Breeds Budgerigars not only have a beautiful appearance and pleasant character, but are also capable of learning and singing. Perhaps these parrots are one of the most popular pet birds. In the Latin version of the name of the bird, there are the words "wavy", "singing" and

It is considered the most difficult type of carving art. Do-it-yourself decorative wood carvings are created in several stages, during which you will need various tools for carving and, of course, inspiration and perseverance.
Wooden carvings in the exterior of the house

Decorative animalism

Very often, carvers choose images of animals to create sculptures. Creating animal figurines from wood is an exciting and rewarding activity. How beautiful they are in their diversity - graceful, powerful, calm or impetuous. Masters are looking for inspiration for their work both in various photos and drawings depicting animals, and in observing specimens of interest in zoos or zoological museums.

Observing the behavior of cats, dogs or other animals will allow you to better understand their structure and plasticity. They will serve as a kind for or a series of photographs. The images of birds are no less attractive for carving. Owls, partridges, capercaillie and even domestic chickens look great in figurines self made, thanks to the ability to effectively draw the beauty of plumage.


An example of various handmade carvings

It is also worth paying attention to the images of elephants. The massive appearance of this noble animal can be embodied in exotic woods. Of course, first you need to choose the right object, so as not to be disappointed with the result of the work.

Do not immediately take on complex carved figures, focusing on beautiful pictures flying owl, wild cats or beautiful elephants carved from mahogany.

Practicality and the correct calculation of one's strengths are important criteria for choosing a sketch for creating a carved figurine with one's own hands. The pattern for carving should be clear, with well-visible details and preferably in profile. Photographs, sketches and observations are also important - they provide additional information about the structure of animals.

Preparing to create wood figurines

After the idea was formed and enough material was accumulated, it was time to create a sketch.


The process of creating wood carvings If a whole composition has formed along with a figurine of an animal or bird, it also needs to be drawn in detail. It is desirable to disassemble a complex figure in space from all sides. The sketch is transferred to tracing paper, and then to a wooden blank.

On the preparatory stage experienced carvers strongly recommend not to start working on the tree right away. First, you should make a model by molding it from clay or plasticine. A measured, carefully thought-out stucco model will help not to make mistakes, and the work will be done much faster and better.

Carving tools

Although you can cut a tree with any sharp object, with the help of specialized equipment, making a beautiful figurine with your own hands is much easier and more enjoyable. You will need the following to work:

To make wooden figurines with your own hands, you will also need the following tools:

• drill;
• hacksaw;
• Sander;
• rasps;
• mallet;
• sandpaper of different grain sizes.

Read also

Wooden balusters for stairs

Choice of wood

Do-it-yourself carving can be made from almost any wood - logs, glued boards, chocks, unusually shaped branches, snags and other things. For example, the butts of trees with roots are great for creating animal sculptures. And from branching trunks, beautiful wooden figurines of cats are obtained. The main thing is that the material is well dried and does not have defects in the form of cracks, rot or damage by insects.


Pattern of carved chess pieces The ability to use the material effectively comes with experience, and the following soft woods are suitable for learning:

• Linden;
• aspen;
• alder;
• cedar;
• nut;
• Apple tree.

Wooden blanks from these grades are cut without extra effort and do not dull the tools. There are other material options, but it will be more difficult to carve and process them:

1. Oak. Very durable and decorative, but difficult to process due to high density wood.
2. Maple. It has a dense structure and resistance to chips. Maple can be used to make small decorations and details.
3. Pine. Has a pronounced beautiful drawing but prone to chipping.
4. Spruce. Worse than pine lends itself to cutting, but has a more uniform structure.
5. Birch. It has a prickly structure, but it lends itself well decorative processing, perfectly polished and takes color.

The process of making a carving

To make a hand-carved figurine, you need to organize a comfortable workplace. The height of the table should be comfortable and the lighting correct. To secure the work process, it is better to fix the workpiece on the workbench.

Roughing and selection of the main form

The finished sketch is transferred to wooden blanks. It is not necessary to transfer all the details of the picture, the main contours are enough. The largest areas where the thread does not fall are chopped off. However, you do not need to cut everything to make the workpiece more convenient to hold. The remaining parts are cut off after the figurine is almost ready.

fine finish

After the formation of the main contours, they proceed to rounding the edges and designing small details, ornaments and reliefs. A variety of chisels, spear-shaped cutters are used. If you have to draw on the workpiece, you need to do it carefully, otherwise it will be more difficult to clean the wooden surfaces after.

