Lesson in geometric wood carving, sketches and album. Geometric wood carving, geometric ornament Ornaments designs for geometric wood carving

Wood has traditionally been a material used for exterior and interior decoration of residential premises. And today it’s openwork wood carvings, photographs, drawings and sketches which can be found in colorful art publications and on the Internet, amaze the imagination with its beauty and grace.

People who love to make decor with their own hands are able to master the art of artistic cutting. Wood allows you to create genre paintings and decorative compositions that you can decorate your own home with and give to friends. A favorite skill in the hands of a connoisseur of the beauty of natural materials can become the main profession. The demand for wooden carvings today is higher than ever.

Tools for work

In order to get started, you will need to select special tools and study the features of the technology. This matter has its own nuances that make it possible to more fully reveal the beauty of wood in the ornament.

You also need to stock up on suitable blanks and sketches that will be repeated on wood in the form of patterns, lace, compositions or genre scenes.

For his work, the carver uses a large set of tools:

1. knives;
2. jigsaws;
3. needle files;
4. chisels;
5. electric drill;
6. drill;
7. bars;
8. bits;
9. spoon cutters;
10. milling machine;
11. drill.

Advice for a newbie:When choosing tools for work, you need to focus on the quality and durability of such products. In the first stages, you can get by with a small number of devices.

A special set of tools is designed for a beginner. It will be enough to master the basics of artistic processing of wooden blanks.

You will also need raw materials from certain species. The quality of the product will depend on this. There are hard and soft varieties of trees. Each type has its pros and cons; in each specific case, a specific processing technology is selected.

Soft breeds include:

1. Linden;
2. birch,
3. aspen
4. pine;
5. juniper.

Soft material is easier to process, but it is easier to ruin it with one wrong move of a knife or chisel. Another thing is hardwood. These include:

1. Red tree;
2. boxwood

Solid raw materials are expensive, but products made from them are beautiful, durable and in demand. Experienced craftsmen work with expensive rocks and know how to process a hard surface without breaking the tool or causing injury. Therefore, beginners should start with cheaper and more amenable material.

To select raw materials, it is necessary to take into account not only the hardness, but also the color of the wood. For beginning carvers, birch is an ideal choice for creativity. It can be cut in different directions and lends itself well to drilling and cutting. When choosing a design for a product, it is necessary to take into account that over time, light birch wood may darken.

Coniferous species are suitable for products with a large number of slots. The soft material of pine, spruce, and cedar allows you to apply large designs and create intricate patterns. Beginners can start with conifers, as well as linden, birch and aspen.

A beginning carver should learn the basics of craftsmanship from simple ornaments. For the first job you will need a small set of tools. First, you can get by with a jigsaw, an awl and a knife.

Before you start cutting, you should set up your workspace with good lighting. Having selected a suitable workpiece with a flat surface and without knots, you need to transfer the selected pattern onto the surface of the workpiece. You can use tracing paper for this. When the stencil is transferred, it is coated with varnish on top so that it does not disappear or deteriorate during work.

A beginner will need knives, chisels, and an awl. For through slots, it is better to use a jigsaw or a manual milling machine, this will save time and effort.

The carver must master all the techniques that he will then use in his work on the product. Using a variety of decorative wood processing methods, you can create artistic masterpieces.

Artistic themes and uses

The carver uses various sketches in his work, from which he takes an image and transfers it to the surface of the workpiece. Today, for this it is not necessary to use an image made by hand with a pencil. Modern technological advances make it possible to use photographs and scanned digital images that can be taken on the Internet.

Sketch of the ornament

Samples for artistic wood processing are distinguished by their decorative and thematic variety. On the Internet, websites dedicated to this craft offer a large selection of cutting themes. The facade of a wooden house is decorated with wooden patterns. This decor will look great on the doors and on the walls. Artistic cutting is used for the production and decoration of furniture and utensils.

Kitchen utensils and interior wooden products decorated with intricate openwork are very popular among buyers. In each specific case, the master selects the material, creates a sketch of the future product and begins to work.

