It is currently 28 Mar 2024, 10:22

Relief carving

This forum is for any general questions, queries or plain old chinwaggery on Woody stuff in general.

Relief carving

Postby Mike G » 08 Sep 2017, 08:11

I have never done any, and will soon be tackling my first one: the spandrels over the front doors (inner and out) of my house. If anyone has any images of their work, it would be good to see. In particular, I am wondering about the border around the lowered / base area. Do you cut this square (ie vertical when it's on the bench), do you slope it, or is it usually a curve in profile?
User avatar
Mike G
Sequoia
 
Posts: 9833
Joined: 30 Jul 2014, 22:36
Location: Suffolk
Name:

Re: Relief carving

Postby Stargazer » 08 Sep 2017, 09:44

Hi Mike,
Not in the same style, but when producing A-S or Viking styles I leave the border and drawn design at full depth and take the background down to a uniform depth (say 20mm), this is the time consuming and boring bit as I only use hand tools. I leave the edge to the border as a vertical edge. When adding depth and detail to the design itself (the layers of the design exist between the front surface and the background...I usually try and restrict to less than 5 layers) this starts off with vertical faces but gets rounded over depending on the design. The rounding over and the cross-over/under of vine leaves are usually the last stage for me.

I will see if I have any pictures on my phone.

Ian
Stargazer
New Shoots
 
Posts: 177
Joined: 04 Sep 2014, 15:19
Location: West Oxfordshire
Name: Ian

Re: Relief carving

Postby Mike G » 08 Sep 2017, 09:55

Thanks Ian. I wasn't planning on going 20mm deep. I am only doing lettering and simple motifs, without layering, and was thinking 10 or 12mm.
User avatar
Mike G
Sequoia
 
Posts: 9833
Joined: 30 Jul 2014, 22:36
Location: Suffolk
Name:

Re: Relief carving

Postby Stargazer » 08 Sep 2017, 19:51

Hi Mike,

I have just taken a couple of images of test pieces that I have at home (the finished stuff is all in place in kent). Lets see if I can work out the picture hosting.

20170908_193658.jpg
(433.14 KiB)


This one has a depth of about 15mm and is deliberately staged to show all the different phases between drawing and final finishing/painting.

20170908_193726.jpg
(375.3 KiB)


The second piece is again an unfinished demo....it is a copy of half of a wide carved board (bedhead or seat back?). This one is currently 10mm deep on the background but doesn't have a border. Just starting to work on the pattern and making it look 3d with the serpent tails going over and under.

Ian
Stargazer
New Shoots
 
Posts: 177
Joined: 04 Sep 2014, 15:19
Location: West Oxfordshire
Name: Ian

Re: Relief carving

Postby Stargazer » 08 Sep 2017, 19:53

Yay, pictures worked, looks like I have no excuses to write up another couple of projects that have been keeping me busy!
Stargazer
New Shoots
 
Posts: 177
Joined: 04 Sep 2014, 15:19
Location: West Oxfordshire
Name: Ian

Re: Relief carving

Postby Mike G » 08 Sep 2017, 20:03

Thanks for posting those. Interesting. Thinking about the border, I can always start off with it sloped or curved, and then square it up later if that seems more appropriate.

And yes, you've no excuse now. Let's see some more piccies!!
User avatar
Mike G
Sequoia
 
Posts: 9833
Joined: 30 Jul 2014, 22:36
Location: Suffolk
Name:

Re: Relief carving

Postby kirkpoore1 » 08 Sep 2017, 23:39

I usually go with a fairly simple, straight down border:

IMG_1800.JPG
(472.51 KiB)

107-0748_IMG.JPG
(218.32 KiB)


Most of my carving is on panels so I don't necessarily give them an edge. I sometimes bevel the edge around the panel, though.

Kirk
User avatar
kirkpoore1
Old Oak
 
Posts: 1043
Joined: 21 Jul 2014, 22:12
Location: O'Fallon, Illinois
Name: Kirk


Return to General Woodworking

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests