This edition features
• illustrations
• a linked Table of Contents and linked Index

CONTENTS
PREAMBLE
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
TOOLS
Average Number of Tools required by Carvers — Selection for Beginners — Description of Tools — Position when in Use — Acquisition by Degrees
SHARPENING-STONES — MALLET AND BENCH
Different Stones in Use — Case for Stones — Slips — Round Mallet Best — A Home-Made Bench — A Makeshift Bench — Cramps and Clips
WOODS USED FOR CARVING
Hard Wood and Soft Wood — Closeness of Grain Desirable — Advantages of Pine and English Oak
SHARPENING THE TOOLS
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
"CHIP" CARVING
Its Savage Origin — A Clue to its only Claim to Artistic Importance — Monotony better than Variety — An Exercise in Patience and Precision — Technical Methods
THE GRAIN OF THE WOOD
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
IMITATION OF NATURAL FORMS
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"
ROUNDED FORMS
Necessity for every Carver Making his own Designs — Method of Carving Rounded Forms on a Sunk Ground
THE PATTERNED BACKGROUND
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
CONTOURS OF SURFACE
Adaptation of Old Designs to Modern Purposes — "Throwing About" — Critical Inspection of Work from a Distance as it Proceeds
ORIGINALITY
Dangers of Imposing Words — Novelty more Common than Originality — An Unwholesome Kind of "Originality"
PIERCED PATTERNS
Exercise in Background Pattern — Care as to Stability — Drilling and Sawing out the Spaces — Some Uses for Pierced Patterns
HARDWOOD CARVING
Carvings can not be Independent Ornaments — Carving Impossible on Commercial Productions — The Amateur Joiner — Corner Cupboards — Introduction of Foliage Definite in Form, and Simple in Character — Methods of Carving Grapes
THE SKETCH-BOOK
Old Work Best Seen in its Original Place — Museums to be approached with Caution. — Methodical Memoranda — Some Examples — Assimilation of Ideas Better than Making Exact Copies
MUSEUMS
False Impressions Fostered by Fragmentary Exhibits — Environment as Important as Handicraft — Works Viewed as Records of Character — Carvers the Historians of their Time
STUDIES FROM NATURE — FOLIAGE
Medieval and Modern Choice of Form Compared — A Compromise Adopted — A List of Plant Forms of Adaptable Character
CARVING ON FURNITURE
Furniture Constructed with a View to Carving — Reciprocal Aims of Joiner and Carver — Smoothness Desirable where Carving is Handled — The Introduction of Animals or Figures
THE GROTESQUE IN CARVING
Misproportion Not Essential to the Expression of Humor — The Sham Grotesque Contemptible — A True Sense of Humor Helpful to the Carver
STUDIES FROM NATURE — BIRDS AND BEASTS
The Introduction of Animal Forms — Rude Vitality better than Dull "Natural History" — "Action" — Difficulties of the Study for Town-Bred Students — The Aid of Books and Photographs — Outline Drawing and Suggestion of Main Masses — Sketch-Book Studies, Sections, and Notes — Swiss Animal Carving — The Clay Model: its Use and Abuse
FORESHORTENING AS APPLIED TO WORK IN RELIEF
Intelligible Background Outline Better than Confused Foreshortening — Superposition of Masses
UNDERCUTTING AND "BUILT-UP" WORK
Undercutting as a Means and as an End; its Use and Abuse — "Built-up" Work — "Planted" Work — "Pierced" Work
PICTURE SUBJECTS AND PERSPECTIVE
The Limitations of an Art not Safely Transgressed — Aerial Perspective Impossible in Relief — Linear Perspective only Possible in a Limited Way

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