Fine finishing requires precision, so the cutting tool must be constantly sharpened.



The blades are sharpened with special bars or sandpaper of maximum grit. After that, the instruments are dressed with a leather belt using chromium-containing pastes.

After sanding, cover the finished figure special formulations to protect the tree from external factors and highlight its natural beauty.

In this case, the main thing is not to spoil the product with low-quality means or excesses. The final finish of the wooden figurine may vary from simple cover varnish or stain, to give the product a noble antiquity using a variety of techniques.

Current page: 6 (total book has 18 pages) [accessible reading excerpt: 12 pages]

Let's start carving

It doesn't matter what type of woodcarving you are into. The main thing is to achieve mastery. For example, you can only engage in geometric carving and, while enjoying it, achieve success and recognition of the audience.

I will suggest several directions. At first glance, some of them are far from serious woodcarving, but they also contribute to your development, advancement towards the intended goal, the achievement of mastery, they will teach you to understand the structure of wood, the ability to carve without injuring your hands.

Cutting out plywood

Considering different age beginners, from children to older generations, I offer an easy start, accessible even to a 9-10-year-old child. This type of carving is simple in technique, but effective in result. And most importantly, you are already processing wood as a material with a cutting tool, or rather, you are sawing, but this is one of the varieties of carving. I have no doubt that an adult will also be carried away by sawing, will please his son or grandson with interesting wooden figures.

Starting material - plank soft breed or 3-12mm plywood. Tool - manual or electric jigsaw. The enterprises use a laser beam, but my task is to teach you how to cut wood precisely hand tool. Electric jigsaw improves sawing speed and cleanliness. In any case, practice is needed, skill will come.

The threading order is as follows: draw or look for an outline drawing of the image. It can be an animal, a tree, a generalized human figure, a cartoon character, etc. (Fig. 4.1). For the first works, the drawing should be without internal holes, so that it was necessary to cut only along the edge, with a smooth, without small details, external contour. In subsequent products, if there are internal contours, drill a hole in the right place, release one end of the jigsaw file from the clamp, insert it into this hole, tighten it again, clamp it and cut.

Fix the workpiece with a clamp or, while sawing, firmly press it against the stop with your hand. Place the file strictly perpendicular to the plane of the part. Saw evenly, at the same speed, in small series, gently, without jerks, turning the jigsaw handle in the direction of the picture. At the end of sawing, sand the ends of the parts, assemble the toy, glue it, freeze or paint it after drying, varnish it.

If you are working with a jigsaw, press the workpiece more tightly against the table, move it along the pattern to the moving file smoothly, without jerking. Be careful not to hurt your fingers.

When making an animal figurine, cut out a pair of hind and a pair of front legs, glue them to the body on both sides - the toy will become stable. In some cases, stands are made and figurines are fixed on them individually or in a composition, a plot scene.

Rice. 4.1. Figurines for sawing with a jigsaw

contour thread

This is a way to draw with a chisel on wooden surface. It is performed with a knife, joint, corner, tsarazik, semicircular chisel. Sanding the surface before carving should not be done, as abrasive particles will clog into the pores of the wood and the tool blade will dull faster. To smooth the surface, use a planer, a file with a large, and then a fine notch.

The first type of carving that you can easily master is contour carving on plywood. To complete it, you will need a chisel (Fig. 4.2), a tsarazik or oval chisels with a short handle of the appropriate radius. First, practice cutting various lines with this tool. Stichel No. 1, take in your right hand so that the oval part of the handle rests on the center of the palm, and the index and thumb fingers hold the sheet of metal at the handle. The middle one and the nameless one hold the handle on the side. The little finger is straightened - serves as an emphasis on the table. The index and thumb of the left hand are also held by the blade, away from the cutting edge, the brush itself rests against the workpiece. Lay the plywood flat on the table, press your elbow against your body, choose the angle of the chisel in relation to the plywood, and cut the lines in the order shown in the figure.

The cutting edge should cut no deeper than 1.5–2 mm. Try not to break the line. After you stop to move left hand along the cut line, continue exactly where it was interrupted. When changing the direction of the line, turn the plywood, not the chisel. Hold the engraver more firmly with your left hand so that the cutting edge does not break off and does not make unnecessary cuts. The slices of all lines must be the same depth and width.

Practice cutting out a solid background. Use the fourth, fifth, and then sixth engraver numbers. Make cuts across the layer, one next to the other, 6–10 mm long. This way you will avoid scuff marks and the background pattern will be cleaner. The result should be a uniform continuous ripple. If you decide to create a similar background around any image or object, cut it in the above way in the direction from the outline of the main object outward and from the outermost line that limits the space of the background inward. In this case, you are guaranteed not to cut through the contour of the object itself.

