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

Ancient folk craft, common to today- woodworking. Modern machines, laser burners, plastics and other substitutes for figured carving on wood cannot replace art self made for real natural material. One of the types of this interesting craft is called slotted carving.

Stencil and ornament

Not used as often as other types. But not at all because it is unclaimed. This is a technique that has been studied for years, although if you try to formulate what it is in a nutshell, then everything will turn out to be simple - this is a type of carving when the background, background, and substrate of the image are removed during the processing process.

Thanks to this, the design and ornament become airy, openwork, and the products amaze with their fabulous lightness. Moreover, this type of carving is not always performed on miniature planes. There are masters who do this with chainsaws.

Types of thread

In principle, among all types of carvings, which are conventionally divided into several groups, it is difficult, and there is no point in setting clear limits on technology, since the methods for manufacturing a particular product can be combined in any way you like. But for orientation, it’s worth mentioning some common wood processing methods:

Of course, this division is conditional, so we will not consider this type separately. Stencils, sketches and drawings of finished products, as well as photographs of striking works by masters, combine several processing techniques. For example, some textbooks highlight the cutting technology using jigsaws or saws, as well as the one that is performed with cutters and chisels.

Craft Basics

If you look at some photos of the works, you can clearly see that the authors used several methods of wood processing at once - when performing different elements decoration or exterior of buildings, flat-relief patterns with raw edges are rarely found, which means more than one or two technologies are used.

To begin getting acquainted with the basics of the craft, let’s remember how each of us held a jigsaw in our hands and cut figures out of planks or plywood. This is called the simplest slotted thread. For more complex work will be required more tools than a jigsaw and a dozen spare files, but the principle remains the same.

Technology and tool

To take the first step towards mastering the technique, we select a sketch or prepare a stencil if the pattern turns out to be complex and cyclically repeating. The design is transferred to the wood and then processed with the selected tool. To perform cutting, as a rule, soft wood species are used:

Depending on the chosen tool, the appropriate cutting technology is used. If a jigsaw or a hand jigsaw will be used for carving, in this case we drill holes according to the stencil for inserting the saw blade. This method is simpler, but errors are possible when working with jigsaws. A manual electric router is also used. In this case, high-quality processing of the edges of the drawing is guaranteed, however, working with a router requires experience.

Before choosing a design for a stencil, you need to compare the size of the finished product with the size of the image. In order for the design to be clearly readable, for large items you should not choose too delicate and small an ornament, but for small items, boxes, frames, an openwork pattern would be appropriate. Maintaining proportions is very important when choosing a stencil. This applies to both plant patterns, and stencils of animals, ethnic ornaments.

Among the not very common methods of carving is burning. This is a productive method, but it requires a special machine, which is quite easy to assemble with your own hands. It consists of nichrome wire, a step-down transformer, and a filament current regulator. The nichrome thread burns through the wood, making it possible to complete the work accurately and accurately.

Laser cutting is also sometimes used, but this method is not available to everyone due to the high price of the equipment. But this is the most accurate and effective method. In industrial settings, CNC machines are often used. They help to quickly and accurately produce the same type of specified patterns for the production of large batches of products.

But the most important thing when working with wood is imagination and creativity. Using unique sketches for work, the products will be unusual and truly expressive, emphasizing the individuality of the master. Therefore, experiment boldly and good luck to everyone!

All photos from the article

The most simple view Wood carving is geometric, with which learning this craft technique begins. The ornament is formed from various shapes - squares, rectangles, polygons, ovals, stripes, circles, segments - parts of a circle, triangles. Today our task is to ensure that you learn as much as possible about what geometric wood carving is, where it is used, how to select and prepare material for it, about tools and techniques.

Features and scope of application

Original and unusual ornamental pattern A geometric notch is obtained by creating dihedral, trihedral and tetrahedral notches in wood, which are folded into geometric elements.

Even though this type carving is considered the simplest; for many years, the price of products decorated with its help has been quite high, and it itself has received a special place among other types of crafts.

Tip: when making furniture, make carved parts from the same type of wood as the main item.

The only limitation in the areas of application of geometric carving can be the author’s imagination, his sense of proportion and taste.

