View sketches for wood carving. Geometric wood carving. How to choose wood and tools. Carving technique

Having barely learned to hold objects in their hands, little man a craving for creativity manifests itself. Over time, he will have the opportunity to try himself in various types skills: handicrafts, modeling, origami, wood carving, drawing. Of course, certain skills that the child acquired in early childhood will be useful for this. Sometimes a simple hobby gradually turns into a hobby, and then becomes the work of a lifetime. So many centuries ago in Rus', one of the main types of creativity was wood carving. And in the 21st century it still arouses genuine interest among people.

Popular types of intricate art

For a long time, people have decorated their homes wooden objects from carving. Various kinds paintings, kitchen utensils, religious objects, and children's toys were considered valuable things for any family. Perhaps this is why various types of wood carvings appeared. The most popular options are:

• geometric;
• flat-notched;
• slotted;
• sculptural;
• embossed;
• openwork;
• invoice.

Fortunately, the list does not end there, because this type of creativity is widespread throughout our vast country. Let's look at just a few of them.

Geometric wood carving involves the use of various figures in the work. These are triangles, circles, squares and polyhedra. It is used for the manufacture of furniture elements, household utensils, and wall crafts. The oldest type of such carving is triangular-notched carving. This is one of the most simple methods, since it is performed with only one tool - a knife with a jamb. For such wood carving you will need a simple set of items:

• linden board;
• special knife-jamb;
• ruler;
• pencil.

First, sketches of geometric shapes or a finished ornament are applied to the board. Beginners should not use it complex drawings so that the work turns out flawlessly. For the first work, material from deciduous trees, since it is more convenient to draw straight lines on it with a sharp knife.

The wooden surface should be as smooth as possible. This is achieved by planing the board. It does not need to be sanded sandpaper. Otherwise, the carving will not turn out clear and neat, and the tool will quickly become dull.

The pitted planar method is used to cut recesses on a plane various sizes and shapes. These can be oval contours and all kinds of convexities.

The slotted type of carving is also considered quite simple. It is performed using a jigsaw. A sketch of any figure applied to a wooden plane is cut out along the contour. The result is some cute crafts. Slotted threads are used to make background objects through which other planes are visible. It is often called openwork carving, and is used to decorate furniture in the Baroque style. These can also be elements of buffets, window casings, doors, and sometimes decorative screens. If crafts are attached to a special base, then this type of carving is considered overhead.

The process of working with the slotting method begins with a sketch, which is applied to a pre-polished workpiece. It is transferred to the surface using a special template or transparent white paper. Then holes are made on the contours and cut out on the work table using a thin jigsaw file.

Relief carving includes two main methods: flat and blind. In addition, the blind option implies a low or convex relief. The bottom line is that the pattern is formed due to the main background of the surface.

The flat-relief method is performed in such a way that the pattern and the surrounding background are made at the same depth over the entire area of ​​the base. Blind carving is characterized by a convex pattern that does not have flat outlines. Such products are valued for their high decorativeness and richness of composition. After all, a unique miniature landscape with hills, depressions and depressions is created on the plane. To create such masterpieces, craftsmen use elements of almost all types of wood carving. Therefore, beginners should master each method separately in order to apply the skills with more.

The first steps on the path to mastery

History shows that wood was traditionally used to decorate living spaces. In our time various photos, drawings and sketches of wood carvings are exhibited in local history museums or printed publications. This suggests that smart people who are willing to learn can master this art form. Wood is a wonderful natural material from which you can create decorative compositions, paintings, furniture elements and kitchen utensils. Having mastered the basics of the ancient art, some became real masters of wood carving, devoting their entire lives to it.

Popular wisdom says: “The hardest trouble is the beginning.” This is how it is if you do nothing. Practical advice Wood carvings for beginners open the door for brave people to the world of magnificent DIY crafts. First you need to prepare your tools and understand the basic nuances of the craft.

It is advisable for beginners to choose high-quality and durable equipment for work in order to acquire valuable craftsmanship skills.