Rice. 4.2. Stichel for contour thread (a) and its profiles ( b)

Rice. 4.3. Exercises for contour carving on plywood

Photo 28. Hounds. Serezha Ilyaev, 10 years old. Plywood is tinted

Photo 29. Cat Matroskin

Photo 30. A wonderful warrior. Sasha Ilyaev, 8 years old

See how this operation is done in photo 28. Dogs look great in the background halo. If the direction of the carving was not respected, the chisel would break the smooth contour of the dog's bodies, making them "hurt", the quality of the work would suffer.

Rice. 4.4. Exercises for planimetric carving on wood with a knife, jamb: 1 - cutting line 2 - cutting line 3 – cutting directions

Contour carving on a tinted surface is very effective. Pick up a pattern, cut off a suitable piece of plywood, sand the ends. Cover the front side with black nitro varnish, which can be replaced with ink, gouache, stain, adding five to ten drops of PVA glue or casein per 100 g (this will give a cleaner cut and will not allow the paint to get dirty and deeply absorbed). When dry, paint on. Tsarazikom, corner or engraver No. 1 or 2, remove the lines of the picture to light wood. Sharpen your tool more often. The result of the carving will be a picture similar to a chalk drawing on a black board.

When you master the technique on simple drawings, move on to more complex ones in composition, with fine details, tinting. After finishing, cover the product with nitro-lacquer. On the reverse side, if thickness allows, make a recess or attach a loop so that the product can be hung on the wall. There are many drawing options. But do not limit yourself to them - fantasize yourself.

Next, master the technique of contour carving on the board. This requires knives. First, practice cutting straight and rounded lines with a knife that have different directions relative to the wood layer (Fig. 4.4). Cut the lines with a knife with an inclination to the right. Rotate the board 180°. Cut the same lines on the other side to the same depth. Such work can be done with a corner in one movement, piercing the end of the line with a knife. Try to cut the lines in one cut along the entire length. Another option: make the first cut perpendicular to the surface exactly along the line, and the second - with a 45 ° inclination.

Rice. 4.5–4.8. Drawings for contour threads

To complete the first original work using the contour carving method, prepare a sheet of paper, a transfer stick or a ballpoint pen with used paste, a pencil, knives, a sloping chisel, a ruler, a compass, an eraser. Draw a simple ornament or use a finished one, without small details, mostly with straight lines. Cut the board to size and sand the ends. Transfer the drawing to it with a transfer stick through carbon paper. So that it does not wear out during work and it is easier to cut, cover with liquid varnish or diluted PVA glue (10 drops of glue per 100 g of water). After drying, cut out the pattern using the methods described above. Cut rounded places with a semicircular chisel of the required radius. The depth and width of the cut depend on the scale of the work and the importance of each detail in relation to the entire composition. Imagine that you are drawing with a pencil on a light surface, highlighting individual places to varying degrees.

Rice. 4.9. Fonts for outline carving

Photo 32. Sculptor Barlach. Mahogany, 25 × 20 × 2 cm

If the details of the pattern are large, therefore, they should be deeper, cut in 2-3 steps, since it is difficult to cut to the required depth the first time, especially if the wood is hard. At the same time, make sure that the cuts along the entire contour are with the same slope, smooth, in one plane.

Geometric carving

Apparently, there is no need to talk in detail about the technique and methods of geometric (or, as it is also called, trihedral-notched, and in Europe - carving) carving. Almost every woodworking book that has come out has described this well enough. folk way household decorations. Of particular interest is the book by L.P. Levin "Woodcarving" (1957).

Geometric carving giving household items artistic view, at the same time teaches perseverance and accuracy, trains the accuracy of the eye and hand, which will be very useful in the future. This type of carving is technically simple to perform, does not require special abilities, the main thing is desire and diligence. It does not require a complex tool. I want to note that women master this technique quite successfully. Their hands are good at handling repetitive elements. For carving, you should choose soft non-textural rocks: linden, aspen, alder. Poplar is too soft, crumples even under sharp knife. Having gained experience, cope completely with birch, mahogany. Pine exfoliates, pricks, but allows you to cut large details of the ornament. Oak requires considerable physical effort, but the ornament turns out to be beautiful, with a dense, shiny cut.

