Life is always full of mysteries and tricks. As a wood carving beginner there will always be times when you are confused, such as how to choose the right wood for carving. Next we will share some ideas on wood selection to help beginners find their way, and hopefully our knowledge and experience can be passed on to beginners so that you can get a bigger boost at an earlier.
Stage distinguishing attributes of different woods
When choosing timber, you must have a lot of confusions, such as there are so many types of timber, which type of timber to choose? Which is better, local wood or foreign wood? Or you are trying to figure out which type of wood makes carvings that are easier to preserve. These are all worthwhile knowledge for you to gather and analyze, but don’t forget to consider the point that the freshness of the wood has an impact on the process of your carving.
Many carvers use green wood for carving. Green wood is very fresh and has plenty of moisture. Beginners prefer green wood for learning and practicing woodcarving. Green wood is easier to cut and carve when it has enough moisture, but it is also more prone to cracking when dried improperly. Dried wood is harder and more difficult to carve than fresh green wood, but has the advantage of not cracking after carving. Not all dry woods are difficult to carve, for example basswood is one of the easiest dry woods to carve. If you choose green wood you will need to be careful with your tools and stabilize the wet wood to avoid cracking, knowledge of the process is important. If you choose dry wood, you can prioritize dry wood that is easy to carve to increase your success rate, and then increase the difficulty once your carving skills have stabilized. Of course, you can also choose to practice with both types of wood.
Factors affecting wood selection
After distinguishing the qualities of wood, there are still many types and different looks of wood, what can we consider next to choose the wood we want? First of all, it is very important to note that wood can be toxic. It is very important that you make sure that you know what kind of wood you are choosing to distinguish between toxic and non-toxic. Toxic wood is very much not recommended for use as it can cause damage to the human body. We also need to know that there are trees that have both toxic and non-toxic species, such as pine trees. Secondly, we need to consider whether the wood is easy to carve. The grain of the wood, freshness, air dryness, insect damage, and the number of wood lumps will all determine how easy or difficult it is to carve. You can make more attempts at carving. Finally, you also need to consider whether the item you are carving is suitable for softwood or hardwood. Hardwoods are less porous and are suitable for household items such as dishes and spoons tables and chairs that will last for a long time without rotting. Softwood can be used to carve cork paintings and delicate carved cork ornaments. Remember to choose softwood or hardwood depending on the item.
Aesthetic Reflections on Wood Selection
Art often seeks beauty. Wood is ultimately made into carvings, so one must necessarily consider whether it will produce an aesthetically pleasing finished product. Wood aesthetics is the process of digging into the properties of wood to find elements that are pleasing to the eye. The easiest way to determine if a piece of wood will be aesthetically pleasing is to look at the grain and color of a piece of wood to see if it will be aesthetically pleasing. Gombrich said, “A pattern that is too simple may fail to attract attention, while one that is too complex may dazzle the eye”. Therefore, unique textures can ruin a work of art if not utilized correctly, or greatly enhance the finished product if utilized correctly. Going online and searching for wood grain possibilities and then utilizing them can be a great addition to your carving skills.Patterns can be engraved more easily with an engraving tool.
Sources of wood
The wood used for carving must be obtained from the right source. Never get wood from greenbelts or trees planted by others, as this can cause you problems. Branches and sticks that fall in the woods after a storm will probably be fine if you pick them up. If a tree falls on the side of the road after a storm, be sure to get wood when it is safe to do so and you have permission to do so. Make sure that the wood you get is of a species that is not harmful or allergic, and that it is safe for carving. This is an easy way to get wood. You can also get wood through your friends and neighbors. Generally local logging yards and gardeners always produce some trimmings when they cut or trim trees. It is also possible that a neighbor or friend may have some trees growing in their yard. Help these people with their pruning or give them small gifts in exchange for wood.
Of course, buying wood through a lumber market is definitely a good option as well. Wood markets have a lot of easy to carve woods, for example, poplar and basswood, which are better to carve and dry. You don’t need to spend a lot of money or damage old trees. You can get a wood blank for carving practice for a cheap price. The blanks are already man-made shapes and sizes, so just choose the right one according to the size of the item you want to carve. The wood market has the largest variety of wood and you can find almost any wood you want.
What is the wood you would most like to try carving? Is there any wood that you find particularly easy to carve? I’m sure you already know how to select wood through our article, and I look forward to your handmade or carving machine-made wood carvings!
