How I reproduce Victorian Tiles - Part #4

Thanks for your patience in waiting for this post - life has a funny way of side tracking things. So - I have the image, I have the blank wax, now to get them together for their blind date!

I lay the image onto the blank wax and secure it with tape on either sides. This keeps the image from slipping as I trace the details.

I use a square to trace around the edges, keeping them as true as possible.

Then I trace the details, using a ballpoint pen and firm pressure. I want the marks to be visible on the wax, as I use them as a starting point to carve the details.

Using a pen also lets me see if I've missed any details in the drawing.

And, just in case there are missing details, I untape only one side of the image and check the wax. If there are any parts of the image that I've missed, I can still lay the paper back down and have it line up, as the other side is taped in place.

Here's the finished tracing image on the wax. This is my starting point for carving.

Next I'll show you how I carve the recessed edge for the mould and you'll get a peek at my favorite carving tools.