Today there is large number furniture decorated in this way, here are just a few:

• buffets;
• cabinets;
• cradle;
• shelves;
• coffee tables;
• bureau;
• chests of drawers

Geometric wood carving patterns created by professionals can be found not only in the private homes of collectors and craft connoisseurs, but also in various museums - for example, Catherine's Palace in Pushkin or in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

How to choose wood

To train your skill and learn to work with wood, you should start with small parts and elements, this will give you the opportunity to get the basis of the craft. To get a better feel for the wood, it is better to perform the very first drawing on soft wood:

After gaining experience, you can start making patterns for more expensive materials without fear of spoiling them. Hardwoods are considered the most valuable. For example, to produce expensive and unique furniture, tree species growing in Russia such as beech, oak and pear are often used.

The first has a fairly soft structure, but the wood has attractive aesthetic characteristics; the last two representatives are more hard. By the way, from many points of view, the characteristics of hazel are the most popular, so in furniture stores that sell antiques you can find products made from it.

How the material is procured

To perform the work correctly, the material must first be prepared. The selected boards are interspersed and stacked over the next 2-3 years.

Tip: the drying of the material must be constantly monitored.

The main condition is right choice places for drying, for example, the attic is considered optimal. Please note that sudden changes in temperature, cold and humidity can greatly affect the subsequent quality of the material, so it should be protected from their influence. Periodically rearrange the boards on different sides; in addition, you need to shift the blanks from wall to wall.

Advice: boards for work are not sanded, but scraped, so as not to damage the working tool.

Sometimes synthetic or natural dyes are applied to the material. It is best to use the latter, then the appearance finished work looks natural and attractive.

The easiest way is toning with a solution of potassium permanganate. Apply the prepared dye to the material in several layers, each of which must dry before applying the next. When used correctly, the wood can be given a mahogany-like appearance.

Required Tools

Most geometric carving work is done using a jamb. When using this tool correctly, the maximum depth should be at its top, the minimum at the base.

In addition to the joint, to work on wood you will need:

• various types of chisels;
• mallet.

When decorating furniture with geometric carvings or making a large panel, it is more convenient to use a workbench with a lid. It should not be lower than 1200 mm in height, and within 70-80 mm in width.

Carving technique

To get beautiful combinations on a wooden product, individual elements of the design, for example, triangles or squares, must be completely similar in accuracy, size and depth of the planes.

Only in this case can an ornament be obtained - a pattern evenly distributed on the surface. You can see it in geometric script with alternating squares divided into triangles on old spinning wheels.

To make geometric carvings on the surface of homogeneous wood, you can take several small chisels and one cutter with a working part 2 mm wide.

We walk along the fibers

The instructions are as follows:

1. Before starting work, apply marking lines to the workpiece, marking the fields on each side with a compass marker. Divide the resulting rectangular plane into several segments and draw lines using a ruler.
2. Secure the marked workpiece with its end to the support, hold it for stability with your left hand.
3. Position the cutter vertically to the workpiece.
4. Start cutting a line 1.5-2mm deep, moving the cutter from the opposite edge towards you.

Advice: do all the work in a sitting position, while the posture should be free and relaxed, you can slightly touch the table with your chest, but do not tilt your head or torso.

1. Guide the cutter towards you at an angle of 30-40˚ with a slight tilt to the right. To prevent chipping and the tool from wobbling during operation, move the heel of the cutter slightly closer to the workpiece. However, be careful that it does not “burrow” into the board.
2. Notching - the first pass of the cutter along the line marked with a pencil. Hold the movement of the cutter towards the end of the line slightly, raising the heel to end the line exactly at the field mark.
3. Turn the workpiece to the left and run the cutter along the same line, but on the other side. This technique is called pruning. The result of scoring and trimming will be a smooth groove with a triangular cross-section.

Pattern across the grain

1. Mark the workpiece in the same way as the previous one, only across the fibers.
2. Try to place the lines parallel to the end of the workpiece.
3. Turn the board with the long side facing you, fix and hold for stability with your left hand.
4. Make cuts with a cutter at an angle of 45˚, then unfold the workpiece and make a trim.

