Preparation of the tile:

With most slate pieces I start with a full tile, which is 8 by 16 inches, and test for solidness, hidden cracks, and softness from weathering. Only about one slate in ten is in good enough condition to use the whole slate. The rest are broken down into smaller pieces using a brick hammer and cold chisel. The pieces are then shaped out with a small hammer. This guarantees solid slates to work on.

Each slate has its individual grain and texture. I utilize these in shaping the piece and in creating an image to carve onto it. Whenever possible I try to preserve the texture and incorporate it into the carved image. Occasionally slates have fossils in them, and all have tiny flecks of mica that gives them a sparkly quality. The slate itself is a crystalline stone, originally from eastern Pennsylvania, that was created by immense heat and pressure over millions of years.

To have a good surface to work on, I have to grind and sand down the area to be carved in. When the slate is really weathered, mostly where the slates overlapped (not where they were exposed to the sun and rain), it can be soft and chalky, and won't hold a good line, so that has to be sanded out. The slate surface is often rough and irregular, so blemishes have to be sanded out also. I use an electric sander for heavy grinding, then switch to hand sanding to make a smooth, attractive surface. On finer grained slates the texture can feel smooth as skin.

Preparation of the image:
With each slate I work to create an image that matches its particular shape and texture. Often the slate itself suggests an image to carve into it. I also do extensive research.

The image for each slate goes through a number of stages. Sometimes I draw directly on the slate with a white pencil, particularly if the piece suggests a particular image. Since it is difficult to create a detailed image this way, I usually transfer the drawing to paper to work and rework it, and they transfer the final detailed drawing back onto the slate with a white transfer paper. Other times I start the drawing on paper and then transfer the image to the slate. I continually rework drawings I have used before, varying and improving them. Eventually I have a full picture drawn on the slate of all of the important features that will be carved in. These pictures are often quite detailed, especially on ship drawings where all the proportions, perspective, and details have to be determined before the cutting starts. At this point, and after all of this work, I have yet to make a cut on the slate.

Preliminary cutting:
Once I have the whole drawing on the slate, I lightly cut in all of the important lines. This can be a lengthy process because so much detail is often cut in and there is little room for error later in the process

After the whole image is lightly carved in, the slate is throughly cleaned, and given a final check for any flaws, flakes around the edges, and so forth. A black acrylic is then applied to darken the slate some, bringing out the contrast and also the texture in the rougher parts of the slate. Light coats are rubbed on that allow the slate to show through. Areas where maximum contrast is desired are lightly painted in. The acrylic also helps seal the slate.

Cutting in the image:
After all of this, the actual image is now ready to be carved. Now the real work begins. I control the brightness of the cuts by their width , angle and depth. The angle of the cut is especially important for suggesting volumes and whether they seem to recede or advance toward the viewer. Since many slates have pronounced grain and varying textures, the quality of a line, or set of lines, can change abruptly and radically as it is cut across the surface. The cut then has to be subtlety varied to maintain a consistent quality of appearance.

I do nearly all cutting with tungsten carbide tipped scribes. These are much harder than tempered steel, but wear down anyway and have to be sharpened, with diamond dust, every week or so. Very slight differences in their points make noticeable differences in the cuts so I utilize an array of almost imperceptible different points. Diamond tipped scribes are also used, but because they are relatively blunt, they are used mostly for stippling (e.g., vegetation on distant hillsides). They too wear out. A small electric engraving tools is sometimes used, but only sparingly, since it doesn't have a good level of control, mostly for sea foam, spray, and clouds.

It is unwise to make mistakes at this point, since sanding deep enough to remove them would obliterate significant parts of the cut in image. There are literally thousands of cuts on each slate. Many of the deeper cuts have to be made repeatedly to get the proper depth and angle, and evenness of line. I have sometimes tried to keep track of how many cuts are made on a slate, but I've always given up because there are simply too many of them. This is the most laborious, difficult and time-consuming part of the carving. Because of the relatively narrow range of contrasts in the slate, relatively small variations in the cutting can cause significant repercussions elsewhere on the slate. This makes larger slates, particularly full tiles, very demanding in their composition and execution.

I often let pieces sit unworked for periods of time, sometimes weeks, even months, so that I can see them better, to see what needs to be worked on and how.

Final touches:
When all of the cutting is finally done, and the finished image shows clearly on the slate, a light fixative is sprayed on to help seal and protect the picture. Touching the surface of the slate should be avoided, particularly with oily hands. The image is essentially an interplay of light and stone, and if the cuts get saturated with oils, they don't reflect the light as well. Slates can be recut and cleaned by the artist if necessary. The cuts themselves will not disappear, but they may show up less brightly if they are dirty. The slates should be displayed in direct, overhead light. They can be dusted with a soft clean cloth.

The back of the slate is engraved with the title of the piece and its individual number. Each slate is a unique creation and is individually numbered and recorded. Smaller slates are mounted on hand finished koa wood stands. Larger pieces are sometimes mounted on a redwood block for wall hanging.