Wood carving: area of ​​application. Features of applied thread. Tools and techniques. Wood carving for beginners - create unique wood products with your own hands using video master classes Vertical ornaments

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Wood carving is one of the most common arts and crafts techniques. Moreover, it gained great popularity back in the mid-nineteenth century. In this article we will take a detailed look at the features of this thread, its area of ​​application, as well as the tools that are used for this work.

Features of slotted thread

General information

The principle of slotted carving is that patterns are applied by completely removing the background. Those. Curly holes are made on a thin board or sheet of plywood.

Therefore, such threads are called sawn or openwork. It is performed by drilling and sawing.

The patterns made with slotted carvings visually look airy and very beautiful, reminiscent of lace. Moreover, the techniques for making patterns are quite simple. Thanks to this, even novice carvers can master this technique, because cutting out ornaments is much easier than choosing a background and cutting contours, as is the case with the blank technique.

The only thing that should be noted is that the edges of the ornament are not always smooth, so they have to be rounded by cutting along a narrow chamfer. In some cases, even recessed fillets are chosen.

As for the design, slotted carving can be:

• Geometric;
• Ornamental and decorative.

Note!
A unique effect can be achieved by combining openwork carving with relief carving.
True, this technique requires the carver to have some experience.

In the photo - the facade of the house decorated with carvings

Since ancient times, this technique has been used to decorate the facades of houses. Moreover, before it was popular not only in villages, but also in cities. It was used to decorate platbands, cornices and other decorative elements. It must be said that house carving does not require particularly clean execution, as it usually looks from afar.

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 kerf 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 of carved carvings can be considered house carvings - decorations for frames on windows and doors, carved railings, pediment decorations 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 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 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, craftsmen 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 also more original ways to create a slotted pattern on a wooden workpiece. One of these methods is burning. The essence of this method is to literally burn 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 is distinguished by the high quality and 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

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 kerf 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 of carved carvings can be considered house carvings - decorations for frames on windows and doors, carved railings, pediment decorations 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 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 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, craftsmen 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 also more original ways to create a slotted pattern on a wooden workpiece. One of these methods is burning. The essence of this method is to literally burn 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 is distinguished by the high quality and 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

Incised carving is a method of carving a wood base with a specific background. It is used in geometric and contour carvings. This type of thread is also called sawn or through thread. Sometimes it is called openwork, this is due to the fact that some of the cuts look like lace fabric.

The types of techniques and technical execution of the cut are easy to perform independently. It is for this reason that slotted wood carving has been repeatedly used to decorate residential buildings. It was used to decorate cornices, platbands, window sashes, building gables and stair railings.

The blanks often used are not wide wood. For this purpose, coniferous wood species such as spruce and pine are used.

Technical preparation for work

During slotting carving, different types of cutting tools can be used. Different types of chisels and knives are especially useful here. But, while using these types of tools, you will spend a lot of time and effort. It is best to use a drill and saw in this case. For slotted carvings, we recommend using a saw with a size between a jigsaw and a hand saw.

The choice of tools has a lot to do with the size of the workpiece and the final product. In addition, there is a dependence on the size of the individual parts of the carved ornament.

For slotted wood carving, the following types of tools are currently used: a jigsaw, an electric drill and a hand router. To use a jigsaw, it is necessary that the workpiece already contains through holes. It turns out that you can’t do without using a drill. Wood carving can be done using the burning method. To do this, first the nichrome wire is heated to the required temperature, which cuts through the wooden texture in accordance with the drawn contours. On an industrial scale, this type of thread is produced using professional numerically controlled milling machines. If wood carving is your hobby, we recommend using the simplest tool - a jigsaw.

Slotted carving is used not only for decorative or design work. The availability of slotted threads has made its use frequent in the implementation of various design ideas. It is used in the manufacture of picture frames, boxes, furniture parts, mirror frames and cabinets. In addition, it is used for stair railings, gables and cornices of premises, window and door frames.

Selection of materials and pattern

To begin with, find suitable material. Its width can be 1-2 mm, although this is not important. There are blanks several centimeters thick. It depends on the purpose of the product. For harvesting, it is best to take material from coniferous trees such as pine, fir, spruce. The point is that they have a soft texture and will be easier to work with.

Next you need to decide on the design. You can draw it yourself, or you can find special templates on the Internet or catalogs and choose the appropriate one. Wood carving is a popular hobby, and people who have been doing this for a long time post their original designs on various Internet resources. If you search well, you will find specialized literature on this topic that contains ready-made drawings and stencils for wood carving. Transfer all this beauty onto a paper base. Next, make a stencil and attach it to the wooden material or paint directly on the material. To do this, use a pencil or carbon paper. And after all the preparatory stages, start carving.

