Types of wood carving. Main characteristics

Every nation has its own culture, way of life, traditions. But there is one thing that unites all - the desire for beauty. And if an ancient person in the arrangement of housing had the only goal - to hide from bad weather and wild animals, then with the transition to a sedentary life priorities change: the development of science and culture leads to the arrangement of life, housing is decorated. The development of crafts in a given locality depends on the availability of materials and fossils. So, in the area of the northern seas, where the main fisheries are fishing and hunting, walrus carving originates. Blacksmithing is developing in mountain areas with large ore reserves. Forest regions are rich in wood. It has been used for a long time for the construction of housing and home improvement. Finishing the field work, the peasants are engaged in wood carving to pass long winter evenings. Over time, the fascinating hobby turns into a basic craft. Many achieve this unprecedented skill. Products of masters have the right to compete with the works of famous artists. Yes, and why compare? With the help of a simple tool and a fantasy hand, the craftsmen from the most ordinary wood create unusual and rare masterpieces. Art carving on wood - the phenomenon is truly unique.

Wood Carving: Basic Types

Over time, this type of applied art not only has not lost its popularity, but on the contrary, it has developed. Depending on the type of materials used and the way of their processing, new types of wood carving are distinguished: relief, flat relief, sculptural, planimetric and propyl. The main difference is in the arrangement of the pattern with respect to the surface or background of the work. Each of these species has its own methods of accomplishment, tasks and the final result. Let us dwell on each of them in more detail.

Cutting thread

This is one of the ways of carving, when the background is completely removed from the canvas. It has other names: slotted or through wood carving. This term describes exactly the process of processing a tree. It perfectly combines geometric carvings and relief. This is one of the oldest techniques, it requires a certain skill and skill, as, for example, openwork carving. The technique here is as follows: the workpiece is fixed, traced, the main pattern is applied and the holes for the saw are drilled. On the contour produce filing and subsequent preparation of the material for work: chamfering the chisel and cleaning the workpiece with sandpaper. The effect of airiness, lightness, weightlessness is created. The work is so thin and elegant that it is sometimes difficult to believe that wood was used.

Ploskoreffnaya carving

All types of wood carving differ in their relation to the background: it is either absent, or is in the same plane as the picture, or is recessed a few millimeters inwards. The background is the surface of the products, which is decorated with geometric figures or a floral pattern. In this case, it is removed around the surface of the pattern and cuts 5-7 millimeters deep into the canvas. The work is carried out in such a way that the background and the pattern are both in the same plane, but at the same time they appear voluminous, and in different ways: the picture is raised above the background by the recesses along its contour, but all the details are at the same height. This style is usually depicted figures of people, animals and birds, elements of the plant world. Everything depends on the master's idea and technique. Most often flat-relief carving is used in architecture and applied art.

Embossed thread

All types of woodcarving require a certain skill and skill. You need to start with the simplest patterns. In order to correctly understand the essence of each element, newer and more complex details are better for the beginner to reproduce from plasticine, and then proceed to wood processing. This applies to the relief carving. It is considered to be the most picturesque. This is a pattern carved into wood, treated over the entire surface and convex against the background. As an idea, images of flora and fauna, monograms, various symbols, geometric figures can be used. The quality of the finished product depends on the choice of wood. In this case, birch, oak, beech are good. Their wood makes it possible to clearly work out each element up to the smallest details, clearly outline the contours. The background in this case is cut to understate all the details of the ornament in relation to the main pattern at all the same points of its parts. Further on the lowered areas the ornament is restored. Then the background is selected and polished. This is quite a laborious technique. Therefore, requires patience and certain experience.

Sculptural carving

Considering the main types of woodcarving, you can not leave the sculptural without attention. This method of processing wood allows you to create three-dimensional images without background - sculptures that can be viewed from all sides. The technique is used mainly in the process of making souvenirs, toys, household items, for decorating the interior.

Planar thread

A distinctive feature of this type of wood processing is the application of the ornament on a flat surface. Depending on the nature of the pattern, this can be a flat-groove carving, that is, the pattern is displayed in the form of notches, grooves, and flat relief when the ornament protrudes above the surface. Each of these species is subdivided into several subspecies, among which there is a flat-scale geometric carving. This species is one of the simplest. It has long been used in the decor of various household utensils with a flat surface: cutting boards, wooden utensils, furniture. From tools only a knife-jamb is used, and as a drawing geometric figures are used: a square, a rhombus, a triangle, a circle, an oval and their combinations. Interestingly, in ancient times the geometric carving was not used as a simple decoration. Each element wore a symbolic character, served as an amulet.

So, we examined the main types of woodcarving. Of course, this is not a single article. And not even one book. The experience of craftsmen is passed on from generation to generation for many centuries. Something, unfortunately, is lost, but something has survived, changed and evolved into a new industry. And this is a good sign. He once again proves that this kind of decorative art continues to develop. And today it is no less popular than a few centuries ago.