What are common questions about woodcarving?

Wood carving is a traditional artist form. It is a little difficult for us to study on our own. But during the process, it is also full of fun. In the world of wood, every solution to a problem is a improvement of our skills. That’s why we composed this list of common questions about woodcarving.

First of all, newbies are often confused about what kind of wood to choose. In fact, for our beginners, it is a good option to choose some softer wood, such as pine, ginkgo wood and so on. In this way, you can not only reduce the damage caused by hard wood, but reduce the difficulty of engraving. It can help you carry the basic skills of carving.

Second, the choice of knives is often faced. Many people struggle with what kind of knife to choose and what size of graver is good. In fact, it is recommended to choose a knife with a large angle of the tip for our beginners. This knife can precisely control the strength and direction during the engraving process. Now, you may ask:”What size is better for me?” Well, you can choose one according to the size of your works. I suggest you to prepare different sizes from small to large.

In addition, how to master the skills of engraving is the most common problem. There are many techniques of wood engraving, such as relief carving, skeleton carving, round carving and so on. Each skill has its unique charm. For you, it is good to start with simple skills, for example, learning how to master the strength of the knife, which angle I prefer, and how to use different knives. As time goes by, you can gradually try more complex techniques to create more difficult works.

You have various ways to solve these problems. You can get these knowledge by reading relevant books and lessons. Nowadays, there are lots of online platforms provide a lot of lessons and videos. You can learn a lot of practical skills and knowledge from them. Besides, you can join some communities or forums about engraving to share experiences with other friends. At this time, you are able to be inspired by their works and experiences. In addition, you can also join in training courses or workshops to improve your skills by the guidance of professional teachers.

Now, I want to share my experience. During my study process, the biggest question is how to translate the the joy into practice. In my spare time, I can read some relevant books. With the help of books, I totally understand a specific technique or method. But unfortunately, I cannot achieve it with my engravers. Soon I recognized that theory and practice complement each other. Through the continuous practice, we can really master the skills of engraving. Therefore, I suggest that our beginners should not learn and read too much theory knowledge, but should do it at once.

Now, you may wonder which engravers should choose. My opinion is that there is no fixed pattern. Everyone has their own unique knife skills. I prefer to use pneumatic engraver. But I think the key is to find your own comfortable way and explore your own style. For our beginners, you should learn some basic knife skills firstly. And then you must continue to use and try in practice. In addition, I suggest that beginners should not focus on speed and effect , but focus on the correctness and the stability.

OK, guys! The above are my problems and my solutions in my study. I hope it can help and inspire you. Finally, I wish you can find your own fun and artistic path in the world of wood carving by learning one of the common woodcarving techniques!