Elementary Wood Carving Questions

Morning all,

Can someone explain to me what is the difference between "carving in the round", "relief carving" and "sculpting"? And how and why the tools are different for each?

Thanks,
Cynthia :)

A basic question but one that can lead to long discussion.
First, I believe 'sculpting' is a term reserved for stone work not wood carving.
However, no one can argue a nice carved bust is not a work of sculpted art. Well.....yes, they can. Folks will argue over anything.
Carving in the round is just that. A carved figure of a horse is in the round.
Relief carving is done on a flat board and the main element is usually a bit higher than the surrounding wood. Ergo, "relief".
Relief and round carvings use the same tools.
But to muddy the waters, there is also chip carving that uses specialized tools. Chip work is highly geometric and precise. It is done only by folks who are already insanely over the edge.
 
No, seriously, Frank, I was looking at the Lee Valley Catalogue :rofl: again, and there are pages and pages of carving tools, and they specifically describe tools as being for

Carving in the Round
Relief Carving
Sculpting and
Chip Carving (thanks I forgot that one)

And I was wondering how all those things (and their tools) differ. And, yes, I know a good tennis player can play with an old umbrella, but somebody needs all these tools......so how do they differ?
 
Cynthia, I believe it's called marketing you know give it a differant name so ya gotta buy more things...:rofl: Any how Toni from Spain is probubly the best one to answer this question he carved a Dove for Rennie in the round and he carved a dove for Me in Relief and I think he used the same tools.
 
do relief carving compare to 2D, carving in the round will equal 3D
 
Just a question: Are you thinking of getting into carving, and, if so, what things do you want to carve? Are you looking at doing decoration on furniture, or 3-D objects such as a carving of a horse or a bust of a person?

While I'm not answering your question, I may be able to offer some advice for tools for certain types of carving.

Mike
 
Just a question: Are you thinking of getting into carving, and, if so, what things do you want to carve? Are you looking at doing decoration on furniture, or 3-D objects such as a carving of a horse or a bust of a person?

While I'm not answering your question, I may be able to offer some advice for tools for certain types of carving.

Mike

Well, now that you mention it, Mike, :) yeah, I would, eventually, like to try carving. So I looked at the links Drew suggested and I have a better idea now. (thx drew).

I don't want to do "carving in the round" or "sculpture". No to whittling. I guess "relief" is what I want to do........but "chip" is a possibility too, and I think there could be some overlap...... :D
 
Take a look here. I have some tutorials on a few relief carving projects. A couple, like the simple shell and the early American fan, are good for beginners.

Like many things in life, you get better with practice.

Mike
 
No, seriously, Frank, I was looking at the Lee Valley Catalogue :rofl: again, and there are pages and pages of carving tools, and they specifically describe tools as being for

Carving in the Round
Relief Carving
Sculpting and
Chip Carving (thanks I forgot that one)

Cynthia, the tools for relief carving, and carving in the round or sculpting which I consider them synonims are the same tools, there are no dedicated tools for one or the other. They consist basically in many different gouges.

As per chip carving it is made basically with one of two pointed knives, understanding by knives a cutting tools that has a flat blade not like a gouge.
 
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