Carving the Human Figure: Studies in Wood and Stone
Onians opens this important book by pointing out that the human form has been used for religious and secular ritual, magic, erotica, political ends, as an aid to prayer, and as memento of the dead. All of this is background for the sculptor, who adds to the mix the pure joy of the human figure. Onians is the senior woodcarving tutor at the City and Guilds of London Art School, where, since 1978, he has been teaching courses in traditional wood and stone carving. Here he condenses information about a daunting art form into a lively yet thorough manual. He begins with a solid chapter on basic human anatomy, then features the head, torso, knee, foot, hand, and arm. Everything comes together in chapters on carving the whole figure, carving the clothed figure, stylizing the figure, and carving the figure in relief. The result is highly recommended for all collections. To fill out the purely technical aspects of carving, also consider Onians's previous Essential Woodcarving Techniques.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.