For wood carving you need to prepare the following tools:

• sharp knife;
• chisel;
• jigsaw;
• bit;
• drill;
• needle files;
• spoon cutter;
• bars;
• milling machine.

Of course, for beginners it will be enough to purchase a special set of tools for wood carving, which includes a knife, a jigsaw and an awl. With their help it is very convenient to master the skills of ancient craftsmanship.

The next step is the selection of raw materials. The quality of the product depends on this. There are two types of wood in nature: hard and soft. The first group includes mahogany, oak and beech. For the second - aspen, pine, spruce, birch. Of course, it is easier to work with soft wood, but with one wrong move it quickly deteriorates. Despite this, it is considered the most suitable raw material for beginners.

Hardwoods are used by professionals because they are very expensive.

In addition to the strength of the material key role The color of the wood also plays into play. A suitable raw material for learning the skill is birch. It lends itself wonderfully to cutting and drilling in any direction. When choosing designs for wood carving, you should keep in mind that birch wood darkens over time. Despite this, she is very easy to work with.

When the pattern is selected, it must be transferred to a wooden blank. In the age of technology, you can use ready-made photographs or drawings provided by specialists. The subjects of the images are very different, but each has its own unique beauty. When everything is ready, you can start creating your own masterpieces. Thematic wood carving lessons are an invaluable aid for beginners.

Master class on simple crafts

When you look at the finished crafts, you get the impression that making them is not at all difficult. Therefore, many lovers of folk crafts took the instrument into their hands and got to work. To cut an ordinary flower you need to prepare the following set of items:

• wood blank;
• double soft pencil;
• tracing paper;
• chisels.

Please note that only special chisels for wood carving are suitable. They should be v-shaped, narrow and semicircular. The next stage is drawing. It can be taken from the Internet. To do this, apply a sheet of paper to the screen, redraw the diagram, and then apply it to a wooden plane.

Start working from the central part of the sketch, carefully cutting out a circle. Then, using a v-shaped chisel, cut out the petals along the contour. Wood waste between them is removed as work progresses. If you don’t have such a chisel, they will do professional knives for wood carving, which are no worse to use in this craft.

Using a semicircular chisel, cut out the outer part of the petal. It looks like the outline of a heart, but it's not scary. Then cuts are made in the inner part of the petal, connecting it to the center of the flower. All that remains is to round it off and the flower is ready. Now you can admire the first creation of your own hands. An invaluable help for beginners is a themed video of wood carving, which encourages them to immediately get to work.

Modern technology for experienced craftsmen

IN modern world many works have been completed for a long time mechanically. Applied crafts are not lagging behind in this. The use of technology allows craftsmen to save their energy and precious time. Wood carving machines make it possible to quickly and efficiently prepare raw material to work. The only drawback of such devices is their high cost, but people for whom carving is not just a hobby are ready to purchase them.

Pantograph

The device is designed to work with any wooden surfaces. It performs operations of various kinds, both volumetric and on a plane. The pantograph is used to process arched, bent or rotating parts. This is how they cut out using a machine various elements furniture, statues or panels.

Drill

An excellent device for working with hardwood. It is important to take into account the properties and location of the fibers natural material. Using a drill, craftsmen sharpen tools, polish wood, and, if necessary, polish.

Tree species with dense wood that do not have a tendency to chip are suitable for working with a drill.

CNC milling machine

This technique is mainly used for the production wooden furniture with carved decoration. The machine is designed to work with any type of plywood and wood. It is highly functional and technical capabilities. When working on such equipment, it is important to use special means protection - glasses and gloves. Also follow the operating instructions for the device.

As practice shows, such machines simplify the process of wood carving. They make it possible to create a huge number of products in a short time. The devices are used not only in industry, but also for personal workshops.

In any case, handmade products bring true satisfaction to a person. They create a pleasant atmosphere in the house, help express the master’s feelings for his loved ones, and serve for the benefit of the household for a long time. Wooden crafts retain their natural beauty for a long time and never go out of fashion. Wood carving is an art that is passed down from generation to generation. It is available to anyone who wishes to master this craft. The main thing is not to be afraid of failures, but to be willing to learn, pick up tools and create masterpieces.

