Geometric wood carving

Often, wooden objects, be it dishes or furniture attributes, attract many enthusiastic looks due to a special decoration - an ornament of an unpretentious geometric shape carved on them. Such a thread, although it seems at first glance simple and consists of light lines and shapes, is still quite complex in execution, laborious and energy-consuming.

Let's take a closer look at what geometric woodcarving is and how it appeared, as well as get acquainted with the types of patterns and the technical side of their execution.

Geometric wood carving - perhaps one of the most difficult types of decorating wooden objects.

As a rule, if the master has enough experience and a firm hand, the geometry in the pattern is visible to the naked eye.

Of course, the age of modern technologies makes it possible to make such products using special machines, but it is impossible to guarantee the quality and accuracy that can be traced in the works of a professional experienced craftsman. What can we say about the exclusivity of the product and the fact that such beauty can only be created from a pure heart, by putting a particle of the soul into the work.

It should be noted that the thread itself does not carry any functionality and is used exclusively as a decoration.

Even in ancient Russia, the first objects, decorated with geometric carvings, appeared. And it is Russia that is considered the birthplace of this woodworking technique, which later became widespread throughout the world.

In addition, door locks were even made from wood, which were also decorated with carvings. One such copy, created in the 18th century, has survived to this day and is in one of the museums in Moscow.

It is also worth noting that the geometry of the carving goes back to the times when people worshiped pagan gods, therefore, absolutely all ornaments applied to objects had a certain, rather deep meaning.

In the modern world, such objects are not endowed with any magical meaning., but in the days of ancient Russia, they were used to protect the family, guard the house, and sometimes even from damage and the evil eye.

In order to create a beautiful and high-quality pattern on wood, you need to acquire the following tools:

• beveled knives (also called "jambs") allow you to create any geometric patterns on the surface of the tree;
• a small flat chisel, the width of which should not be more than 3 centimeters;
• a hacksaw is needed to cut out any elements and prepare wooden blanks;
• files of different shapes will allow you to make the corresponding grooves, recesses and holes;
• a rigid or flexible ruler can be useful to create a symmetrical pattern;
• to apply the markings, you need a simple pencil, which, if necessary, can be easily erased from the surface;
• to apply rounded markings, arm yourself with a compass;
• you need an eraser to remove pencil strokes.

To work in this carving technique, you will need high-quality wood. It is divided into several groups according to some characteristics.

1. Very hard wood is the most difficult to work with, not even every professional is easily given a pattern on such a surface. But often the choice falls on it, since it is famous for its aesthetic properties and good resistance to decay. The most famous representatives of this group are oak, dogwood, and also white acacia.
2. Medium hard wood - the most commonly used raw material. Most craftsmen prefer this kind of blanks, since it is much easier to work with them, they have similar properties with harder varieties, and also have a rather beautiful structure on the cuts. The brightest representatives of this category are beech, ash, birch, aspen.
3. Softwood best of all lends itself to any kind of processing, but has a significant drawback - when carving, it can be pricked. This type of raw material is suitable for beginners and those who are just learning carving. In this group, the most famous representatives are pine, willow, alder, linden.

To understand the main distinguishing features of a particular ornament made using the technique of geometric carving, you need to familiarize yourself with several types of patterns, as well as with schemes and the basics of their execution.

The main elements to learn are chippings, which are pinning and pruning of wood parts.

Then you can start pruning by following the instructions.

1. The cutting edge of the blade should be attached to the left side of the triangle, and the beveled section should be in the area of ​​its apex.
2. Move the knife handle back without breaking the parallel between the right side of the triangle and the edge of the blade.
3. Press down on the knife and return the handle to its original position. When performing these actions, a part of the desired shape and size must break off.

Cutting a diamond on the surface of the wood is fairly easy, especially if you've already mastered the chipping technique. The thing is that this figure consists of two triangles with one base, so it can be cut out, acting according to the principle described in the previous version.

In order to get an even ornament, you must first work out the top row of triangles, and then go to the bottom, forming the shape we need.

Also a very interesting element, which is based on the principle of operation used when working with pegs. A distinctive feature is only that the triangles do not have a common base, but, on the contrary, are displaced in different directions from each other.

The work also takes place by drawing two rows of triangles in turn, but in the end we get not a rhombus, but a winding tracery path, which is very often compared to a snake.

The pyramid is the first complex pattern one of those that you have to learn while comprehending the art of geometric wood carving.

The work takes place by drawing several triangles - subject to a certain order and distance between them. Three triangles are drawn at an equal distance from each other, two of which are in the upper part and have a common edge. In the middle between the shapes, it will be necessary to indicate the point of contact of the corners. The cutting part of the knife should be in a central position, and the movements should be made in the direction in which the natural layers of wood lie.

The next figure to study is a little more complex as it is based on more trianglesthan in all previously studied options. But despite this seemingly important nuance, the principle of working with this figure does not change, and the basis is still the creation of splinters.

To create an asterisk, it is necessary to apply four or more triangles according to the principle used in working with a pyramid.

Creating squares is fundamentally different from working with all previous patterns, since a completely different technique is used - straw.

To create a square, you need to proceed as follows:

• after applying the markings, it is necessary to step back from its edge by a couple of millimeters and at an angle of about 45 degrees deepen the tip of the knife by 3 millimeters, then make a cut along the line;
• further, according to the principle of mirror reflection, it is necessary to perform all the same actions on the other side of the marking strip;
• after that, it is necessary to position the knife vertically in relation to the workpiece and make two punctures (at the beginning and at the end of the line).

With the correct execution of all the above actions, you will get a thin cut in the form of a straw, and by processing all the edges of the marking in this technique, you can create an interesting pattern of the shape you need.

Most often, this technique is used for framing products, respectively, in square and rectangular shapes.

Perhaps the next geometric pattern is the most difficult to execute, and at the same time it can rightly be called the most beautiful of all the ornaments you already know.

At the next stage, it is necessary to mark the middle on each segment located within the boundaries of the small circle and connect it to the points of contact of the segments with the boundaries of the large circle, located on both sides of the center we have designated.

Having received the markings, we can start carving using the first learned technique of working with triangles.

This pattern can be used to decorate the lid of a box, the bottom of a decorative plate, the surface of a round table and other products of a suitable shape.

Before starting work, you need to thoroughly prepare in order to avoid possible difficulties in the process:

• first of all, you need to carefully check the list of necessary tools, collect everything you need and choose the material suitable for the job;
• further it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the technology for performing work and consider detailed examples and sketches for constructing certain figures;
• after you theoretically outline the upcoming actions, it is recommended to apply the markup to a suitable workpiece;
• also (before starting to cut) you should study the safety and precautions.

Since this lesson is quite dangerous, precautions are a must in the learning process. Let's consider them in more detail:

• it is necessary to reduce the load on the shoulder girdle area as much as possible, therefore, movements should be performed exclusively with the hand;
• so that the hand can move calmly, it is necessary to give the working hand support, for this it is recommended to press it firmly against the working surface;
• in order not to accidentally injure the fingers of the free hand, it is necessary to remove the hand from the workpiece and only slightly hold it in an area far from the cutting object.

If you follow these recommendations, you can enjoy the process, avoiding minor injuries.

In order to represent all the beauty of geometric carving, you should familiarize yourself with ready-made examples of wood crafts:

• luxury chest small size can be used as storage of food or personal belongings;

• no girl can resist such a graceful, but at the same time restrained jewelry box;

• and here cutting board, decorated in this technique, will rather become a decoration for the kitchen, since it will definitely be a pity to use it for its intended purpose.

How to cut out simple geometric shapes, see the next video.