All about sculptural wood carving

Wooden figures are a separate piece of art that bewitches, captivates and amazes the imagination.... There are many ways to process wood, the most difficult of which is the sculptural type of carving. It was he who caught our attention.

Sculptural wood carving dates back to before Christian times. In ancient times, people carved the figures of the gods, prayed and worshiped them. Much has changed since that time, new types and methods of wood processing have appeared, but artistic carving, as before, is in high esteem. Sculptural woodcarving has a number of features.

1. Sculptural figures are thought out to the smallest detail, they can be viewed from all sides, which is why the sculptural carving is also called round.
2. A distinctive feature is a high degree of detail... These can be small products and large sculptures of several meters.
3. You don't need a large room to practice this kind of art.... And also the master does not need complicated equipment and expensive tools.
4. Tools for machining workpieces are affordable and commercially available. Some can even be made by yourself.
5. Finding a suitable material as a blank will not be a problem... Moreover, you can choose a suitable option from a wide variety.
6. Sculptural carving is widely used in many areas of human life. Not only animal figurines and abstract elements can be created from wood, but also household items, children's toys and decorative elements.

Sculptural wood carving is impossible without special tools.Increased quality requirements are imposed on them, since the wood processing process and the result directly depend on this. Here is a list of the essential tools you need to make sculptural carvings.

1. Jamb knife allows you to create small indentations. Its blade is beveled 35-60 degrees, which explains such a strange name.
2. Cutter knife facilitates the processing of rounded elements.
3. A set of chisels, which differ in shape. All the main work is done with round chisels. The straight tool is used as an optional tool. All other chisel options are rarely used, but they should still be at hand.
4. Bogorodsky knife allows for sculptural carving and is one of the main tools.
5. Axe is necessary for rough processing of the workpiece, which is carried out in the first stages of working with wood. With an ax, you can easily remove the bark and give the workpiece a rough, initial shape.

In stores, you can often find ready-made kits, which already include all the necessary tools. When buying a kit or a separate instrument, you need to remember about the quality, which should be as high as possible.

Sculpting from a log / stump or even a small piece of wood is not an easy task. This work is broken down into several difficult stages, each of which needs time and attention.

• Work begins with the selection of a suitable object for further processing... The correct choice of material for a product is already half the battle. The choice of wood is large and almost unlimited. For inexperienced craftsmen, linden is the best option, since it has a uniform color and is the most plastic. The material for the future product must be of very high quality.

• Sketch needs to be created in most cases. Only very experienced craftsmen with good artistic inclinations can do without a sketch. For complex work, models are created from plasticine, clay or other plastic material. The wizard can create a model with or without detailed drawing of elements.

• Blank is subjected to rough processing, which includes a selection of basic shapes. The task of the master is to bring a shapeless object to a certain geometric figure, which should consist of lines and control points. Initially, the projection is cut down, which allows you to remove most of the excess material from the workpiece. Next, the wizard restores the lines of symmetry and builds the outline of the second projection.

• The figure is cut down on 4 edges, which allows you to create a refined outline of the future figure in all projections. At this stage of execution, you should not round the shape, which is a common mistake many wizards make. The outline is still generalized.

• Create an 8-sided shape carried out by cutting corners of square workpieces. At this stage, the master is finally determined with the position of the future creation, plasticity and dynamics.

• Rounding and detailing imply getting rid of edges, working out small details and front lines. At this stage, it would be convenient to draw pencil drawings on the tree, but this would be a mistake that should not be allowed. Pencil marks are difficult to remove and often leave behind dark marks.

• Sanding best done with corundum paper with a cloth backing. Fine or medium grain size is selected individually.

• It remains only to cover the finished product with a protective layer. It can be varnish, stain or various paints.Here, unlimited possibilities open up before the master.

Mastering curly wood carving is a difficult but exciting process. For novice craftsmen, we have collected expert advice that will help in this difficult matter.

1. Sculptural wood carving requires good proficiency in all other types of wood processing. All of these skills come in handy while on the job.
2. The master must clearly represent the result, outline all the details of the future figure and see it in all projections. Therefore, you need to create models, and from them transfer the idea to the tree.
3. Cracks may appear on the product during processing or drying.... Nobody is immune from this. To seal the crack, it is necessary to make an impression, prepare a plug of a suitable shape and size and insert it along the contour. Small cracks can be filled with clear varnish.
4. Wood must be handled carefully and carefully... Under strong pressure, large cracks can appear and ruin the entire work.

Wood carving is presented in the video below.