Wood carving video tutorial for beginners

There is such a type of thread as through or openwork - it is divided into, in fact, through and overhead, it has two subtypes: slotted thread (through sections are cut with chisels and cutters) and sawed thread (actually the same thing, but such areas are cut out with a saw or jigsaw ). The most productive tool, of course, is the jigsaw. It makes it easy to do slotted carving, which is great for woodworking!

Openwork carving is called openwork, because, as you can see in the photographs, products made using this technique look incredibly light, like the most delicate lace. The essence of slotted carving is to saw through the pattern in a thin wooden blank. This type of carving has gained incredible popularity in the field of design and interior decoration. The most striking examples slotted carving can be considered house carving - decorations for frames on windows and doors, carved railings, decorations of pediments have been created in Rus' since time immemorial and many of them have survived to this day.

The main difference between slotted threads is that the background of the product is completely removed. But sometimes, for better perception of the pattern, it is nailed or glued to a solid background of a contrasting color. This technique is called overhead threading.

Learning wood carving: where the work begins

Initially, it is necessary to select a wooden blank of suitable size, and wood is usually used for this type of carving coniferous trees(spruce, pine, fir).

Then the desired ornament is selected and the workpiece is prepared for transfer. At the same time, you can create a drawing of the future stencil yourself, or choose an existing template from the Internet, where you can find a huge number of both individual pictures and entire albums with images. The photo below shows examples of convenient and simple drawings:

The selected design is first transferred to paper, then the paper is rigidly fixed on a wooden piece. After this, you can either immediately drill holes for the file and begin sawing, or additionally transfer the pattern to the surface of the wood, and then begin carving.

When choosing a sketch, you should remember that small parts ornaments will be invisible against a large background, for example, on the facade of a building. Therefore, you need to select the desired ornament taking into account the proportions of the element to be decorated, be it a house or a picture frame.

We select tools and devices used to create patterns

When making carvings of this type, a variety of cutting tools, like regular knives and a chisel. But working with such tools is very labor-intensive and tiring. Therefore, drills and saws are more popular for such purposes, and the type of saw can be different - from a jigsaw to hand hacksaw, depending on the size of the template you created.

Nowadays, masters rarely use manual labor when performing large-scale work. Convenient household power tools are often used, such as an electric drill, a hand router and a jigsaw. Using a jigsaw, work is done quickly, easily and efficiently. But with such work it is impossible to do without a drill used to pre-drill holes for the file. Job manual router not so light and productive, and also requires preliminary skills in handling this power tool. But the carving is much better quality and there is no need to make preliminary holes in the workpiece.

There are more original ways creating a slotted pattern on a wooden workpiece. One of these methods is burning. The essence this method consists of literally burning through a pattern on wood with highly heated nichrome wire. The disadvantages can be considered specific smell burning, the need to cool the working tool, which causes the work to take a little longer, as well as noticeably charred edges of the finished pattern.

A more advanced method of this method can be considered laser cutting, which stands out high quality and the accuracy of the resulting pattern. However, the use of this method is only possible when purchasing very expensive equipment, which is why this type of work is now not very often used in practice.

At the end of the article I would like to show you the amazing work of a very experienced craftsman, who depicts in his works not just abstract drawings, but very accurate and detailed copies of animals.

Video on the topic of the article

Geometric wood carving consists of different elements having geometric shape, and is performed with one cutter. maybe: lines, squares, triangular and tetrahedral recesses, etc. This technique will even allow you to make carved works of such shapes as leaves, flowers, berries, ears of corn. If you develop the skill, it will turn into the form of contour carving.

Original box made with geometric carvings

You can search the Internet or come up with it yourself. Geometric cutting is quite simple to perform; for this you will need: a cutter, a couple semicircular chisels. Geometric carving lessons will show how you can play with chiaroscuro and unusual patterns. It is especially beautiful in different triangles, nail-shaped cutting and triangular-notched shape. This cutting allows for polishing and matte finishes.

