Wood carving: study of technology, recommendations for use in interior and exterior design of the house

Modern interior decoration is fundamentally different from the old traditions of home design. The same type of glossy, glass, metallized details of the furnishings are devoid of individuality, expressed in a unique decor. Wood carving has not lost its popularity for many centuries. This ancient craft of master cabinetmakers allows you to create unique interior items and perform exclusive decoration of houses.

Having mastered the basics of arts and crafts in filigree woodworking, you can learn how to make spectacular-looking masterpieces of furniture art, unique wall panels and partitions, and original interior decorations. Woodcarving opens up endless possibilities for transforming the interior and exterior of a home.

Wood carving: the history of the development of the craft

Carving originated in Russia at the time of the emergence of wooden architecture - ancient house building. The desire to give an original look to buildings made of wood was manifested in the patterned decoration of pediments, doors, shutters, and furniture. As sketches, the surrounding natural landscapes, the faces of saints, symbols of historical, cultural eras, artistic and architectural art were used.

Folk artisans from different parts of the world decorated wooden blanks in different ways by developing unique ornaments:

• Australian craftsmen created geometric and object decor, expressed in the form of spirals, zigzags, circles, straight lines, curved lines;
• the Arabs in ornate patterns expressed the worship of the Islamic religion, manifested in the carving on wood in calligraphic handwriting of written quotations from the Koran;
• the Greeks own the authorship of the "meander", presented in the form of a continuous rectilinear frame with a rectangular joint of the pattern components;
• the Celts created scythe-shaped ornaments;
• the Chinese carved natural motifs on wood;
• the Germans developed a technology for the formation of various figures and outlines with Gothic motifs;
• Persians decorated home-made furniture with images of birds, mammals, mythological animals.

In the old days, one could find out the nationality of the craftsman by the manner of decorating handicraft items. Many antique carved household items and furniture are museum exhibits, demonstrating the skillful craftsmanship of international artisans and the excellence of handcrafted wood.

Thanks to the inexhaustible creative potential of craftsmen, lurid-looking joinery has changed dramatically, has become highly valued and positioned as works of art. Furniture with carved outlines ceased to fulfill a strictly utilitarian function.Thanks to its artistic value, designers rightfully assign it the role of a visual dominant in the picture of the interior.

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Wood carving: decor technologies

This type of arts and crafts is divided into types of artistic woodworking:

• Consignment note - the easiest way to decorate doors and furniture facades with openwork blanks with a thickness of 5-10 cm. Filigree-shaped lining is glued or nailed to the outside of the joinery.

• Volumetric - the most complex type of wood carving, which is turned into man-made sculptures. They can reflect the images of people, technology, any representatives of flora and fauna. Skillfully finished products in the form of different figures are used as underframes, stair railings, framing of fireplace portals, mirrors, the base of a floor lamp and other details of furnishings.

• Openwork lace on a tree is created using a welt technique that forms a patterned tie with through elements. A similar decor of furniture looks spectacular, letting in sunlight and forming fancy-shaped lacy shadows on the surrounding elements of the interior.

• Contouring involves carving a pattern or ornament on a workpiece with a thin cutter. The plot base is applied to the tree with a pencil or carbon paper.

Carving has been constantly improved and simplified over the course of centuries of development. In the old days, wood carving was a long-term labor-intensive work, requiring perfect mastery of the jeweler's precision and artistic skill. Today, ready-made sketches and specialized a power tool for wood carving provides an opportunity for everyone to master the basics of an ancient decorative craft.

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Selection of materials for woodcarving

When choosing natural materials for decoration and home improvement, it is optimal to give preference to wood. It easily acquires any desired shape and color, retains its original appearance for centuries, and contributes to the creation of a favorable microclimate in the house.

In the search for blanks for carving, it is necessary to select plastic types of wood:

• Linden has a high degree of softness. Under the influence of sharp tools for wood carving for beginners, it perfectly follows the contours of the desired pattern and the edges of the chosen ornament.
• Birch is characterized by pliability, a clearly defined natural pattern on the saw cuts. Products made from this material look original in their natural form without tinting and varnishing.
• The pear has excellent form stability. In the process of processing with cutting tools, it does not crack, perfectly withstands the impact of grinding equipment.
• Alder represents a wide range of design possibilities due to the rich choice of colors - ocher, light yellow, dark brown.

The selection of material for carving should be based on the ability to process wood. It is optimal for novice craftsmen to use an inexpensive, pliable linden or aspen. Aces are encouraged to perfect their craft with rich looking oak, cedar, amaranth, mahogany or briar.

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Tool selection

To create multifaceted ornaments and patterns on flat blanks, you need to prepare a set of tools for woodcarving:

• A chisel is the main device of the carver, which allows you to easily and quickly make recesses of various shapes and depths. To create straight, oblique, semicircular, corner contours of the pattern, it is necessary to use tools with the appropriate shape of the cutting part.An electric chisel for wood carving greatly simplifies and speeds up the decorative process. It is completed with different nozzles, functions at the expense of the electric network and the accumulator.

