All my work is produced by hand, even designs are sketched out. With the exception of resin casting some carvings for production, the techniques employed are hundreds of years old.
Here are the steps used to produce a relief sculpture for a pair of carved signs. The “Lion of Saint Mark” depicted is 16″ high and 20″ long. Each sign is double-faced, so four identical relief sculptures are required for the commission. The church is a block from the Capital building in Washington D.C.
Many relief sculptures are first worked in clay (plasticene) to determine the shape so that wood can be roughed out quickly. The screw heads which show through the clay are the thickness of 6/4″ stock which will be used for the actual reliefs. Surfaces thicker than the screws require additional blocks to be added before carving begins. 
Rough carving of the sculpture has begun. Notice odd shaped blocks glued to the band sawn blank where extra thickness is needed. The blank is glued to newsprint to make removal easier once carving is finished.
The sculpture is now “roughed out.” Relative levels are established and it is ready for modeling and fine shaping.
Except for some light sanding the relief sculpture is finished carving and is ready for removal from the backing. 
Once removed form the backing the relief is primed on all the undercut surfaces which would be difficult to reach once glued to the sign face. The relief sculpture is secured with epoxy resin and a couple of stainless steel finish nails which prevent movement while the epoxy cures.
Going to D.C.? This fine old brick church, is only 1 block from the Senate Wing, and well worth the tour.
Click here for more information Here you see the sign finished and installed in its custom iron fixture. This sign uses gold leaf to great advantage, and gold leaf is the next process described.
