Carving Techniques
Carving for Fun and Profit
Woodcarving is an ancient art form, and a time-honored, old-fashioned way to relax. It's a creative outlet that many people seem to overlook in today's hectic and largely virtual world. However, if you have the patience and the inclination, learning to carve can bring you peace, enjoyment, and even a little extra money.
There are many different carving techniques that can be used for your projects, and some are more appropriate for a project than others. You'll learn through practice how each of the techniques differ, and when they're best for your ideas. For now, though, here's a guide to some of the basic techniques of woodcarving.
Basic Woodcarving Techniques
Whittling is the one technique with which most people are familiar. With a piece of soft wood, such as basswood, aspen, or butternut, and a knife, pieces of the wood are sliced and cut away until the project is complete. Whittling is excellent for work that requires a high level of detail, such as bas-relief or small three-dimensional sculptures and ornate decoration or lettering on home signs. When the project is finished, the end result can be left natural or sanded smooth, which often adds a shiny glow to the wood. Modern whittlers use X-Acto knives to create safe and eco-friendly children's toys, customized home signs, and intricately detailed walking sticks.
Carving in the round is a special technique developed for greater control over three-dimensional sculptures. It involves numerous tools, such as chisels, mallets, and gouges. It's better for medium to large projects. Carving in the round is primarily used for sculpture, but has been combined with home signs to create fully three-dimensional yard and porch sculptures with the house numbers, name, or family name carved along the side. Home signs that double as sculpture are most often created using this method.
Relief carving starts with a flat board, which is gradually carved so that the end result is like a bas-relief sculpture or a three-dimensional painting. Gouges are the best tool for this technique as they allow the carver to work in difficult angles. Single-sided, deeply intricate home signs can be created using relief carving.
Chip carving is a more abstract method of carving wherein triangular chips are taken out of soft wood to create a picture, shape, or pattern. Almost anything crafted from wood can be chip carved. Chip carving creates interesting geometric borders and lettering for home signs, intricate detailing for tables and nightstands, and eye-catching patterns for trunks and chair backs.
If you're a novice carver, why not try out each of these techniques? You could craft a series of home signs for yourself, your friends, or your family members. Try to carve home signs incorporating patterns, scrollwork, and images. Be creative! Try some new ideas for home signs, such as fully sculpted three-dimensional numbers or unique animal sculptures serving as home signs by holding the numerals or family name.
If you're looking for a way to make some extra money as well as learn your new craft, why not offer to make home signs for the people in your neighborhood for a small fee? Home signs are a unique and enjoyable niche in which to work because they offer an opportunity to be creative, humorous, and useful to homeowners.
Carving Techniques
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