WOODWORK

WOODWORK
(Revised 1/98)

Includes the construction and/or decoration of objects made primarily from wood. Objects must be in completed, final form. Wooden scientific or musical instruments should be entered in the Scientific Instruments and Musical Instruments categories. Carved pieces (chest top, walking staff, etc.) may be cross-entered in Sculpture. Panel paintings should be entered in Painting; wood panel preparation should be entered in Material Preparation.

Novice Intermediate Advanced

WOODWORK - NOVICE

DOCUMENTATION (0-4 points) Must have at least a 3X5 card. More is acceptable. Give one point for each of the following that is present:

Identification/Description of the entry.
Approximate date and place/nationality in history that the entry is modeled upon.
Includes materials/tools list OR states method used to complete entry.
Cites at least one reference, either illustrative (pictures) or descriptive relating to either A) period use of such item OR B) period method of constructing such item OR C) both A & B.

AUTHENTICITY (0-4 points)Some examples of obvious inauthenticity: plastic varnish, spray or brush lacquers, wood screws. Inauthentic but passable: wire nails. Period finishes: raw wood, oiled wood, wax, oil/resin varnish, polychrome, Oriental lacquer; gesso with metal foil, oil paint, or egg tempera. Also period: forged nails, clinched rivets, wooden pegs, glued joints, very large dovetails. Give score based on the following:

0:Blatantly modern in some respect: e.g. intended use, materials, motifs, etc.
1:Project fits the context of period, but an adequate understanding of the item being created is missing.
2:Generally period, with some obviously modern elements present (e.g. commercial finish, wood screws) OR obvious mixture of elements from different cultures or periods.
3:Overall period style and execution, with few/minor inconsistencies.
4:Period-looking piece with no inconsistencies (materials and finishes are period or reasonable equivalents; wood and design appropriate to intended use of item), OR special effort to achieve completely period product by use of period design, materials, tools, techniques, etc.(e.g. entrant cut wood off tree, seasoned it, made tools, pegs and finishes, then built and carved chest).

COMPLEXITY (1-5 points)Rank the ambition of the entry, NOT the workmanship, on a scale of 1-5, based on the following (as applies):

difficulty and variety of materials and tools used
difficulty and variety of construction techniques used
difficulty and variety of decorative techniques used
construction pattern and/or decorative design
finishing techniques used
scope of endeavor (size of work relative to amount of detail)

WORKMANSHIP (1-5 points) Keeping in mind this entry is at Novice Level, rank the success of the attempt on a scale of 1 to 5 based on the following. NOTE: it is period, and acceptable, for unseen surfaces to be rough.

mastery of period style and practice
choice and handling of wood: appropriateness to use, neatness (no sanding scratches, cut with uniformly sharp tools), grain use (narrow pieces cut with grain longways, carving respects grain, avoids joining cross- and long-grain), consistency of handling (edges and corners all sharp or all chamfered, joint angles consistent), etc.
choice and handling of supplemental materials: finishes, glues, fasteners, etc.
form/design: aesthetics, pattern development, decorative motifs, etc.
function/durability: does it do what it should? do drawers fit, are joints tight, do matched pieces match? will it hold up in use?

CREATIVITY (1-6 points)Give score based on the following:

1:Project is NOT logical to context of period.
2:Project fits the context of period, but an adequate understanding of the item being created is missing.
3:Project is a logical combination of a few copied elements.
4:Project has evidence of original work that is logical to period context, in design or execution.
5:Project has creative interpolation in combination of elements; special consideration such as personalization to an event, individual, idea OR is an exact reproduction of a period item.
6:Project is a combination of elements and materials that is logical to a single period context; might have been done by a creative period artist.

QUALITY (1-6 points) Evaluate the work as a whole.

NOTE: This category is subjective; however, the judge should take into account prior category scores, aesthetic appeal, presentation, and other such items not previously addressed. Keep in mind that this entry is at Novice Level, regardless of the skill of the entrant.

WOODWORK - INTERMEDIATE

DOCUMENTATION (0-4 points)Must have at least 1 page, 2-3 pages preferable. More is acceptable. Give one point for each of the following that is present:

Identification/Description of the entry plus the approximate date and place/nationality in history that the entry is modeled upon.
Statement or listing of materials used in entry's construction and use(s) of the entry.
Describes method(s) used to create entry (may include reasons for why a certain process or material was used).
Cites at least two references, either illustrative (pictures) or descriptive relating to either A) period use of such item OR B) period method of constructing such item OR C) both A & B.

AUTHENTICITY (0-4 points) Some examples of obvious inauthenticity: plastic varnish, spray or brush lacquers, wood screws. Inauthentic but passable: wire nails. Period finishes: raw wood, oiled wood, wax, oil/resin varnish, polychrome, Oriental lacquer; gesso with metal foil, oil paint, or egg tempera. Also period: forged nails, clinched rivets, wooden pegs, glued joints, very large dovetails. Give score based on the following:

0:Blatantly modern in some respect: e.g. intended use, materials, motifs, etc.
1:Project fits the context of period, but an adequate understanding of the item being created is missing.
2:Generally period, with some obviously modern elements present (e.g. commercial finish, wood screws) OR obvious mixture of elements from different cultures or periods.
3:Overall period style and execution, with few/minor inconsistencies.
4:Period-looking piece with no inconsistencies (materials and finishes are period or reasonable equivalents; wood and design appropriate to intended use of item), OR special effort to achieve completely period product by use of period design, materials, tools, techniques, etc.(e.g. entrant cut wood off tree, seasoned it, made tools, pegs and finishes, then built and carved chest).

