Stone carving is one of the oldest forms of artistic expression known to man. Here, you’ll learn more about the ways that you can benefit from stone carving and how it can enhance your life. Regardless of your overall goals, learning stone carving can be a valuable and impressive skill to learn
What is St1Carving?
Invented during the Stone Age (about 10,000 BCE to 2,000 BCE), stone carving originated through the development of stone tools and was utilized for tracking and documenting information and creating art.
The Ancient Greeks are well known for their stone carvings which were a result of stone-on-stone techniques. You can even see the influence of ancient Egyptian, Near East, Greek, and Roman sculpture on the stone carvings of Medieval Europe. The invention of metal-based tools, like those crafted from iron, allowed for the creation of more detailed works. In fact, the chisels, drills, and saws developed during the iron age are still widely used today.
Today, most stone carving is done via abrasion or diamond saw cutting. Other modern methods include applying high heat to the surface of stone or using oxyacetylene torches, lasers, or even jet heat. Carving creations from a block of stone can be as traditionally simple or technologically advanced as you wish. As artistic trends and techniques have evolved with time, one thing has remained true: sculpting has always been popular as both a form of self-expression and a way to chronicle history.
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Benefits of Learning St1Carving?
There are several benefits to learning the ancient art of stone carving. As much about patience, concentration, and critical thinking as it is about the ability to manipulate materials, stone carving provides artisans the opportunity to be creative, express themselves, and even minimize stress.
Relieve Stress
Did you know activities like stone carving are utilized in therapeutic practices? Known as sculpting therapy, sculpting has proven to be a meditative and calming activity, providing an outlet for stress and anxiety. Therapeutic art practices can improve your ability to cope, enhance your quality of life, and have even been found to alleviate pain symptoms.
Educational Alliance Art School in Manhattan offers an all-level stone carving class that aims to teach how stone carving can be both a source of inspiration and a meditative practice. You will learn traditional carving techniques with hammers and chisels, like cutting, shaping, filing, and polishing. You’ll also develop your vision for the final piece through a clay sketch and then bring that sketch to life by carving the stone.
If you’re located in Los Angeles, Santa Monica College has a stone carving class that teaches you to sculpt with traditional hand tools like a sculpture hammer, chisel, rasp, and file. You’ll also finish your piece by sanding, polishing, and mounting it on a wood base. Beginner students will buy alabaster or soapstone at the first meeting, which will range from approximately $20-$40 (plus $20 for finishing supplies). More experienced students are also welcome and can continue to work on pre-existing projects.
Affordability
Worried about the cost? There are many ways to source stone slabs and they might be more affordable than you think. You could find your stone locally for free by taking it directly from nature, or from stone quarries that provide pieces for kitchen counters but are willing to give away remnants or broken pieces. If you are resourceful, gathering your materials can be very cost-effective, allowing you to create high-quality works of art from “cheap” materials.
The Compleat Sculptor offers St1Carving Class: A Skill-Based Approach in New York City. Stone carving techniques will be learned sequentially over the course of the month and the class includes open studio time. Each new skill is taught and practiced through a short assigned project, so students can learn through the hands-on creation of their own work of art.
New York School of the Arts hosts a beginner-friendly stone carving class in the Upper East Side. This class will discuss the history of stone carving and its use in contemporary sculpture while teaching you techniques used to shape the stone will be examined and the practical aspects of using and sharpening the tools. You’ll also learn how to select the size, volume, and type of stone to carve, as well as how to finish the surface of your artwork. Each student will have a completed project to show off to family and friends after the workshop. (Important note: students are required to supply their own stone and tools, but a list is provided for you.)
Meet New People
If you’re looking to make new friends while learning a new craft, then give stone carving a try. In-person or online classes can connect you to other passionate artisans that may help you further develop your craft. Stone carving is a particularly niche art form so you’ll instantly share a common passion with your fellow students. Practicing sculptors can even join various stone carving groups like the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association or the St1Carvers Guild.
If you’re located in Boston, check out Scott’s St1Carving Classes. St1Carving Saturdays is designed for both beginners and advanced sculpting students and will teach you to examine the stone for imagery and then plan, carve, and form a sculpture using tools. Students will leave this one-day workshop with a completed sculpture in hand.
Scott’s also offers a summer weekly stone carving class that’s open to all levels. Students will learn the process of stone carving from beginning with chisels, to ending with files and finishing processes. While most supplies are included, you will need to bring your own safety glasses, gloves, and mask.
Career Opportunities
Looking for a new career? Expert sculptors can become skilled artists, chiseling commissioned masterpieces from granite or marble. They can also work in the interior design industry, handcrafting mantels, stone pillars, and various other architectural accents. Banker masons are based in workshops where they craft, shape, texture, and polish blocks of stone. Fixer masons build or reassemble the stone on site according to the architect’s plans. For those with an artistic eye and well-honed skills, a career in stone masonry could be very fulfilling.