The drawings come in a variety of themes. Geometric plant motifs are used. Often the wooden surface is decorated with genre scenes depicting animals, people and trees. Wood is a very plastic material, and in the hands of an experienced carver it turns into a real artistic canvas.

For each type of artistic cutting, a special surface treatment technology is used. Using different techniques, the master creates a three-dimensional canvas on which you can see the smallest details of the image.

Variety of techniques

Various technologies are used for artistic wood processing. In each specific case, the choice of method determines the product itself, its purpose and the type of wood from which it will be made. During the existence of this applied art form, several cuttings stood out:

1. flat-relief;
2. embossed;
3. excavation, or geometric;
4. slotted;
5. contour;
6. volumetric.

The pattern can be through, flat, relief, volumetric, small and large. The choice of finish directly depends on the size and functional purpose of the wooden product. For large items, such as decorative carvings for house facades, a large pattern is used. For interior items and furniture, craftsmen apply small patterns to the product, which are carefully worked out.

Flat creased pattern

This image has a slight relief. The image has the shape of a silhouette, and all the details are located in the same plane. For execution, an oval contour, a cushion pattern and a selected background of the pattern can be used.

How subtypes of this technology are distinguished:

1. contour,
2. stapled
3. geometric (triangular).

To perform the contour technique, in-depth lines running along the main background are used.

Staple technology uses special notches in the form of staples to create the finish. When using geometric carving, the master applies the outline using triangular pyramids and pegs. The type of cutting repeated many times in different versions allows you to create a variety of relief decors that are slightly recessed into the general background. This technique is characterized by numerous compositions of geometric shapes in the form of rhombuses, triangles, honeycombs, wreaths, etc.

Openwork or through technique

When creating openwork images, complete removal of wood from the center of the product is used. This drawing has no background. This type of thread technology is called through. It can be simple and openwork. With openwork design, the decor is made of different heights.

The need to decorate household items has appeared in people for a long time.

It so happened that Rus' is a country of forests. And such a fertile material as wood was always at hand.

With the help of an ax, a knife and some other auxiliary tools, a person provided himself with everything necessary for: life: he erected housing and outbuildings, bridges and windmills, fortress walls and towers, churches, made machines and tools, ships and boats, sleighs and carts , furniture, dishes, children's toys and much more.

On holidays and leisure hours, the dashing tunes on wooden musical instruments amused the soul: balalaikas, flutes, violin, horns.

Even ingenious and reliable door locks were made from wood. One of these castles is kept in the State Historical Museum in Moscow. It was made by a master woodworker back in the 18th century, lovingly decorating it with a trihedral-notched carving! (This is one of the names of geometric carvings,)

The master tried to add a piece of beauty to each product. First of all, great attention was paid to shape and proportions. For each product, wood was selected taking into account its physical and mechanical properties. If the beautiful texture (drawing) of the tree could decorate the products in itself, then they tried to reveal and emphasize it.

Wood products with a weak texture were most often painted or decorated with carvings.

Geometric carving is the most ancient way of decorating wood products. Carvings were used to decorate wooden ships, huts, furniture, crockery, looms and spinning wheels.

It is made in the form of notches: two-, three- and four-sided, the combination of which gives a fancy pattern on the surface of the wood.

Archaeologists find an ornament (an artistic decoration, a pattern consisting of a number of rhythmically ordered elements) depicting geometric bodies on pottery dating back to the Minoan era (3-2 thousand BC). These are all kinds of combinations of triangles, diamond shapes, twisted lines, dots, curls, etc.

Each geometric figure in folk art has its own meaning, its own symbolism:

- a rosette with rays or just a circle - a symbol of the sun, life;

Spiral - whirlwind, anxiety, storm;

A drop is water, grain, a symbol of life;

A cell is a field, any space;

Rhombus - power, strength, luck;

Cross - man, soul;

The point is the fundamental principle of everything;

Vertical line - elevation;

Horizontal line - peace, tranquility;

- wavy line - movement;

- broken line - confrontation.

