Wood carving is a fulfilling woodworking skill that enables you to create detailed and artistic works from wood. From small handheld carvings to intricate decorative pieces to full-size sculpture, Woodworking carving techniques tap into the beauty and warmth of natural wood grain.
This guide will provide beginners with an introduction to essential woodworking carving tools, techniques, and tips for getting started with basic relief carving and carving in-the-round projects.
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| Basic carving tools: chisels, knives, sharpening supplies |
| Good wood: basswood, butternut – soft woods; cherry, oak – hard woods |
| Beginner techniques: relief carving, sculpting in-the-round |
| Tips: quality basswood, workstation set-up, tool testing, cut direction |
| Advanced techniques: textures, power carvers, relief backgrounds, staining |
| Top wood species: butternut, poplar, pine, walnut, redwood, oak |
| Resources: books, YouTube channels, online forums |
Basic Carving Tools for Every Workshop
Having a selection of well-cared-for, sharp carving tools is essential for both safety and best results. Here are some of the basic carving tools every beginner should have on hand:
Chisels
Chisels are used to remove larger pieces of wood and do general shaping work. Chisels with bevel-edged blades are best for carving, versus standard woodworking bench chisels. Carving chisels come in a sweep of different shapes and widths.
Having a basic set of 3-5 carving chisels of varying sweeps will enable a beginner to perform basic shaping tasks on a relief carving or sculpture. Opt for quality tools, as the steel must hold its edge through tough carving work.
Carving Knives
While chisels chop away larger pieces, carving knives featuring thin, pointed blades excel at detail work. The fine flexible blade can form delicate shapes not possible with a thicker chisel.
Carving knives come in long and short blade lengths. They may be straight or curved. High carbon steel blades will take a keen edge but must be protected from corrosion.
Sharpening Supplies
Even high quality carving tools require frequent sharpening to restore a fine, clean edge. Investing in sharpening gear is paramount. Options include diamond files, whetstones, grinding wheels, and strops. Learn proper sharpening techniques from an experienced carver. Take a woodcarving workshop if possible.
Selecting Good Wood for Carving
While most woods can be carved, some woods make the art of carving much easier and more enjoyable. Ideal carving woods have a fine, even grain and are free from knots, warps, and other defects. Here are top choices:
Soft Woods
Soft woods like basswood and butternut have a tight, consistent grain that cuts cleanly. The wood finishes smoothly with little tearing or splintering. Soft woods are ideal for detailed relief carvings and carvings-in-the-round.
Basswood’s pale color also takes paint and stains evenly for added decorations. Butternut has appealing brown tones built in. Both harden a bit in drying for better longevity of carved details.
Hard Woods
While harder woods like walnut, cherry and oak require advanced tools and skills, they can make stunning carvings. Their rich colors and wood grain patterns shine even without added finishes.
As a general rule, experience carving easier woods first before attempting intricate carvings with hard woods. Their dense grain and propensity to tear out makes mistakes very costly.
Introductory Carving Techniques
As a beginner woodworker, concentrate first on developing core carving skills before tackling complex projects. Two styles of carving to start with are relief carvings and carving in-the-round sculptures.
Relief Carving
Relief carving involves shaping wood elements that remain integrated with a background wooden board. Common forms include bowls, signs, plaques and decorative panels. Following carved templates aids early design work.
Sculpting In-the-Round
Carving fully separate 3D figures detached from any background wood is referred to as carving “in-the-round”. It requires visualizing forms transforming a blank wood block, using deeper stop cuts and precision tool work. In-the-round carving develops advanced spatial skills.
Gouging Out Material
The first step in most carving situations involves using chisels and gouges to remove the bulk wood not part of the finished piece. Position hands safely as you chip away sections. Allow your tools to do the work rather than forcing cuts.
Develop a mindful, methodical approach as you reveal the form hidden in the wood block. Patience and courage come before finessed skills.
Helpful Tips for Quality Carving Results
Applying the following carving tips will improve a beginner’s experience and finished results on both simple and challenging projects:
Basswood Blanks
Start by carving quality basswood blanks available from specialty wood dealers. The pre-cut starting blocks ensure square angles and flat surfaces to establish good technique.
Workstation Set-up
Ensure adequate work surface area for securing blocks in place as you carve. Protect hands from slipping with a carved block vise. Good lighting is essential to prevent hand injuries.
Tool Testing
Try flexing thinner slicing knives before applying to the carving surface. Test thicknesses on scrap first. Thinner tools excel at tight curves and details.
Direction Matters
Always slice away from your body when carving with control. Cut downwards when possible or from center outwards. Tuck thumbs downwards while carving to prevent injuries.