For triangular notched carving, you only need a jamb knife, it has a beveled blade. In addition, the following tools are needed:

• flat chisel, 2 cm wide;
• semicircular chisel;
• hacksaw;
• files: round, square, semicircular;
• ruler;
• simple pencil;
• compass;
• eraser.

The cutting technology is simple, but each component plays its role in the work.

Wood

Wood happens following types: hard, very hard and soft. For beginners, it is better to use soft wood, it is easier to work with (linden, pine or aspen).

Linden is more difficult to obtain than other types, as it is often used by professionals. Pine has a disadvantage - it splits when cut.

Aspen a good option for work. There are many visual photos, what kind of wood it should be, and what the longitudinal fibers look like along which work needs to be done.

Preparing for work

For the first lesson, you need a board measuring 170 by 110 mm and 2 cm thick. Sketches for this work will be given below. The surface of the board must be sanded with sandpaper. Now, using a ruler and a simple pencil, draw out the entire surface of the tree in 5 cm cells.

Then we draw all the figures, as shown in the figure below. There were 7 figures in total: pegs, diamonds, a twist, a pyramid, stars, squares and a rosette. From these figures you can then create new patterns. A photograph that shows what compositions can be made from just elements, and how the composition looks after processing and painting the wood.

Pegs - the first figure

In triangular-notched carving, the entire process consists of two operations - pricking and trimming. These are simple movements that are easy to do in practice. We take the knife in our hand, thumb lies on the beveled part of the handle.
Press the cutter into vertical position, so that it deepens a few mm, then lower the blade at an angle to intersect the line of the side knife in accordance with the markings. In the same way, a prick is made on the left side of the triangle.


For pruning you need:

• attach the cutting part of the knife to the left side of the triangle, so it connects to the top with its bevel;
• we move the handle of the knife back, maintaining a parallel between the right side of the pattern and the cutting blade (this movement is done with the hand, as if we were pulling a bow);
• press on the knife, returning to the first position of the hand; so the nose of the knife is on the top, and the cutting part is on the right side of the triangle.

Read also

Sculptural wood carving

The trimmed triangle will eventually break off, hence the name “peg.” This movement is called "shooting". When doing it, try to keep the angle at 45 degrees. The drawing comes out simple with this figure, but this is the basis of geometry.

Security measures

All movements should come from the hand, this simplifies the work and takes the load off the shoulder.


The working hand (in which the cutter is located) is pressed tightly against the work table to free the movement of the hand. When you hold the workpiece with your free hand, you need to ensure that your fingers are positioned so that they are not on the working part when the cutting process is in progress.

Diamond - second figure

Ornaments for geometric carvings consist of simple details such as pegs and diamonds. A rhombus consists of two triangles connected by their bases.

The technology is the same, only you first need to cut out the top row, and then turn the board and make the bottom one.

Viteika – third figure

It consists of mastering basic carving techniques and basic shapes. Viteyka is the same type of chips. They are simply shifted to the side in relation to each other.

The result will be a winding path. To do this, you need to cut out and pin the lower triangles, and turn the board - the upper ones. So we will see that there remains a “snake” in the middle.

Pyramid – fourth figure

The first patterns were the simplest. And you can deal with them without difficulty. The following ones will be more difficult to complete, since they consist of several triangles and are located in a certain order in relation to each other.
So the pyramid consists of three triangles, it has in the center the point of contact of all the corners. Therefore, when cutting a given figure, each element, when pricked, comes into contact with the same point several times. The most important thing is that pruning is done in the direction of the wood layer.


If you cut across, you will get unwanted chips that will ruin the patterns.

Asterisk – fifth figure

Geometric cutting patterns can be varied, but basically consist of the same elements that are arranged together. Same with the star shape. It consists of four pyramids, and this figure will not be difficult to make. You just need to sequentially cut out four pyramids one after another.

