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How to Carve a Quartz Skull

Carving hard stone like quartz requires specialized tools and some experience. Quartz skulls, carved by artists from ancient civilizations, have been found, some weighing over 18 pounds. These are pure quartz made out of a singular block. Fake quartz skulls can be manufactured using melting crushed quartz and pouring it into molds but if you can obtain a a chunk of real quartz and have the right tools, you can create the real thing out of a single piece.

Things You'll Need

  • Rock saw
  • Electric hand-held carver with diamond tipped wheels and bits.
  • Stationary grinding wheel with diamond studded wheels
  • Polishing paste, bits and wheels for carver and grinder
  • Reference images
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a good reference image of a skull near your workstation. Have additional images showing the skull from different angles and sides to help you get the proper proportions. Prepare your quartz rock by using the rock saw to rough out the main shape. Cut the bottom flat so that it will stand without wobbling and make a number of angled cuts to shape the rough dimensions of the rounded skull.

    • 2

      Secure the rock with a vise or clamps to continue carving with the hand-held carver. To remove section of rock, make parallel incisions with a small blade and then remove the materiel by holding the blade parallel to the surface of the rock. Use burrs for smaller areas and round or pointed tips to create grooves and lines.

    • 3

      Carve out the eye sockets using the rounded burrs. Grind starting in the center using a circular motion until you have achieved the desired depth and width. Carve out the nostril openings in the center.

    • 4

      Shape the beveled edge along the bottom of the jaw. Shape the back section of the lower jaw where it hinges on the skull. Carve the row of teeth once you have completed the shape of the jaw. Carve in the lines for two symmetrical rows of clenched teeth wrapping around the skull to the back of the jaw.

    • 5

      Polish the carving using polishing bits and wheels once you have finished carving all the details. Polish with a coarse grit and getting progressively finer to achieve a shiny polish on the quartz surface. Use smaller wheels in the hand-held device and large buffing and polishing wheels on the stationary grinder for larger areas.

Sculpture

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