All About Sculptural Wood Carvings

Wooden figures are a separate work of art that captivates, 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 woodcarving originated before Christian times. In ancient times, people carved the figures of the gods, prayed and worshiped them. Since that time, much has changed, new types and methods of wood processing have appeared, but artistic carving, as before, is held 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, because the sculptural carving is also called round.
2. A distinctive feature is the high degree of detail.. These can be small items and large sculptures of several meters.
3. To engage in this type of art does not need a large room. And also the master will not need sophisticated equipment and expensive tools.
4. Tools for processing workpieces are affordable and are available for sale. Some can even be made on their own.
5. Finding the right material as a workpiece is no problem.. Moreover, you can choose a suitable option from a wide variety.
6. Sculptural carving has been widely used in many areas of human activity. From a tree not only animal figures and abstract elements can be created, but also household items, children's toys and decor elements.

Sculptural woodcarving is impossible without special tools.They are subject to increased quality requirements, since the wood processing process and the result directly depend on this. Here is a list of required tools without which it is impossible to perform sculptural carvings.

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

In stores, there are often ready-made kits that already include all the necessary tools. When buying a kit or an individual tool, you need to remember about quality, which should be as high as possible.

Creating a sculpture from a log / stump or even a small piece of wood is not an easy task. This work is divided into several difficult stages, each of which needs to be given time and attention.

• The work begins with the selection of a suitable object for further processing. The right choice of material for the product is already half the success. 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 very high quality.

• Sketch need 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.

• Billet subjected to rough processing, which includes a selection of basic forms. The wizard’s task is to bring the shapeless object to a specific geometric shape, 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 master restores the lines of symmetry and builds the outline of the second projection.

• The figure is cut down on 4 sides, which allows you to create a refined outline of the future figure in all projections. At this stage of execution, do not round the figure, which is a common mistake of many masters. Abris still remains generalized.

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

• Rounding and Detailing they mean getting rid of faces, working out small parts and front lines. At this stage, it would be convenient to draw with a pencil in the tree, but this would be a mistake that should not be allowed. Pencil traces are difficult to remove, and dark traces often remain after them.

• Sanding It is best carried out with corundum paper with a fabric base. 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 carvings is a complex but fascinating process. For beginners, we have collected expert advice that will help in this difficult matter.

1. Sculptural wood cutting requires a good command of all other types of wood processing. All these skills will come in handy while you work.
2. The master must clearly present the result, outline all the details of the future figure and see it in all projections. Therefore, you need to create models, and already from them transfer the idea to the tree.
3. Cracks may appear on the product during processing or drying.. No one is safe from this. To seal a crack, it is necessary to make a mold, prepare a plug that is suitable in shape and size and insert it along the contour. Small cracks can be filled with colorless varnish.
4. You need to work with wood carefully and carefully.. With strong pressure, large cracks can appear that will ruin all the work.

Wood carving is presented in the video below.