It is appropriate to say that in our folk culture these symbols go back to the pre-Christian period, when pagan gods were still revered in Rus'.

With the help of geometric carvings, magic spells were composed that protected our ancestors from various misfortunes.

For example, it was believed that the image of a bird on any household utensil brings happiness.

If they slaughtered a horse, they also waited for God’s grace in the house. Such a horse with magical signs was called a talisman.” Such objects protected a person and his home from all kinds of troubles.

In the old days they thought that every living creature has a spirit that controls it, this creature. There were house spirits, forest spirits, and horse spirits.

To appease such a spirit and so that it would protect the horse for a year, it was necessary to make an idol (a figurine of a horse). But it had to be done only in 365 touches of the knife to the tree (how many days in a year), while casting spells. If you make an idol in 360 touches, then the owner’s horse will remain defenseless for five days a year. If you touched the idol with a knife even one more time, the spells lost their power altogether. It was considered a great sin to reveal the secret of a conspiracy, magic words, or initiate a minor into the sacraments.

And the idol depicted in the picture guarded the village. They performed it with fifty-two touches of the instrument (according to the number of weeks in a year) and placed it on a high pole (4-5 meters) at the entrance to the village in order to protect its inhabitants from natural disasters, diseases, and robbers.

Pagan faith (belief in the existence of a variety of gods and spirits) was also reflected in the construction of houses. Thus, the gable roof of a Slavic house symbolized the daily movement of the sun across the sky. With the help of geometric carvings they depicted the heavenly body passing its path from sunrise to sunset. The average position of the sun - noon - was represented in a larger and more multifaceted way. A horizontal board with hanging drops meant heavenly abysses.

Later, home decorations lose their mythological background. The carved details of the house begin to have only a decorative character.

When decorating the outside of the house, craftsmen did not forget about the household items that they used every day: a table, a bench, a shelf, a cutting board, a spoon, a salt shaker. And here geometric carving had an advantage over other types of carving.

Spoons were distinguished by a wide variety of decorative finishes, and this is no wonder. After all, a spoon is the main “tool” on the table. And we need it every day.

Even when spoons began to be made of metal, the wooden spoon was not consigned to oblivion, since it had considerable advantages over its metal “sister.” And above all, it did not burn its owner's mouth. Each family member only owned his own spoon, so it had its own distinctive design. And this was done for reasons of hygiene - “so that jams do not fall” (jams were sores in the corners of the mouth that appeared as a result of the indiscriminate use of one spoon by many family members),

In this regard, you might be interested to know that Peter I, when going on a trip to Europe, always took with him personal cutlery (spoon, fork, knife). The hosts who received the guest of honor were offended by this, but the king put his health first and did not want to risk it in vain.

Initially, each peasant, in addition to his main labor - work in the field - was engaged in building a house, improving his home, and manufacturing household items. But gradually there was a division of labor. And those craftsmen who could build a house better than others, carve a spoon, make wooden utensils, left work in the fields and began to earn their living by carpentry and carpentry. And from this environment, carvers emerged and united in artels.

It is known that back in the 10th century there were carving workshops in Kyiv that were engaged in decorative finishing of homes and household items.

And at the beginning of the 16th century, special palace workshops were organized in the Kremlin, which marked the beginning of the creation of the armory,

In the 18th century, a large number of master carvers took part in the construction of St. Petersburg and the work of decorating palace ensembles.

It should be noted that the development of carving art was not always supported by the state. In the 19th century, when Russia embarked on the path of capitalist development, wealthy people, patrons of the arts, allocated significant sums to support folk talents. It is appropriate to name the manager of the Yaroslavl railway, a brilliant businessman, millionaire Savva Ivanovich Mamontov. Savva Ivanovich was a comprehensively gifted person; he sang beautifully, played the piano, was a sculptor and playwright, and directed. And to all this, he had a magnificent gift for recognizing talents. Dozens of names can be named, representing the pride of our culture of the 19th century, whom Mamontov helped financially during the formation of their skills and who were under his tutelage. Polenov, Repin, Vasnetsov, Serov, Vrubel, Chaliapin, Levitan, Rachmaninov - many more famous names could be remembered, but these are quite enough to be filled with deepest gratitude to Savva Ivanovich Mamontov.