Finesse Takes Time
Focus early practice on safely controlling tools and establishing foundations. Precision comes later through experience. Patience, purpose and care for tools and materials will advance skill.
More Complex Carving Techniques to Develop
Once beginners have acquired competency with basic relief carving principles and carving in-the-round methods, there are many additional intricate techniques to aspire towards:
Textures and Faux Finishes
Tools like veiners, chip carving knives and razor blades can impart woodgrain, scales, fur, chainmail, leather, dragon skin textures and more for ultra-realistic carvings.
Power Carvers
Rotary power carvers greatly accelerate removal of excess material from larger projects. However they require extremely cautious operation to avoid injuries when binding in wood grain.
Relief Backgrounds
Elevate a relief carving by incising meaningful symbols, landscapes features, geometrics or textures into the background around the main images.
Staining and Painting
Enhance detailing by introducing colored stains, inks, paints and gilding metals to various carved elements after shaping and texturing the wood itself. Many amazing effects can be achieved.
Top Wood Species for Carving
Beyond ubiquitous basswood for beginners, there many interesting hard and soft woods to explore for carving. Here is a small sampling:
Butternut
Similar to basswood but with richer brown coloration. Butternut finishes smoothly and takes detailed carving well. Does not require heavy sanding.
Poplar
Pale soft wood that is easy to carve. Has a straight, even grain and smooth surface. Ideal for painted carvings.
White Pine
A budget-friendly soft wood for basic carvings. Has a medium grain that requires modest sanding. The wood stains effectively.
Black Walnut
A harder wood with chocolate tones and darker grain patterns. More difficult to work but finishes beautifully. Great for abstract carvings.
Redwood
Features gorgeous red hues. Being a soft wood, it carves easily with the benefit of natural weather resistance for outdoor carvings.
Oak
For seasoned carvers, oak’s strong figure and whorled grain challenges shaping ability but finished results have tremendous character. It wears very well.
Helpful Resources for Advancing Carving Skills
As you progress beyond essential basic carving techniques, reference these helpful learning resources:
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Mary May’s comprehensive Beginning Woodcarving book covers an extensive range of techniques.
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Chris Pye’s Woodcarving: Tools, Materials & Equipment helps equip an efficient workspace.
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Watch talented carver Mary Duke’s YouTube channel for free tutorials.
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Talk with other carving enthusiasts on the active Woodcarving Illustrated Forum.
So grab your sharpened knife and mallet, hunker over a promising basswood block, and release your inner Geppetto! The fundamentals presented above will start you successfully on a lifetime journey into the art of woodcarving that can be as simple or as ambitious as you wish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best introductory carving projects?
Basic relief carvings of animals, signs with lettering, simple crosses, bowls and spoons are all excellent starter projects to develop core skills.
How expensive is it to get into wood carving?
Woodcarving can be very affordable to start. A beginner set of just 4-5 carving knives and a strop can cost under $100 total. Basswood blanks and practice boards add little additional cost.
Can old kitchen knives be used for carving wood?
It’s not advisable to use kitchen knives for actual carving. Their thicker edges don’t carve cleanly. However, thin boning knives can serve as temporary woodcarving knives in a pinch if truly sharpened carefully beforehand on a whetstone. But invest in real carbon steel carving knives as soon as possible.
What safety gear should be used in wood carving?
Always wear safety glasses and carving gloves to protect eyes and hands from slips. Use thumb guards if possible and secure carving blanks firmly in a vise before chiseling. Be mindful of grain direction and tools used.
How detailed can relief carvings be?
There is no limit, even down to individual hairs on animal carvings. Intricate patterns in the background are also possible. Use fine micro tools to replicate details from reference images. The level of precision comes down to carving skill over time.
Can a Dremel rotary tool substitute for carving knives early on?
Dremels and other high-speed rotary tools lack finesse for shaping and detailing. They rapidly remove material which risks getting out of control. It’s far preferable to use traditional hand tools to build fundamental carving skills first. Power carvers compliment skills once mastered.
What are the best places to buy woodcarving tools and supplies?
Quality tools designed expressly for the specialized needs of carving can be sourced from Sculpture House, Woodcraft and Rockler Woodworking. Basswood practice blanks are also common on Amazon or Etsy. Local woodworking stores may also carry carving tools.
Here are three external links that could be relevant to this article:
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Introductory Wood Carving Videos – YouTube playlist from Doug Linker with carving tutorials for beginners
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Woodcarving Illustrated Magazine – Website for the leading woodcarving magazine with articles, tips, and project ideas
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Dayton Carvers Guild – Local Ohio woodcarving club with excellent beginner references and where to buy wood blanks