COMPLEXITY (1-5 points) Rank the ambition of the entry, NOT the workmanship, on a scale of 1-5, based on the following (as applies):

difficulty and variety of materials and tools used
difficulty and variety of construction techniques used
difficulty and variety of decorative techniques used
construction pattern and/or decorative design
finishing techniques used
scope of endeavor (size of work relative to amount of detail)

mastery of period style and practice
choice and handling of wood: appropriateness to use, neatness (no sanding scratches, cut with uniformly sharp tools), grain use (narrow pieces cut with grain longways, carving respects grain, avoids joining cross- and long-grain), consistency of handling (edges and corners all sharp or all chamfered, joint angles consistent), etc.
choice and handling of supplemental materials: finishes, glues, fasteners, etc.
form/design: aesthetics, pattern development, decorative motifs, etc.
function/durability: does it do what it should? do drawers fit, are joints tight, do matched pieces match? will it hold up in use?

CREATIVITY (1-4 points)Give score based on the following:

0:Piece isn't logical in context of period.
1:Logical combination of a few copied elements.
2:Evidence of original work logical to period context in design or execution.
3:Creative interpolation in combination of elements; much innovation logical to period; project is mostly original application of period or SCA Known World designs OR is an exact reproduction of a period item.
4:Original, innovative combination of period materials, techniques, and designs, as might have been done by a creative period artist; project is an original application of period or SCA Known World designs. Special consideration such as personalization to an event, individual or idea.

QUALITY (1-8 points) Evaluate the work as a whole

NOTE: This category is subjective; however, the judge should take into account prior category scores, aesthetic appeal, presentation, and other such items not previously addressed. Keep in mind that this entry is at Intermediate Level, regardless of the skill of the entrant.

WOODWORK - ADVANCED

DOCUMENTATION (0-4 points)Must have at least 3 pages of discussion (NOT including visuals and bibliography). More is acceptable. Give score based on the following:

No documentation or very inaccurate documentation.
Minimum information (time, place, work to be judged)
Same as #1 with visual reference (Photocopies, pictures, postcards, etc.) to period examples. but little or no discussion of period practice; OR same as #1 plus discussion of period practice, but no visual references.
#1 plus visual references and discussion of period practice, including rationale for some elements of entry (design, materials, techniques, etc.)
#3 but very complete examples and discussion, including rationale for all elements of entry, and discussion of their appropriateness to each other, to period, and to intended use. Explains original research or experiment. Explains any deviations or variations from period norm.

0:Blatantly modern in some respect: e.g. intended use, materials, motifs, etc.
1:Generally period, with some obviously modern elements present (e.g. commercial finish, wood screws) OR obvious mixture of elements from different cultures or periods.
2:Overall period style and execution, with minor inconsistencies.
3:Period piece, no inconsistencies; materials and finishes are period or reasonable equivalents; wood and design appropriate to intended use of item.
4:Special effort to achieve a completely period product by use of period design, materials, tools, and techniques (e.g. entrant cut wood off tree, seasoned it, made tools, pegs and finishes, then built and carved chest).

COMPLEXITY (0-6 points) Rank the ambition of the entry, not the workmanship, on a scale of 0-6 based on the following:

difficulty and variety of materials and tools used
difficulty and variety of construction techniques used
difficulty and variety of decorative techniques used
construction pattern and/or decorative design
finishing techniques used
scope of endeavor (size of work relative to amount of detail)

WORKMANSHIP (0-6 points) ) Rank the success of the attempt on a scale of O to 6 based on the following. NOTE: it is period, and acceptable, for unseen surfaces to be rough.

mastery of period style and practice
choice and handling of wood: appropriateness to use, neatness (no sanding scratches, cut with uniformly sharp tools), grain use (narrow pieces cut with grain longways, carving respects grain, avoids joining cross- and long-grain), consistency of handling (edges and corners all sharp or all chamfered, joint angles consistent), etc.
choice and handling of supplemental materials: finishes, glues, fasteners, etc.
form/design: aesthetics, pattern development, decorative motifs, etc.
function/durability: does it do what it should? do drawers fit, are joints tight, do matched pieces match? will it hold up in use?

CREATIVITY (0-4 points)

0:Piece isn't logical in context of period.
1:Logical combination of a few copied elements.
2:Evidence of original work logical to period context in design or execution.
3:Creative interpolation in combination of elements; much innovation logical to period; project is mostly original application of period or SCA Known World designs OR is an exact reproduction of a period item.
4:Original, innovative combination of period materials, techniques, and designs, as might have been done by a creative period artist; project is an original application of period or SCA Known World designs. Special consideration such as personalization to an event, individual or idea.

QUALITY (1-6 points) Evaluate the work as a whole.

NOTE: This category is subjective; however, the judge should take into account prior category scores, aesthetic appeal, presentation, intuitive response, and other such items not previously addressed.