With his funds, the “Mamontov Circle” was also created, whose members built a carpentry workshop and decided to introduce the children of the villages nearby the Mamontov estate to folk crafts. The guys studied in the workshop for free and after three years, having received a workbench and a set of tools as a gift, they began to work independently. The brothers Vasya and Misha Vornoskov studied among them.

Subsequently, Vasily Petrovich Vornoskov becomes the most famous carver. During the Soviet period, he organized several personal exhibitions in our country and abroad, created the Renaissance carving artel, which has now been transformed into the Abramtsevo Art and Industrial School, where masters of folk art crafts are trained. In addition, Vornoskov’s name is associated with the creation of the so-called Kudrin carving, which is a type of relief carving.

At present, the art of wood carving has become widespread not only in rural areas, but also in cities. So, in Moscow and St. Petersburg there are children's and adult groups of arts and crafts, nurturing new generations of carving masters. This fact suggests that truly folk art will never die. Well, you, dear reader, can make your contribution to the development of this art form by mastering the lessons of geometric carving.

Already in ancient times, geometric wood carving, consisting of straight, arched and wavy grooves forming an ornament, was widely used as an element of interior and furniture decor. Today, the popularity of this style is explained by its decorativeness and ease of execution. To perform geometric wood carving, the carver only needs to have a jamb knife and a set of small chisels (5...10 units) with a semicircular blade.

Types and features of geometric patterns

Carving ornaments (drawings) are formed from geometrically regular elements, most of them having straight sides - rhombuses, squares, rectangles and trapezoids. Due to the simplicity of cutting out a single element, the operations do not require the use of a special tool, and the carver does not have to master the basic theory of pattern composition. In addition, even with a small cutting depth, it is possible to create quite decorative patterns with a rich play of penumbra.

On a note!

When applying a marking pattern on a wooden surface, only the main lines are drawn, and the position of each individual element is determined “by eye.”

When making dihedral notches, initially parallel lines are cut along and across the fibers obliquely. After this, between them, using a chisel of suitable size, a sample of wood is taken to a depth of 2.0 millimeters. Thanks to this, a simple “cup” (“scaly”) pattern is obtained. If a chisel with a straight blade is used to sample wood between parallel cuts, a “ladder” pattern is formed.

Not a single geometric, carved ornament on wood is conceivable without the use of elements in the form of triangular recesses. Typically one of the following two techniques is used:

• carving with a recess at the top, which forms “chips”, “wraps” and “corners”;
• the central depression is located at the point of intersection of the medians, due to which triangles are formed.

The execution of the first type of ornament begins with cuts on the sides. After they are completed, the lower, separated ends of the triangle are connected with one cut of a chisel. The second type of thread starts from the center of the triangle. Triangular recesses are used to form such designs as honeycombs, beads, scales, fir cones and others.

The technique of geometric carving “shine” can be a wonderful decoration not only for individual pieces of tableware, but also for making the interior more decorative as an element of furniture. When performing it, simpler carving techniques are used.

Typically, the “shine” is formed from several or triangular recesses - wedges or triangles, which are connected to each other by their vertices. “Shine” can be made in the form of fans, diamonds, but this style is especially popular for decorating ceiling rosettes, which add great decorativeness to any interior design.

On a note!

There are other carving techniques. In addition, any professional woodcarver considers it his duty to have his own, original style of geometric carving, which, albeit in small details, differs from standard techniques.

Geometric carved patterns look great on unpainted light wood (linden, maple, ash). To paint a wooden carved surface, various types of homemade or industrially produced stains are used.

To age the carving, give it greater contrast and to visualize the relief, use a solution of acetic acid, in which iron nails were “infused” for three to five days. This solution is applied with a piece of foam sponge or a cotton swab, then dried and sealed with furniture varnish.

The use of carved decor in the interior

Various decorative elements with geometric carvings are widely used in decorating residential interiors in the Empire, Victorian, Baroque and other types of classical design styles.