Tip: since it is more difficult to guide the cutter across the grain, its heel should be raised slightly.

Checkered

1. Align parallel and transverse lines with each other to create a simple checkered pattern. When doing this, maintain the exact distance.
2. Make a cut along the grain line first., while moving the tool slightly to the right of the marking.
3. Unfold the workpiece and trim.
4. In the same order, trim and cut across the grain with a cutter..

This technique allows you to decorate a wooden surface with an ornament of regular checkered squares. The pattern is often used to decorate the lids of various chests or chests.

Grid drawing

The next method is to cut straight parallel lines at an angle and diagonally to the edges of the workpiece. Can be done different angles to create flat or sharp-angled patterns.

Perpendicular lines of this type, when intersecting, form a pattern of repeating diamonds or squares, which is called a grid. The initial lines are from right to left, then the workpiece is turned over and a second cut is made, but in the opposite direction - from left to right.

Trimming is carried out in a similar manner. The correct positioning of the cutter affects the correctness of the drawn thread lines, the accuracy and aesthetics of the finished pattern. (See also article.)

Conclusion

As can be seen from the article, the technique of creating wood carvings is not anything extraordinary, as it might seem at first. Almost anyone can make a beautiful wooden surface for themselves; all you need is effort and patience.

Today you learned about how to prepare material for work, as well as several types of wood carving techniques. The video in this article will give you the opportunity to find additional information on the above topic.

Every owner dreams of making his home memorable and beautiful. If the house is no longer new, it is not so simple. One of the possibilities is carved platbands. They will even turn an ordinary “box” into a masterpiece.

Material for platbands

Carved platbands are made mainly from coniferous wood. The best option is pine, it cuts normally, is inexpensive, due to high content resins are durable. In principle, you can use any other coniferous board, but it is better not to try with spruce: it is too fibrous and cannot be cut even with the sharpest tool.

You can also make carved frames from hardwood - linden (the softest), poplar, maple, oak, cherry, etc. But you need to be able to work with each species, get your hands on it, and there is no guarantee that you will get something digestible, and hardwood is expensive. That’s why window frames are often made from pine. You just need to pay attention to the quality characteristics.

Carved window frames - a way to make your home unique

If you have wood or a board that has been lying around for 3 years or more, you can use it: it is already definitely dry, it just needs processing and calibration. If you don’t have woodworking equipment at home (thicknesser and circular saw), you will need an edged board. Wood of the first or highest grade is suitable for carved platbands. This means that there should be no knots, chips, or resin pockets on the board. Take chamber-dried wood with a moisture content of no more than 8-12%. This is not sold in the markets; you need to look for it at sawmills and construction stores.

Why kiln drying? Because it is dried in a special chamber, quickly removing moisture. At the same time, some of the boards crack and bend - these are rejected, the rest are sold. If you make carved frames from chamber-dried wood, they will definitely not be damaged or cracked.

Tools

To make carved platbands with your own hands, you will need the following minimum set:

• drill with a set of drills;
• electric jigsaw with soft start and a bunch of different wood saws;
• chisels;
• sandpaper with grains of different sizes;
• flap disc made of sandpaper for wood on a drill.

To reduce the time it takes to create carved patterns and sanding, it is better to have a router and a grinder.

One at a time or in bulk?

Carved platbands usually consist of repeating elements. At least two vertical slats on each window are made identical. And since several windows are usually decorated, a lot of identical elements are required. If you are going to make slotted trims, you naturally want to cut out several pieces at the same time, stacking the boards and somehow securing them.

The desire is understandable, but difficult to implement, and the benefits over time are not as great as it seems. The first difficulty is that home craftsmen usually have jigsaws that are not very powerful. To cut through several boards, you have to move the saw more slowly along the intended pattern. On straight lines the speed is still tolerable, on curves it is low. And the smaller the bend radius, the slower you have to move the file. If you work with one board, there are no such problems. So, in terms of time, if there is any gain, it is very small.

One more thing. Even thick, good, expensive files with a large thickness of the workpiece are deflected. So, when cutting several boards at the same time, the quality of the slot on the bottom (or two) remains a big question.

