I'm glad to hear that slate is so long-lasting. I carved a dial in slate
because that was the only thing I could find without an enormous effort
that was carvable. I bought a piece of polished slate about 32 square and
laid out the lines on it using a paper printout from a computer and scribed
I am interested in the question of the background colour of a
vertical sundial. On the University administration building here,
Heslington Hall, we have a very fine clock - sundial pair of 1855, by
Thomas Cooke of York, possibly more famous for his telescopes. For some
reason clocks
About a comparison between different sorts of
stones for sundial carving, sundials of Brittany
in the west part of France are pretty
instructive. The region is rich with granite and
slate, and hundreds of dials are currently known.
The oldest sundials, dating back to the middle of
16th
Dear Bob,
I am a sculptor who carves marble. You asked about methods of stone carving.
Marble carving is an art which uses the same tools that Michelangelo did with
the addition of some power tools. You begin by making an exact model in
another medium. Essentially, there is some form
The topic of the readability of shadows has again emerged. Some time ago
there were some very scholarly postings that totally intimidated me.
What are the empirical data to maximize legibility? color? roughness?
distance from style? The simple things that the dialist can control?
Many thanks
Susan Miller wrote:
I am a sculptor who carves marble...
Be aware that granite will last longer than marble once it is placed
I remember reading that freshly quarried marble is much easier to work
than material which has been exposed to the air. Is this so Susan?
In much the same
