An Overview

Ian in a reflective moment at the Bone Studio

Teaching Methods

My teaching methods have been honed over 12 years to a very efficient and easily followed process. With my guidance, students are able to consistently produce high quality carvings, often up to Gallery standard, on their first attempt.

The basic process is as follows:

Students draw a design and glue it onto the bone.
Cut out a design with the jeweller's saw holding bone in a vice.
Use files to smooth outline of design -- top and bottom.
Draw on form lines and file to strong shape.
Use files to soften to final shape.
Use 4 different grades of sandpaper then polish to finish.
Make a plaited necklace out of waxed thread and bone toggle.

What can't be shown on the Internet is how you really learn to "see" what you are doing, the number of ways to tackle any given difficulty and the deep focus and sense of satisfaction attained upon completion of your Taonga (treasure). For that, you'll have to come and take a class and find out why everyone leaves so happy!

A class hard at work on their 'taonga'

At The Bone Studio and Gallery, all of the students work is done with hand tools such as files, jeweller saws, hand chisels (tool steel 'gravers') and sandpaper. Other operators usually do most of their work with Dremel drills which are very noisy, dusty, smelly and give a very rough and inconsistant finish. With hand tools only, people learn far more, get deeper focus and end up with a far more accurate and well finished product.

Myself, I use a top quality drill only momentarily for roughing out work and do everything else with hand tools. The result speaks for itself.

Gravers cannot be bought from a shop but I can make them to order in the workshop. They are the "real" carving tool and enable a carver to achieve greater variation, detail and accuracy in their work. There are many other tools used in a large workshop but it is possible to equip someone quite cheaply with enough tools to produce a carving from start to finish.

Set of 3 Gravers (see photo on "How To" page) NZ$90 + NZ$15 postage & packaging

Remember, you are creating Taonga (treasures) that may be around for centuries. Make them with respect and care so that someone will want to pass them on to their children.