Carved furniture adds solemnity, luxury and splendor to any living space. A bed with carved headboards will be the main formative element of the interior design of the bedroom and will give the entire furniture a touch of piquant sophistication.

On a note!

Various interior elements (balusters, railings, handrails, balustrades) decorated with carved decor are quite popular in private homes.

The use of geometric carvings on slopes or pilasters allows you to visualize the increase in ceiling height. The carved supporting posts of the railings will look no less aesthetically pleasing. Particularly popular are these elements of staircases decorated with concentric or spiral carved additions.

On a note!

Ceiling rosettes, interior door frames, carved ceiling consoles and beams for hanging lamps will help increase the decorative quality of any living space.

No less popular are baguettes, frames and friezes. Today, products made of polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride or expanded polystyrene are usually used as these decorative and finishing elements. However, if you use wooden products with carvings, the comfort and elegance of your home will significantly increase. In addition, wooden decor, with appropriate protective finishing, is in no way inferior in durability to plastic products. A carved wooden ceiling frieze will also add originality to the interior of a living space.

Carved wood processing is widely used for various details used for facade decoration of residential premises and for the formation of exclusive landscape design. Today you will not surprise anyone with small architectural forms (gazebos, tables, benches) placed on a personal plot and decorated with various carved decor. Entrance gates and street gates installed in the fences of personal plots, decorated with even the simplest carvings, look quite attractive.

Today it is enough to simply order products for decorating the interior of a living space and creating landscape design in specialized workshops or from individual carvers. Simple products - ceiling rosettes, ornaments on cutting boards and kitchen utensils can be done independently if you have certain skills and free time.

Video

The video instructions show the first lesson on geometric carving. From it you will learn how to cut triangular parts.

Volumetric, contour and geometric wood carving are some of the most ancient techniques for decorating a wide variety of products. By and large, the work requires nothing more than a wooden blank and a fairly sharp knife: with the right skill, you can get a carved frame, a beautiful toy, or any other product.

Of course, you will get masterpieces only after many years of practice. But you can start mastering carving with the simplest details: just study this article and understand the basics.

Thread types

Despite the fact that the simplest tools are used when working with wood, and the processing techniques are not complicated, the result can be very different. Depending on the appearance of the treated surface, the following types of thread are distinguished:

1. Contour thread- perhaps the simplest (outwardly, not in terms of execution technique). The pattern is applied to a flat surface using shallow lines, forming the contours of the design.
2. Geometric carving- the most common due to its ease of learning. Unlike contour patterns, patterns are formed not by lines, but by a combination of geometric shapes, most often wedge-shaped notches.

1. Flat grooved thread - technology of applying an ornament or pattern to a flat board. In this case, indentations are cut out on a flat background, which form the pattern we need.

A variation of this technique is also considered through thread, in which not only recesses, but also holes are formed in the workpiece.

1. Sculptural carving(volumetric) - the most complex technique. A piece of wood, a branch or a root is taken as a blank, after which the part is given the desired shape. What is important here is not only the skill of the carver, but also how well the wood is selected.

Of course, this classification is very arbitrary, but it gives an idea of ​​where you can strive to improve your skills.

What do you need to work?

Carver tools

To make wooden toys, carved frames, frames and other decorative objects, the craftsman needs the right tools. In addition to the usual carpentry tools (saw, drill, file), you also need to use special tools:

Illustration	Tool	Purpose
	Knife-jamb	A universal tool that is used for both geometric wood carving and sculptural work.
	Chisels	The most extensive group of tools used to form recesses. Depending on the shape of the edge, the following varieties are distinguished: flat; semicircular; corner; stapled.
	Klukarzy	Special chisels with a curved working part. With their help, relief carvings with strong depth are made.
	Spoon cutters	As the name suggests, special tools for making wooden spoons. The special shape of the blade (ring or half-ring with one-sided sharpening) allows you to effectively select large volumes of wood.