Remember, small elements of the design will not be visible if you are making a product of a significant shape on the facade of a room or other large object. Our advice is to choose a design, taking into account the dimensions of the future product. For example, for a small frame or box you can choose complex designs with a large number of small cuts, but for a staircase railing you need to use a large form of design. Templates for slotted carving of various products, as well as unique details of a separate design can be found on specialized websites on the Internet.

Basic carving steps

The process of slotted carving occurs as follows. To begin, use a drill or chisel to make a hole or slot in the wooden base. To prevent it from cracking or chipping, press it firmly against a hard surface. Insert a file or jigsaw into the slot and cut along the contours of the sketch or ornament. Sometimes, after carving is completed, it is glued to the workpiece. This type of thread is called “invoice”. Overhead threads look sharper than blind threads. But then you will have to process the workpiece from the reverse side, remove irregularities, so that the overlay product fits tightly with the main background. When you make small products, such as a box or a figurine with slotted parts, the work must be done with maximum cleanliness and accuracy. And with this type of carving, such as “house” (used to decorate houses), it is not necessary to perform it with maximum precision, because the product looks great from a distance. In the latter option, wooden scuffs cannot be cleaned.

Slotted thread

The name of this type of carving means that with this method of wood processing, the background is removed. Therefore, such threads are also called sawing or through threads.

The techniques of slotted carving are quite simple, which is why it has been used since ancient times to decorate houses (cornices, platbands, etc.)

It can be used as an independent type and in combination with geometric and relief carvings. In the latter case, this work seems more labor-intensive, but very effective. Carved carving, combined with geometric and relief, is called through openwork, because it resembles lace (Fig. 90).

Rice. 90. Slotted carving on house decorative elements: A– frieze; b– top of the casing; V– overhead element

Secrets between the lines

Is it true that the hardest thing to cut out are the hands?

This is so difficult that history has recorded cases when a famous artist assigned the handwriting on his paintings to another. In carving, the development of hands begins with determining their general position, support (control) points of the forearm, joints, hands, and fingers. The sleeves are first made without folds, and the hands are made without fingers. The position of the fingers is determined by the points of the hand, and the features of the folds are determined by the points of the sleeve. Then the individual parts are cut into a partial profile. If there are no errors, final processing is carried out.

Slotted carving is characterized by the use of stencils, which greatly facilitates the work. If the design is not very complex, then it can be done with a hacksaw (Fig. 91). This hacksaw is called a trigger and has a narrow blade, shaped like a wedge. The final design can be finished with chisels (both straight and curved).

Rice. 91. Making slotted threads with a hacksaw: A– filing; b– final processing with a chisel

In those places where it is impossible to get close with a chisel, the final elaboration of the shape is carried out with a knife. The product is finished on both sides, which helps to clarify the silhouette of the ornamental composition.

The carver working with slotted carvings must be especially careful and precise, since the slightest chip or cut in the wood will spoil the silhouette of the ornament.

Saws that are used for cutting curved workpieces along the outer contour are called rotary. They come in narrow and wide varieties (web sizes from 4 to 15 mm) and are accordingly used for small workpieces that have steep lines, and wider ones that have a straight or smooth contour. The difference between this tool and a bow saw is that the blade rotates, therefore, without changing the position of the workpiece, you can saw in any direction.

Secrets between the lines

How to work with growth?

A variety of products can be made from a single growth, the shape of which can be clarified only by removing the bark from it. This is difficult because the surface of the build-up can easily be damaged, which will reduce the aesthetic value of the product. If the bark of a fresh growth is easily removed, then it is difficult to remove from a dried one. Therefore, it is better to work with dried material. The bark is cut with a knife or chisel, the cambium is cut with a cycle, after which they begin marking.

When performing slotted carvings, you can effectively use not only a hand-held (for example, a bow saw), but also a power tool, in particular a jigsaw.

The order of performing the individual stages of slotted carving is as follows (Fig. 92).

Rice. 92. Performing openwork carving: A– drawing a picture using a template; b– filing, marking guide recesses; V– making holes; G– sawing along the internal contour; d– finishing

First, they mark the workpiece, having previously secured it, after which they drill holes (small ones are made with an awl, and large ones with a brace), the pattern is filed along the contour, cleaned or chamfered (using sandpaper or a chisel, respectively). At the final stage, the product is polished, paying special attention to the recesses and corners, which should be clearly visible in order to emphasize the beauty of the relief.

A type of slotted thread is an applied thread, which consists of individual parts or elements and figures. A characteristic feature of applied carving is that the design on the wood is completed only on one side - the front side. This is explained by the fact that products made using this technique are glued onto the surface to be decorated (furniture, frames, etc.). Otherwise, it resembles openwork carving.

Secrets between the lines

Is it possible to carve items using bark?

This has long been practiced by carvers. But the bark should be very decorative and durable. For this purpose, birch bark (birch bark) is used, which is glued onto a prepared birch blank. In a product made from such material, the bark will contrast and enhance the artistic perception. This technique is usually used to cut out dishes.