedicate enough space either to work larger pieces of stone or to accommodate the mess and debris that is created. Often only a tented workspace is enough shield from moisture or sun. The real luxury is having heated space in the winter months! However, there are some things that are just best enjoyed outside, just like when I was a kid and enjoyed widdeling down sticks - nobody was going to let me in the house with that mess! So, on that note I went to visit Tom Small who has the quintessential outdoor stone-sculpting studio on San Juan Island to talk about stone, stone sculpting basics, and carving tools. Besides, it was time to check out what he'd been working on lately.

Tools
The essential hand tools haven't changed significantly since forging steel techniques had been developed. However, the introduction of pneumatic tools in the late 1800's in combination with the more recent invention of carbide tipped tools, have served to replace the old standard of using a wooden mallet and iron hammer, especially in working the harder stones. Tom explained that much of the tools used today are actually borrowed from the tiling industry, like fabricated diamond saw blades and sanding pads. A basic toolbox might include a point chisels to rough out area, tooth chisels to shape a form, and flat chisels to create detail and finish surfaces. Within each category of chisels there are wide design variations with which to work stone surfaces. Getting into the power tool category the tools get more expensive, and as Tom put it, "stone sculpting is just great for tool junkies" and then describes how a water cooled hydraulic chainsaw that fits up to a 30" bar that can, "cut through a 60" rock - a ten ton bolder, cutting it in half." Wow, now that's a cutting tool, and for roughly $4,000.

Getting back to some of the tool basics, besides using the chisel and hammer hand tools, there are the power tools. Some of what Tom will commonly use area a 5" and 7" angle grinders for cutting, and a variety of pneumatic tools for chiseling, grinding and sanding.

Methods
Tom described two basic types of approaches to stone cutting: direct carve, and a mapping out (of a shape) - done by sketching onto the stone to guide chiseling. The former being Tom's preferred method where he makes a few lines and then cuts the stone down to its essential shape, and doing that process repeatedly using a heavy 7" right angle saw for roughing out area, further describing the process as "a subconscious energy - following their intuition." Which works well for hard stone like the granite and basalts, which he likes to use.

After the general shape has been roughed out, the sanding process begins and will serve to further define the shape details and remove the scratches left by the diamond cutting blades. Tom says the softer stones will disintegrate under pressure from power tools therefore hand sanding is best used for the softer alabaster and limestone, and power sanding is best for harder granite and basalt, as a general rule to follow. Hand sanding can be done by either wet or dry sanding techniques; however, power sanding is typically done with a water flush, which serves to keep the surface cooled under friction, and nicely reduces the dust. Grinding with heavy silicone carbide cups is great if you want to quickly remove a lot of material away. For sanding there are two types of san paper, silicone carbide and diamond, both are used with a water flush. Tom uses his grinder hooked up to central water feed that squirts water through the middle of the pad. To Work the more detailed areas Tom will reach for his collection small diamond bits to do the job. Then moves in to texture or polish selected areas to complete a piece.

Tori Williams is a web designer who also writes and produces the San Juan Islands' Artist Community On-line web site - www.SanJuanArtistCommunity.com an on-line Resource and Artist Directory Featuring the Fine Arts of Local Artists in San Juan County. Providing Information on Upcoming Art Classes & Workshops, Art Events, and Gallery Information.