Rice. 4.10. Compositions for geometric carving

Rice. 4.11, 4.12. Compositions of geometric ornaments

Photo 33. Stele "1980 Olympics", birch 100 × 25 cm

Photo 35. Relief on the image for working with children. Linden 20 × 15 cm

Rice. 4.13. Font for contour and geometric carving

Photo 36. How to hold a joint in a geometric pattern

I will dwell on the technique of cutting out the simplest triangle, on the basis of which most elements and compositions are built. You already have the skill of contour carving straight and rounded lines, now take the first steps towards new discoveries, but first remember a few rules:

The cut can be made immediately in one motion, except when the elements of the pattern are very large or the material has a high hardness;

Rice. 4.14. Elements of geometric thread: a- triangles; b- beads; in- chain; G- rhombuses; d- herringbone; e- cones; and- viteika; h- eyes; and- bushes; to- honeycombs; l- pegs; m- cubes; n- radiance (1st teeth, 2nd - simple); about- border; P- socket; R- turntable

Compliance with one angle of inclination in the work on the entire composition is mandatory, if options are not provided;

If possible, do not cut against the layer, there may be chips;

For carving, use a strong but thin joint to pull the layers apart as little as possible.

A variety of elements of geometric carving (lines and triangles, squares and rhombuses, eyes and scales, see Fig. 4.14) provides a wide scope for imagination when composing ornamental compositions.

Kudrinsky ornament cut out with a knife

This kind of flat carving was born in the village of Kudrino near Moscow, which is why the people call it “kudrinka”, and its ornament is curly. The basis of the picture are elements of plants, consisting of stylized leaves, buds, flowers. Sometimes images of birds, animals and characters from Russian folklore are added.

I think it’s not bad, when making furniture with your own hands, to decorate a shelf, a cabinet with such an ornament. In this case, you can use the methods of laid on threads. A fragment of the composition is cut out and glued on flat surface this piece of furniture.

Such reliefs are carved on linden, and aspen, alder, as well as hardwoods - mahogany, ash, oak are used. The latter have a brilliant cut, but efforts will have to be added, more often sharpen the carving tool.

Traditionally, the Kudrinsky relief is cut with sloping and semicircular chisels. I offer another option, no less effective. If you don’t have chisels yet, and the desire to cut has appeared, you can create a curl with a knife with a narrow nose. I call it "universal". It will be possible to master the techniques of such a thread with a tool that is easy to purchase or make yourself. It will also be useful in further work with reliefs and sculpture, together with other chisels. Do not forget to make the tip of the knife narrow by sharpening the blade on both sides. It will easily cut out small radii of ornament details.

Photo 37. Kudrinsky ornament on three-dimensional objects. Linden

Rice. 4.15. Elements of the Kudrinsky ornament in a modern interpretation: a- kidneys, curls; b- leaves; in- flowers; G- buds; d– direction of incisions and undercuts along the fibers

When the tool is ready, first practice on a trial board, holding the knife in two ways. In the first, take the handle of the cutter into a fist so that the forefinger and thumb hold it in front of the cutting blade of the knife. Hold the workpiece in your left hand. Leaning on the butt of the blade about thumb with the left hand, which holds the workpiece, make semicircular movements with the knife, without lifting it from the finger. At the same time, cut off thin chips. Practice this movement. Be careful not to touch the index finger of the left hand, which holds the workpiece, with the nose of the blade - you can get hurt.

The second method of cutting wood is similar to cutting the peel from a potato with a knife. It is easier to perform, but it is necessary to ensure that the blade does not stick into the thumb after cutting the wood chips. right hand, but passed above it.

Photo 38. Cup "130 years of S. Erzya". Lipa, 40 cm. Located in the museum named after him in Saransk

Having mastered these two methods of carving with a knife, you can successfully cut off excess material by performing a Kudrin ornament. The same technique will be used to create reliefs, plastic forms and sculpture in future works, freeing them from solid wood.

After the first training, draw a complex composition of straight and curved lines. Try to cut them on both sides at a distance of 2-3 mm at an angle of 45 ° with a knife using familiar techniques, observing the direction of the wood grain. Then proceed to the implementation of simple, rounded loops - a simple element of the curl pattern. Cut on both sides, at a 45° angle. After cutting out two or three elements, draw the next few loops, leaves, building up the composition. It is built by evenly distributing simple and complex components when you decorate your product with such an ornament - a vase, plate, box, etc.

Rice. 4.16. Mythological images used in Kudrinka and reliefs

Rice. 4.17. Ornament options

By learning how to cut such an ornament, you will master the technique of carving with a utility knife.

