Virtual Stone Carving Apprenticeship VSCA Video 1 Introduction

Sculptor AC Button of http://carolinasculpturestudio.com offers a Virtual Stone Carving Apprenticeship to aspiring stone carvers and sculptors. The goal of the VSCA video series is to preserve heritage while preparing individuals for greater achievement in related three-dimensional work across media.

VSCA Video 1 features an introduction to the series, with commentary by Button about the craft of professional stone carving and sculpture. He discusses his background and experience including decades of full-time work in the profession servicing the needs of granite memorial and monumental industry professionals, public organizations and private patrons. Enduring success as an independent studio in a difficult market & craft places him in a unique position to guide others towards comparable achievement. As both the market and the industry change, opportunities for compensated apprenticeship continue to be diminished.

Concerned about the loss and degradation of this uniquely American craft, Button created the Virtual Stone Carving Apprenticeship. For those who are both willing and disciplined, the lessons and insight offered in this series will help advance their potential to produce good work. It will not be a fast, simple or inexpensive process for most people. It can be valuable towards their growth. Novices will be shown a pathway to become competent, accurate carvers while proficient carvers will be shown a similar pathway to become true sculptors of stone.

This video series will be presented from the perspective of carving granite with pneumatic hand machines in a professional setting. His portfolio also includes professional work in softer stone, extensive & award-wining experience carving ice as a chef and a lifetime of carving wood. The lessons and skill sets from his decades of granite carving are analogous, if not identical, to hand-driven & machine-driven work in other types of stone regardless of the setting. Tool preparation and use, equipment of studio & supporting facilities, modeling, direct & indirect methods of carving, rigging and studio safety and more will be presented. Suggestions for additional study, such as concept composition & development, additional subjects worthy of study, reference materials and topics relevant to the lessons provided will be made for apprentices to pursue on their own. Button will present instruction based upon the exact methods & order with which he was trained, partnered with his personal experience of relevant information & work gained over his lifetime as a carver.

In-Studio instruction under Button is an excellent option for those who chose to pursue and afford it. If studied and practiced, the lessons offered via the Virtual Stone Carving Apprenticeship series will help streamline such In-Studio instruction to make it as time-efficient and cost-effective as possible for both Sculptor and Student/Apprentice. Both individual and group sessions are available and will be tailored to meet specific needs.

For more information about Sculptor AC Button II, his work and training opportunities including pricing, visit http://carolinasculpturestudio.com for contact information.