Squares - figure six

This element is clearly different from all the others. There are no triangles in it, and it is cut out completely differently than all the figures. This cutting method is called straw. Many sketches include squares. They can be either the border of the work, a frame, or part of the main elements of the drawing.
This figure is cut this way:

• we retreat from the marking by 1 mm to the right, holding the knife at an angle of 45 degrees, deepen it by 2 or 3 mm and cut along the line to the end;
• on the left side of the strip we do everything the same;
• We make a puncture at the end and beginning of the strip, with the knife directed vertically.

Wood carving is very ancient art. was and remains the most affordable and attractive way to decorate your home and everyday life. Over time, the simplest symbols turned into the most beautiful ornaments, striking with their elegance and extraordinary living warmth.

A selection of carved ornaments for wood carving

For decoration wooden products carved ornaments have been used since ancient times. The ornament is a pattern characterized by a rhythmic arrangement of details made in the form of various visual elements.

There are many different ornaments: geometric and floral patterns, images of animals, humans and birds. Often complex carving elements are simplified and stylized into parts that are more accessible to visual perception and manufacturing.

Geometric patterns consist of simple details, the combination of which can sometimes create fantasy pictures of amazing beauty. and the compositions are usually presented in the form of ornamental stripes, rosettes, stars or borders. Individual elements can also be used independently:

1. Dot. Rarely used as an independent element, but when repeated it acquires a decorative effect.
2. Lines. A frequently used element, most often used to distinguish individual motifs.
3. Broken line. Zigzag is a symbolic sign of water.
4. Square and rhombus. Often serves to limit the space filled with motifs.
5. Hexagons and octagons. Traditional element in oriental motifs.
6. Crosses. Ancient symbols of various structures.
7. Spirals and twisted cords. Beautiful elements with a curvilinear geometric structure.
8. Circle. It contains a pattern or is an independent part of the composition.

Geometric patterns are used in various types of wood carving, but especially in geometric and contour techniques.

Floral ornaments

A plant or foliage pattern can be made in the form of a border or strip of an ornament with repeating elements, or it can be a separate composition depicting trees, fruit-bearing plants, flowers, and so on. Representatives of the flora are either depicted very naturalistically or stylized and simplified.

After geometric carving, floral ornament is the most popular; it can be used in all types of carving. IN different times and at different nations They had their own favorite plant patterns.


The most common plant forms since ancient times are: lily, grapes, oak, hops, lotus, laurel, ivy.

Image of a person in an ornament

A schematic or realistic depiction of a person is often used in carved art on wood. For example, the human face is used to decorate such decorative elements like a mascaron. Man is often present in ornaments with plant or animal motifs.

Complex ornaments

There are also carved elements bearing both decorative and symbolic meaning:

• inscriptions, hieroglyphs, Arabic script, etc.;
• heraldry - emblems, family coats of arms and different countries;
• symbolic motifs - they are very diverse, for example, a cross, a yin-yang sign, a lotus, solar signs and so on.

Basic forms of carved ornaments

Depending on the nature of the composition, location and shape, there are the following types ornaments:

1. Ribbon ornament and border. A carved detail that borders a product or runs along its edge.
2. Garland. Wave-shaped pattern with plant motifs.
3. Socket. A separate symmetrical type of ornament correct form: circle, polygon, oval.
4. Palmetta. It is a fan-shaped carved decor.
5. Arabesque. It makes up a complex ornate pattern of geometric or floral patterns.
6. Wreath. Carving element with plant motif.
7. Network. A pattern with interlacing elements - stems, ribbons, stripes, etc.
8. Panel. The pattern contained in carved frame or tape.
9. Openwork ornament. It is made using the saw-cut carving technique, the peculiarity of which is the creation of a through background of the pattern.

The art of wood carving. How long ago did it arise? Nobody will say now. Since ancient times, wood has been the closest material in terms of perception of the world to humans. It often seems that this knot needs to be slightly corrected, the excess removed, and it will become a work of art. But no, in fact, wood carving is painstaking professional work. With skill, you can make a masterpiece!

