Wood Carving

The urge to whittle wood into shapes is a primitive and deep-seated one. It has been a means of expression for millennia, so it’s no surprise to find that it is a favourite hobby the world over. More than that, it is still fulfilling the need of mankind to create images out of wood, to depict what we see with our eyes and inside our heads. Join us for a journey into creativity via the beautiful art of wood carving.

Wood carving can be done using a cutting tool such as a knife, or a power tool. It is a means of creating a shape out of wood, either as carving in its own right, or as a form of decorating something wooden. It can be an image of a person or an animal, or it can be an abstract image, such as a pattern, or a representation of a god or religious symbol. Ancient cultures adorned their everyday objects, to imbue them with special powers and significance. This is still something that we use today, although we may not always realise it. For many wood carvers, though, the enhancement is purely aesthetical. We carve to create beauty.

Wood carvers often use the characteristics of the wood to decide on the emerging image. A knot or kink in the wood can form the basis for an image, as can a certain colour or grain. Round carving is the technique of forming a sculpture-like image from the wood. It produces a wood carving that stands in its own right, whereas using undercutting in relief work is often used to embellish an object, to make it special and unique in some way.

There are so many ways to learn this art. If you have got this far, you are most likely a confirmed wood carver already. Like many of us, you began when you were a child, using natural objects, and have always found yourself whittling away in quiet times. It helps you think! Maybe your wood carving is part of your cultural heritage, something that you wish to continue and pass on to your children. You couldn’t give it up if you tried.

If you are looking for new directions, check out the classes available in your area. Look at the images in library books or on the internet. Visit museums and art galleries and see what others are doing. Please give us your ideas and input for this space. We want to see what you are working on.

Wood carving is a diverse and absorbing hobby that will bring you hours of pleasure whilst you are doing it, and leave you with objects of beauty to use and enjoy in the long term. Enjoy your wood carving, and stay with us for more on this popular pastime.