The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-03-04
Wood Carving.

THE art Of carving in wood is one
which ladies can readily practice, being
of a clearly nature and requiring no hard
labor. How many beautiful articles for
home decoration can be produced by the
few tools called for in this work we need
not here tell.
Carving may be of two kinds-either
in what is called low relief, being rather
fiat or only slightly raised, or high relief,
when the figures are made to stand out
more boldly from the background Even
the pretty fret cuttings or Sorrento
work, done with the saw, may be rem
dered still more effective by the use of
the carver's gouge and chisel The tools
needed for wood carving are very few
a mallet, one or two chisels Zone of them
known as a V chisel from the shape of
its sharp pointed blade), several gouges
of different sizes, files and a grounding
punch for roughening the background.
To begin design in low relief we
should select piece of proper size, say
one inch thick, always letting the design
be placed across the wood Now mark
out the design and have two copies, one
of which should be shaded like any other
well-finished drawing. The outline de-
sign may either be drawn directly upon
the wood itself or else the paper may be
pasted upon the wood. This is all the
preparation required, and, the wood be-
ing then properly secured SO as not to
slip during the process, we are ready to
begin.
Now take medium-sized gouge, and
with the aid of the mallet cut around
the outline of the prominent figures, and
afterward remove the intermediate
groundwork with the chisel BY using
the different sizes of chisels the corners
| and spaces can all be taken out without
any difficulty, and if the figures do not
stand out enough the cuts can be deep
ened by second application of the
gouge. We thus obtain the outline
figures, and they must next be rounded
into shape. With the other complete
drawing before us we follow the lights
and shadows, using the gouges with care,
and where deep, sharp lines are wanted,
such as in the veins of leaves, the V
chisel will be very useful. The file will
assist wonderfully in rounding the edges,
and small rasps will serve for roughening
certain parts; sand-paper will also be
needed where smoothness is desired;
and, last of all, the background may be
rendered uniform by the use of the
grounding punch.
Designs in high relief are of course
much more difficult, and call for a some
what different treatment. A much thick
er block will be required, and it will be
best to draw the outlines on the top edge
and also on the fiat upper SIDE Begin
by cutting on the fiat surface as before,
and the drawing on the top edge will in
dictate the depth and variations in the
details. In beginning to carve, take the
gouge or chisel in the left hand while
cutting the outline, afterward dropping
the mallet, which was in the right hand,
and taking the tool instead while remov.
ing the superfiuous wood and completing
the details. We should always take care
not to cut with the grain of the wood,
as it is very apt to split off.
For those who desire to learn this art
as source of future income we should
advise the taking of one or two lessons
from practical carver. After that,
practice alone will be needed to enable
any person of taste to achieve wonders
in the art, and well-executed carvings
always command high prices.-Ha,per's
Bazaar.