• Firstly, desire creativity and good mood.
• Secondly, the material. In principle, you can cut according to any type of wood. But it is easiest to work with birch, linden, aspen, pine, spruce and cherry. The wood must be well dried. In addition, wood needs paper for sketches, a pattern for smooth transitions of lines, a ruler, a compass, a triangle and a pencil.
• Third, tools. In general, a wide range of tools are used for cutting. But for a beginning carver, a jigsaw, an awl and a knife will be enough.
• Fourth, workplace. Before you pick up a cutter, be sure to create a workspace for yourself. For this, you will need a table or bench. They must be stable and durable. But it's better to make a workbench. It is more convenient and reliable.
• Fifth, you need to create sketches for wood carving.

Let's get acquainted with the main types of carving. We will note 2 common types: sculptural and relief.

1. Sculptures are free-standing works and subjects. Usually these are people, animals and abstract forms.
2. With relief wood carving, images are made on the surface (background). For example, a bird soaring against the backdrop of a mountain landscape.

To start working, we need sketches. Where can I get them? This is your fantasy! Whatever you come up with and apply to the tree. But, if your imagination is tight, you can find ready-made sketches on the Internet. The main thing is to start with simple sketches for stencils.

We found a sketch for wood carving. You need to turn it into a stencil. What is a stencil? This is transferring a drawing onto paper. The paper must be durable. It can be tracing paper or carbon copy. With their help we simply transfer the drawing onto the surface. Or we create a stencil from cardboard. After that, we attach it to the tree and trace the outline.

And if you use geometric carving, then you can simply draw a pattern on the blank. First of all, you need to select areas for yourself and determine which of them will be convex and which will be concave. Only in this case will you get the correct drawing on the tree. By the way, this is the most easy look thread. It is great for making boxes, boards, and frames.

Gallery: stencil wood carving (25 photos)

Stencils for contour carving

It is also easy contour thread. The main thing here is the ability to correctly cut grooves of the same thickness and depth. Why do we use a variety of chisels? After cutting the blade in this style, usually inner part The grooves are tinted. Then the sketch is clearly visible and looks very picturesque. . The advantage of this type sawing is the ability to take virtually any stencil and transfer it to a blank. But there are many ready-made templates for those who want to try themselves in this form of cutting. Animals, plants and landscapes look very good in this technique.

Geometric patterns for wood carving

The simplest templates are geometric figures, plant ornaments (leaves, twigs), butterflies. They are often used in the manufacture carved frames on the windows. In ancient times, it was believed that platbands protected the house from evil spirits. Therefore, they were often decorated with patterns in the form of laurel leaves, oak leaves, lotus flowers and lilies. They also used Celtic (Scandinavian) wickerwork. This is a braid pattern, various weaves.

Stencils for flat technology

And with the help of planar technology you can create interesting figures of various animals. For example, put a wooden bear or a swimming swan in your garden. Can be made fairy-tale heroes – formidable dragon or Serpent Gorynych. Or scare guests with masks of some mythical characters. By the way, masks are made using three-dimensional technique. This carving requires skill and skill. Their sizes are different: from 25 to 50 cm in length. You can come up with sketches for mask stencils yourself or take ancient Slavic heroes from books, for example.

Stencils in flat-relief cutting styles

Here the process will not be so simple. Here you need to make a deep background, it is located as if under the relief. The relief itself, as a rule, collapses. The transitions are made smooth using a file or sandpaper. Make the background smooth or leave it slightly textured. In order for the artistic carving to turn out truly luxurious, we also cannot do without a stencil.

The ability to carve wood allows you to create many amazingly beautiful and internal energy of things. Developing technology and by constantly learning, you can make real masterpieces of art. For example, you can start cutting out icons and paintings. This is a very painstaking and exciting task. Such canvases are quite expensive.

And with imagination, you can do Original gifts to your loved ones and friends. For example, a wooden medallion engraved or carved watch. The latter can be either wall-mounted or floor-mounted.

So wood carving can be not only a fun, but also a profitable hobby. The main thing is to have imagination, creativity and put your soul into your work. Then the products will not only delight you and your friends, but also protect them from negativity.