After completing the carving, with light pressure, wipe the product with a fine sandpaper over the layer, clean with a dry brush. Often the product light colors looks good, but you can cover it with one of the stains, the color of which you first try on a small board of the same breed. Soak the product in water before staining. Apply the stain with a brush or brush across the layer and across. If you want to lighten the ornament before the stain has dried, wipe the surface with a wet cloth. Another way of lightening is to wipe the surface with sandpaper over the layer after the stain has dried.

Photo 39. Case. Linden, 35 cm

Sometimes carvers, before drawing a pattern on a workpiece, seam it, and then, after drying, begin carving. The image is dark and the background is light. For each work, it would be right to choose your own approach, so decide for yourself when and how to decorate the product. For learning and gaining experience, try all the options.

For final processing I recommend covering the surface of the product with wax and then rub it with a brush. Nitro-lacquer is also suitable, which should also be rubbed with a brush, but 1-2 minutes after application, until the varnish streaks in the corners of the background have hardened. After 30-40 minutes, brush the varnish surface again with a brush over the layer - this will give a good waxy sheen.

relief carving

This is one of the difficult types of relief. It is accessible to beginners and quite effective.

On the plane of the planned shape, apply a drawing of the future ornament, remove the voids with a knife, corner or jamb at 45 °. If the distances between the details of the picture are significant (photo 41), cut out a flat background. For such work, cranberries with flat blade, and if available, a manual milling cutter, with a restrictive stop.

Sometimes the background is covered with chasing (can be replaced with an awl, a nail). If desired, wash the surface of the product. To whiten the plane of the ornament, wipe the surface with a damp cloth. Clarification of the surface of the relief can also be done with a sandpaper, but after the product has dried. Wax, dry and brush, being careful to press down on the surface to create more shine (Pic 40).

Photo 40. Frame "Modern". Linden stained, 40 cm

Photo 41. Mirror frame. Linden stained, 25 cm

Photo 42. The plate is flat. Linden, 35 cm

I hope that after mastering the technique of carving the Kudrin ornament, a beginner will be able to perform flat reliefs.

When cutting out the Olympics-80 plate, flat relief techniques were used on two levels. The background is selected and partially covered with a grid using a chasing. When making the central ornament and the emblem, the method of contour carving was used. All details are outlined with a chisel to give contrast to the edge of the picture. The product is tinted with stain and rubbed with sandpaper to highlight the ornament.

Slotted flat thread

If the background of the relief is completely removed, i.e., cut through the entire thickness of the material, we get new version thread, which is called slotted. This is possible if the details of the pattern are interconnected, otherwise they will not hold.

In compositions of small sizes with a rhythmic close arrangement of details, many small holes are formed instead of the background. This is an openwork carving. Used in combination with various types relief, to decorate small items: decorative vases, cups, plates, boxes, jewelry. They, as a rule, are made of strong breeds: birch, beech, maple, boxwood, dogwood, walnut. Graceful through openwork allows you to create a coconut shell. Larger items: cabinet doors, shelves, whatnots are cut from different breeds using a through technique. Platbands and fences are also decorated with this technique. The large size of the details in these products allows the use of pine for carving.

For execution through thread put the workpiece with the lines of the ornament applied to it on a flat base-board so that there are no chips on the reverse side when cutting. Use a chisel or sharp chisels to cut holes in the background. Work standing up, gently ramming the tool into the tree. Using chisels of the required radius or a jigsaw, cut the details of the ornament roughly along the contour of the pattern. For cutting into corners, use a knife and a corner. After removing the background, cut fragments of the ornament, turning, chamfering, refining the details. Surface treatment and coating do at your discretion.

Mosaic

Amazing way artistic work with a tree - a mosaic, which has long been in different countries decorated furniture, wall panels, floors, art products. According to the execution technique, it is divided into several types.

Inlay- small inserts made of bone, mother-of-pearl, different types of wood in another material. Recesses are made in the base material to accommodate and secure insert elements. In this way, you can decorate surfaces or create whole compositions, images.

block mosaic- consists in gluing individual bars or plates of rocks of different colors into a common block. Then it is sawn into thin plates with repeating elements of the pattern, which are used to compose compositions or fragments of decoration.

intarsia- in wooden base insert plates of various breeds.

Marquetry- a type of mosaic in which sliced ​​veneer is used for insert elements - single-layer plywood of various species. Glue the veneer on a wooden base, fitting tightly individual elements to each other in the drawing.

skillful use colors different types of wood, with their sufficient availability, makes it possible to compose complex ornaments and picturesque scenes.