All about embossed thread

Embossed wood carving is one of the ancient ways of decorating objects: utensils, furniture, decor elements and more. Carved items still enjoy widespread admiration and popularity. Having mastered all the subtleties of craftsmanship, the carver can secure a good income. But how to master this difficult craft? What tips for beginners are ready to share? You will find all this and much more in this material.

Wood carving has a long history, which dates back to Ancient Russia. Over time, independent techniques have been formed for processing wooden surfaces, each of which has its own nuances and unique features.

• Contour thread. This type of thread can erroneously seem to be the simplest: simple lines are applied to a flat workpiece, from which the contour of the pattern, landscape, etc.

• The most common technique is geometric. In this case, the pattern is formed from a combination of geometric shapes or cuts.

• Flat thread involves cutting indentations on the smooth surface of a wooden base that form an image.

• Sculptural (volumetric) carvings one can rightly be called the most complex of techniques. The master gives the blank (root, chock, large branch) the desired shape, adds details and receives a full-fledged statue from natural material.

• Embossed thread, which will be discussed in this article, has a number of specific features. The image of plants, animals, or just an ornament appears on the foreground due to the cropped background. Another unique feature of the relief technique is the unique play of chiaroscuro.

For relief carving special tools are required.

Well-ground Pen knife and jamb knife - The main assistants to beginners. Later, when some experience appears, and hand movements become more confident, you can purchase the following tools:

• corner chisels (gameuses);
• straight chisel;
• radius (semicircular) chisel;
• shtihel.

Skilled craftsmen add several additional devices to the above “arsenal”:

• klukarzy - chisels, the canvas of which is curved;
• knives: power, straight and Mother of God.

Before the drawing is applied, it is necessary to decide on the choice of source material, because half the success depends on the type of wood.

• Linden. Linden wood is the undisputed champion among the breeds used in carving. Plastic, light and affordable, it is perfect for a beginner and a master. Ineffective coloring is the only minus of linden.
• Alder. Alder (black and red) is a dense material. Despite the fact that it is quite difficult to get alder wood, it is perfectly cut and practically does not bend after drying.
• Pear. Dense and uniform pear wood can be put on a par with linden and alder.
• Birch tree. Elastic and dense birch is suitable for mid-level carvers who have managed to work with linden. This wood is used to create small products, as it can be deformed when dried.
• Oak. Massive and difficult to process oak is the material for true professionals. Sharpened tools and a firm hand of the master will be able to turn stubborn wood into a mesmerizing relief.

After the cutter has decided on the material, it must be dried thoroughly. Harvesting begins in November and ends in February, when the amount of juice in the wood is minimal. When buying wood for carving, be sure to check if it has been dried. If you want to prepare the blanks yourself, check out the drying algorithm:

1. clean the tree from bark and branches;
2. divide it into parts;
3. boil the workpieces in special containers with salt for 4 hours;
4. put the future basics in the basement for a few days;
5. Move the wood to a ventilated area.

After the cutter has decided on the sketch for the product, it must be transferred to the workpiece. The following methods and items are used to transfer images.

1. Copy paper. Copier lines can be freely erased, which allows you to change the pattern right along the way.
2. Stencil. Cut a sketch from paper or cardboard, attach it to the blank and circle. Also, with the help of a stencil, you can outline a contour, marking corners and bends with punctures. Punctures are interconnected with a simple pencil.
3. Milling cutter. If you are not afraid to take risks, attach a template to the tree and cut it with a tool.
4. Does the sketch shift during the transfer? No problem! Fit under piece of wood rubber mat or backing, and the picture will be accurate and accurate. It is at this stage that you should consider the location of parts and main objects, pay special attention to the composition.

The next stage of work is cutting the main contour. Delicate background removal is the highlight of the embossed thread. The formation of this skill is the main task of a beginner.

Penultimate stage - contour study using angular chisels.

After the product is ready, it must be covered with one of the following compositions.

• Stain. Staining is used to give wood a noble hue, as well as to enhance contrasts in the work: darkened areas "recede" into the background, forming a three-dimensional image.But such a coating tool is suitable only for large reliefs; small-relief carvings under the influence of stains can swell, which will undoubtedly ruin the appearance of the product.
• Wax. Waxing is a suitable option for carvings made on dark wood. Wax gives the finished product shine and makes it smooth. The effectiveness of the wax coating often depends on how you spray it. Sometimes, with polishing, difficulties arise when decorating voluminous reliefs and working with plentiful and small details.
• Butter. Using oil as a decorative coating, it is worth considering some nuances that can lead to swelling or staining. For relief carving, oil is recommended to be applied no more than in two layers.

1. A blunt tool is not suitable for work, as it requires a lot of effort when threading. Watch the sharpness of the chisels and klukarz.
2. When mastering the thread, you should start with simple geometric patterns. Then you can move on to something more complicated: vegetation, animals, people.
3. Never swing a chisel in your direction when working: this can be dangerous. Point the tool in the opposite direction or hold it parallel to the chest.
4. To make it easier to transfer sketches to the workpiece, complete the drawing on a 1: 1 scale using graph paper or tracing paper.