St1Carving with Ailene Fields is hosted by The Compleat Sculptor in Chelsea, NYC. A highly acclaimed sculptor, Ailene teaches students the basics of stone carving. The class will cover topics like initial roughing out, developing a form, final finishing, and polishing. Students can purchase either softer stone or marble. Basic tools, a workbench, and storage space are included with the class price.
How to Start Learning St1Carving
Stone carving requires a specific set of tools, slabs of stone, and a workshop or space that can accommodate the resulting mess. For these reasons, and many more, in-person classes are the best way for you to become an expert sculptor. Your class will be led by a knowledgeable instructor and will allow for hands-on experience and the ability to learn with other students. Plus, the space, materials, and tools are all supplied for your convenience.
Located in the Windy City? You can get acquainted with the basics in this St1Carving Workshop led by professional stone sculptor Jyl Bonaguro. You’ll design, carve, and polish a piece of alabaster stone in this one-day class. Your workshop fee includes one small block of alabaster, tools for carving, safety glasses, gloves, and dust masks.
The Fine Arts Center of Chicago hosts a Beginning St1Carving Workshop on the northwest side. You’ll study the basic skills for composing and carving small sculptures from alabaster and other soft stones. This class does not include tools in the price, so you’ll need to purchase carving tools and materials.
When you’ve completed the beginner course at the Fine Arts Center, you can move on to the Intermediate St1Carving Workshop. Students will take the skills they learned in the previous class and apply them to working with medium hardness stones like sandstones and limestones. You’ll carve either a small sculpture from a medium-hard stone or a large sculpture from a softer stone. Due to the nature of this class, it isn’t recommended for those with back problems or arthritis.
The Chicago Botanical Garden hosts a similar St1Carving Workshop where students will learn to carve a face into a block of Indiana limestone. The class is led by DJ Garrity, an award-winning artist and the once sculptor-in-residence of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
If you’re in Boston, try out the St1Carving Class held by the Museum of Fine Art. Students will gain hands-on experience carving their own masterpieces from a solid block of alabaster. You’ll be taught how to see a sculpture in the stone and how to bring that to life. Hand tools such as chisels, files, and hammers will be utilized and the price of the class includes your piece of stone!
Do you reside in an area without access to in-person classes, have a challenging schedule, or simply prefer to learn from the comfort of your own home? Online stone carving classes may be a good fit for you. While you won’t get to work in-person with your instructor or other students, you will be able to receive real-time feedback from your teacher and have any questions answered quickly. It’s important to note that you are typically responsible for providing your own materials and workspace, but the flexibility that virtual classes offer often outweighs this inconvenience.
While there aren’t currently any virtual stone carving classes available, there are several other courses that will teach some of the same fundamental skills. You can learn to create a masterpiece from a simple block of clay in this Portrait Sculpture Class. While you won’t be hammering and chiseling, you will learn how to sculpt from a live model using common clay sculpting tools. This six-week course is made up of live one-hour sessions with the instructor who will sculpt along with you, providing you with a step-by-step process for your own work.
Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose, Making Sculpture is offered by the Evanston Art Center and encourages sustainability within the artistic process. This exploratory class will utilize found and recycled materials to expand your creative practice and challenge the boundaries imposed by traditional sculpture materials.
You could also try crafting your own jewelry in this Polymer Clay Earrings and Accessories Class. This beginner-friendly workshop will teach you to make unique earrings and accessories using oven-bake clay and just a few simple tools. Students will practice working with polymer clay, designing templates, cutting and shaping, and baking their own pieces. You’ll then assemble your clay pieces into wearable art and leave with one-of-a-kind accessories to add to your jewelry collection.
It’s clear that there are many ways to learn stone carving, whether you choose online or in-person. Identifying your preferred learning environment, whether you’re willing to commute for class or prefer to be remote, and if you want to socially engage with other students will help you choose the right class for you.
Key Takeaways
- Stone carving is an ancient practice that has been used as both a form of self-expression and a way to chronicle history.
- There are many benefits to learning stone carving, like relieving stress and improving your mental health, meeting new people, and pursuing new career opportunities.
- In-person classes are the most efficient way to study stone carving. They provide face-to-face interaction with an expert instructor and other students and typically include all needed supplies in the class cost.
- Online classes are ideal for those who live in areas with limited in-person offerings, or for those who have difficult schedules. You’ll still be able to receive real-time feedback from your teacher, but you are usually required to purchase your own supplies and arrange your own workspace.
- If you’re looking for additional options, CourseHorse can provide both private lessons and private group classes that can be tailored to fit your exact needs. You can reach out via the website for more information on all course offerings, both in-person and virtual.