• Heavy-duty stainless steel cutter and joint with sharpened blade. Specialized knives are used for roughing and finishing workpieces. Thanks to the different shape of the blade, it is easy for the cutter to make recesses and recesses of the desired configuration.

• The drill allows you to easily perform various carving works of any level of complexity - chopping, polishing, grinding, drawing the contours of a picture or pattern. The productivity of the equipment is determined by the ability to operate for a long time at high speeds and the ability to withstand high loads when processing hardwood.

• A laser engraver helps the carver at home decorate carpentry with a variety of patterns, patterns and ornaments. When loading a thumbnail with a featured image, it clearly follows its outlines. Technological equipment is completed with automated files, chisels, knives, grinding and polishing equipment. By setting a certain function, the laser engraver instantly gives the product the desired look and implements any idea of ​​the decorator.

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Wood carving lessons for beginners

Having decided to master the skill of a carver, it is necessary to study in detail the purpose of the tools, the technology of wood processing. It is important to pay close attention to the basics of safety:

1. The left hand should fix the position of the workpiece at a great distance from the place of decoration.
2. The elbow of the right hand should be pressed firmly against the table.
3. The workplace must be equipped with a stable table and good lighting.

Wood carving for beginners involves mastering the technique of carving geometric shapes. It is easiest to decorate the product along clearly marked lines. A step-by-step master class on making a triangular recessed carving will clearly demonstrate the ease of filigree woodworking:

1. Prepare a flat soft wood base, a slanting knife, drafting tools.
2. Draw two parallel lines of the same length, 1 cm apart.
3. Make marks on the lines in 1 cm increments in a checkerboard pattern.
4. Using a ruler, connect the marks, getting a zigzag pattern.
5. Mark the middle of each triangle. Connect its center to all corners. The result should be an ornament consisting of a series of trapezoids of the same size.
6. Cut out each triangular edge of the trapezoid with a joint knife. The recesses should be no more than 5 mm. As a result, a "snake" pattern will be created.

Having adapted to work with carving tools, you need to improve your skills: master bas-relief, high-relief, bracket, contour, through and other techniques. Skillful mastery of the art of carving will allow you to create unique paintings on wooden canvases.

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The use of wood carving in the interior

Woodcarving in a spatial composition can appear in different ways:

• Stair railings, entwined with wooden ivy or grapevine, expressively emphasize the predominance of natural motifs in the house. Figured stair balustrades, reflecting the architectural delights of the Renaissance, look no less impressive.

• Pilasters and columns decorated with heraldic patterns will recreate the spirit of the Middle Ages in the interior.This antique house finish is inherent in the aesthetics of Empire, Classical, Victorian and other historical design styles.

• Consoles, decorated with antique meander or acanthus ornaments, are actively used for finishing ceilings, wall panels, antique furniture facades.
• Baguettes, cornices and friezes in a carved design with an openwork finish are used to decorate ceilings, joints between walls.

• Architraves made of wood with lace pattern, embodying the basics of the through carving technique, are necessary for framing window and door openings, wall and floor mirrors and other furnishings with rectilinear outlines.

If you want to fill the house with an abundance of wooden interior items, you must remember about the harmful effects of excessively dry air on the natural base. It is deformed, the varnish coating is cracking, the color changes tone. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of humidifying the air, which contributes to the preservation of the original appearance of the furniture.

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The use of wood carving in the exterior of the house

To create a harmonious unity in the design of the interior and exterior of the house, it is reasonable to use typical carved wooden elements. Filigree turned cornices, sockets, platbands, solid entrance doors with massive locks will reflect the style of design of the original looking facade of the house. An ideal addition would be the carved edging of the pediment, the decoration of the roof with a figured weather vane. Such exterior decoration of the building reflects the basics of house carving, symbolizing a tribute to centuries-old traditions.

To decorate the local area, it is rational to make hanging planters, lanterns, mailboxes with embossed decor showing pastoral motifs. Recreation areas on the street should be equipped with benches with curly legs or benches with wooden backs, decorated with contour carvings in the form of paintings with interesting stories.

To maximize the potential of a professional carver, it is important to make a wooden gazebo with finely crafted every detail. For example, decorate an arched entrance with climbing roses carved on a wood base, make supports for the roof in the form of sculptures, decorate the table top with the state emblem, ethnic motifs, abstractions or intricate drawings.

Handicrafts fill any space with deep meaning. The carved outlines of wooden finishes, furnishings, home decor give any interior an unsurpassed touch of elitism and natural charm.

Wood carving is a unique craft that allows you to create exclusive furniture, special interior decorations, memorable souvenirs for family and friends. Drawings carved on wood, in any design, attract the eyes of others and become objects of universal admiration.

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