The procedure for manufacturing a platband with slotted threads

Using a template, transfer the desired drawing onto the board (read below for where to get it, how to enlarge it, and how to make a template). If necessary, we correct it and draw out the details well. Next, we will describe the procedure step by step.

Removing wood from the slots in the pattern

Since the carving will be viewed from afar, some inaccuracies are not fatal, but it is still worth striving for the ideal.

Making a curly edge

Some platbands have a smooth edge. Then we skip this stage. If the edge is curly, you will have to do some more work with a jigsaw.

If the cut is complex, there may be unattractive places left. This is not scary, we will then process them where necessary - with chisels, the same jigsaw, emery. When you are satisfied with the result, you can move on.

Final revision

Owners of wooden houses probably know everything about how to process wood. But, just in case, let’s repeat the general rules again.

The choice of paints and varnishes is very wide. Suitable for any outdoor use. But keep in mind that opaque paints will have to be renewed periodically - once a year for sure. And this means removing the old paint, priming, painting again. The situation is simpler with wood oils - they do not form a film on the surface of the wood, but are absorbed into the fibers. The coating also needs to be renewed, but just clean it from dust and cover it with a new layer. And the processing frequency is less. Disadvantages of wood oil - higher price, fewer colors.

How to enlarge a template

Simple carved platbands can be made without templates. There will be several examples in the video - it shows how to draw and cut. But not everyone can draw more or less complex patterns on their own. It takes skill and talent. The easiest way is to find a diagram, print it in the desired size, transfer it to cardboard and cut it out. You will get a template that you can trace.

The second way: copy from a photograph. Not all diagrams can be found. Some, especially antique window frames, you will not find anywhere. If you have at least some drawing ability, you can copy them.

Even such an ornament can be copied... if you have the skill

Questions may arise about how to increase the size of the found diagram or template. There are three options:

• With the help of any graphic editor. The simplest one - Paint - is available on any computer running Windows (the “Image” tab, the line “Change image size”, select “centimeters” and enter the desired length (height) in the box. The resulting file can be printed. If the printer is small format, It may be necessary to split them into several pages. Then they should be glued together and, according to the resulting drawing, a template should be made.
• Using a photocopy. Copiers have a zoom function.
• Taking graph paper, transfer the drawing to the desired scale. To do this, divide the original image into squares with a side of 0.5 or 1 cm (can be printed on a piece of checkered paper). Then we transfer the lines to graph paper, increasing them in the required proportion.

The first two methods are faster. But when scaling, the picture may turn out fuzzy and blurry. You can correct it by hand, or you can draw it in some editor, for example, CorelDRAW. Watch the video to see how to do this. Just an example of drawing a diagram for carving.

Video on the topic

Schemes, templates, patterns

The style is completely different...

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 a pattern in a thin piece of wood. 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; for this type of carving, coniferous wood (spruce, pine, fir) is usually used.

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 select an existing template from the Internet, where you can find huge amount 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 details of the ornament 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 performing this type of carving, a variety of cutting tools are used, such as ordinary knives and chisels. 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 a hand saw, 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. Working with a hand router is not so easy and productive; moreover, it 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 include the specific burning smell, 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.

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

Video on the topic of the article

Volumetric, contour and geometric wood carving are some of the most ancient techniques for decorating a wide variety of products. By and large, for the work you don’t need anything other than a wooden blank and a fairly sharp knife: with the right skill, you can get a carved frame, beautiful toy or any other product.

Of course, you will only achieve masterpieces after many years of practice. But you can start mastering carving with the simplest details: just study this article and understand the basics.

Types of carving

Despite the fact that when working with wood the most simple tools, and the processing techniques are not complicated, the result can be very different. Depending on appearance the treated surface is distinguished by the following types of thread:

1. Contour thread- perhaps the simplest (outwardly, not in terms of execution technique). The pattern is applied to a flat surface using shallow lines, forming the contours of the design.
2. Geometric carving- the most common due to its ease of learning. Unlike contour patterns, patterns are formed not by lines, but by a combination of geometric shapes, most often wedge-shaped notches.