The price of professional cutting tools is quite high. And yet, a novice craftsman should not save: it is better to purchase several knives and chisels of decent quality. Then the first experience will not be spoiled, and you can concentrate on mastering the techniques and techniques of carving.

Wood selection

Artistic carving requires the formation of a fairly clear relief. And for this you need not only suitable tools, but also the appropriate material. Not every wood is suitable for carving, and if you are just starting to master the technique, then you need to be very meticulous in choosing:

1. Linden- ideal for a beginner. The material is soft and homogeneous, therefore it is better to master the most complex patterns for woodcarving on linden.
2. Alder (red and black)- also a very good option, albeit denser. Cuts perfectly, almost does not warp when drying. The main disadvantage is that it is difficult to find!

1. Birch- firmer and more resilient, but at the same time quite suitable for learning the basics of carving. It can become deformed when drying, so small products are usually cut from birch.
2. Oak- an excellent option, but only for an experienced master. The relief is perfect, but you need a very sharp tool and a confident hand.

1. Pear- wood with high density and good uniformity. The structure of the material allows the production of the thinnest products.

From the wood of these species, it is first necessary to cut blanks, dry them, and, if necessary, rough them. Only after this are drawings and sketches applied to them, according to which the carving is carried out.

Techniques and techniques for geometric carving

In fact, all work on a carved part comes down to three operations:

1. Preparation- selection and rough processing of the workpiece, transfer of the design.
2. Actually the thread- application of a relief pattern.
3. Finishing- elimination of defects, grinding, varnishing, etc.

Instructions for performing basic carving operations are shown in the table.

Geometric wood carving is an amazing hobby. Man has always strived to create unique things. People have mastered the technique of wood carving since ancient times. Wood is the best material for applying relief patterns. It is with the application of geometric patterns that learning this skill begins.

Geometric carving is the simplest type of woodworking art. It does not require special training, a lot of skill and experience. Even a beginner can handle sketch geometry. For this type of carving you will need the following tools:

• oblique knife;
• chisel;
• bar;
• sandpaper;
• stain.

The main tool is a knife. You should always monitor the degree of sharpening of its blade. You can make knives for decorative woodworking yourself.

First, an inexperienced carver needs to learn how to hold a knife correctly. To do this, you should practice cutting grooves on a wooden board. For a beginning carver, it is better to use soft wood. It is important to determine the direction of the fiber before work. Start cutting by holding the knife firmly by the bottom of the handle and pointing the blunt angle of the knife towards you. Tilt the knife to the right, and the obtuse angle of the knife blade should not be completely immersed in the wood. The hand should move clearly along the line.

Basic patterns

Any geometric shapes and lines can be geometric.

Before starting work, the wooden surface is thoroughly cleaned with sandpaper. After this, you will need to draw out the working surface with cells and apply a geometric sketch along the cells, which will be the basis for the geometric carving.

Simple figures:

The previous three geometric wood carving patterns are the easiest to make. Any novice master can handle them. The following patterns are more complex and require more experience and skill:

Combining various cut-out elements, you can get a variety of compositions.

Album of ornaments and patterns

Geometric carving can be used to ennoble various wooden household items: cutting boards, jewelry boxes, wall panels, stationery holders, and even clocks or furniture. Experienced craftsmen take publicly available diagrams and patterns as a basis, but they definitely bring original elements into their work.

Geometric wood carving diagrams and album

Decorating a wooden box

The box is made of soft wood. The working knife should always be sharpened.

At the marking stage on the workpiece, with the help of a pencil and a ruler, the cells are first drawn, and along them - all the other lines of the ornament. Lined cells help to maintain the correct proportions, equality of angles of inclination, opposite elements of the pattern and symmetry.

At the cutting stage, the carver will need a knife, product blank and sheet of paper. It is used to remove traces of grease from the work surface.

You need to start the geometric wood carving of the box from the extreme edging tracks, gradually moving to the central part. During work, haste is not encouraged; movements must be careful.

The finished box must be covered with stain, varnish or wax. This will protect the wooden product from aging, give it shine and make the box more attractive.