1. Flat grooved thread - technology of applying an ornament or pattern to a flat board. In this case, indentations are cut out on a flat background, which form the pattern we need.

A variation of this technique is also considered through thread, in which not only recesses, but also holes are formed in the workpiece.

1. Sculptural carving(volumetric) - the most complex technique. A piece of wood, a branch or a root is taken as a blank, after which the part is given the desired shape. What is important here is not only the skill of the carver, but also how well the wood is selected.

Of course, this classification is very arbitrary, but it gives an idea of ​​where you can strive to improve your skills.

What do you need for work?

Carver tools

To do wooden toys, carved frames, platbands and other decorative objects, the craftsman needs suitable tools. In addition to the usual carpentry tools (saw, drill, file), you also need to use special tools:

Illustration	Tool	Purpose
	Knife-jamb	A universal tool that is used for both geometric wood carving and sculptural work.
	Chisels	The most extensive group of tools used to form recesses. Depending on the shape of the edge, the following varieties are distinguished: flat; semicircular; corner; stapled.
	Klukarzy	Special chisels with a curved working part. With their help, relief carvings with strong depth are made.
	Spoon cutters	As the name suggests, special tools for making wooden spoons. The special shape of the blade (ring or half-ring with one-sided sharpening) allows you to effectively select large volumes of wood.

The price of professional cutting tools is quite high. And yet, a novice craftsman should not save: it is better to purchase several knives and chisels of decent quality. Then the first experience will not be spoiled, and you can concentrate on mastering the techniques and techniques of carving.

Wood selection

Artistic carving requires the formation of a fairly clear relief. And for this you need not only suitable tools, but also appropriate material. Not all wood is suitable for carving, and if you are just starting to master the technique, then you need to be very picky about your choice:

1. Linden- ideal for a beginner. The material is soft and homogeneous, therefore the most complex drawings For wood carving, it is better to master it on linden.
2. Alder (red and black)- also very good option, albeit more dense. Cuts perfectly, almost does not warp when drying. The main disadvantage is that it is difficult to find!

1. Birch- harder and more elastic, but at the same time quite suitable for learning the basics of carving. It can become deformed when drying, so small products are usually cut from birch.
2. Oak- an excellent option, but only for an experienced master. The relief is perfect, but you need a very sharp tool and a confident hand.

1. Pear- wood with high density and good uniformity. The structure of the material allows the production of the thinnest products.

From the wood of these species, it is first necessary to cut blanks, dry them, and, if necessary, rough them. Only after this are drawings and sketches applied to them, according to which the carving is carried out.

Techniques and techniques for geometric carving

In fact, all work on a carved part comes down to three operations:

1. Preparation- selection and rough processing of the workpiece, transfer of the design.
2. Actually the thread- application of a relief pattern.
3. Finishing- elimination of defects, grinding, varnishing, etc.

Instructions for performing basic carving operations are shown in the table:

Illustration	Work stage
	Drawing. We transfer the contours of the pattern for processing onto a workpiece of the required size. You can build a drawing yourself, using a ruler and compass, or you can use ready-made sketches for wood carving. In the second case, we print out the sketch and transfer it to the base, making punctures with an awl at the points of intersection of the lines.
	Cutting contours. Based on the drawing, we cut the contour lines with a cutter. At the same time, we observe the depth and direction of cutting.
	Cutting out triangular elements. After the basic cutting, we move on to the main part of the work. We cut each triangle into a wedge on both sides. After this, we cut out the third side, removing a piece of wood.
	Cutting out the remaining elements. After all the triangles have been selected, we move on to other thread details - bevels, planes, arcs, etc. We cut them, trying not to damage the already processed area.
	Finish cutting. After completing the main operations, we use a sharp cutter to process problem areas, removing defects and forming smooth, clear lines. We carefully grind the planes, trying not to remove the relief.
	Staining/varnishing We treat the product with stain or varnish, or use decorative impregnation with a tinting effect.

Conclusion

In no way do I want to say that wood carving is easy. To achieve results, you need to study and practice, preferably under the guidance of a mentor. But the tips and videos in this article will help you take your first steps, and in the comments you can get answers to all your questions.