Wood carving Scandinavian patterns. Artistic wood carving from Norway. Wood carvings in ancient churches
Volumetric, contour and geometric wood carving are some of the most ancient techniques for decorating a wide variety of products. By and large, for work you don’t need anything other than a wooden blank and enough sharp knife: with the right skill it can work out carved frame, beautiful toy or any other product.
Of course, you will only achieve masterpieces after many years of practice. But you can start mastering carving with the simplest details: just study this article and understand the basics.
Types of carving
Despite the fact that when working with wood the most simple tools, 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:
- Contour thread- perhaps the simplest (outwardly, not in terms of execution technique). The pattern is applied to flat surface shallow lines, forming the contours of the picture.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sculptural carving(volume) - 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 for work?
Carver tools
To do wooden Toys, carved frames, platbands and other decorative objects, the master needs suitable tools. In addition to the usual carpentry tools (saw, drill, file), you also need to use special tools:
| Illustration | Tool | Purpose |
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Knife-jamb | A universal tool that is used for both geometric wood carving and sculptural work. |
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Chisels | The most extensive group of tools used to form recesses. Depending on the shape of the edge, the following varieties are distinguished:
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Klukarzy | Special chisels with a curved working part. With their help, relief carvings with strong depth are made. |
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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. |
Price professional tools high enough for cutting. 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 appropriate material. Not all wood is suitable for carving, and if you are just starting to master the technique, then you need to be very picky about your choice:
- Linden - perfect option for a beginner. The material is soft and homogeneous, so it is better to master the most complex designs for wood carving on linden.
- Alder (red and black)- also very a good option, albeit more dense. Cuts perfectly, almost does not warp when drying. The main disadvantage is that it is difficult to find!
- Birch- harder and more elastic, but at the same time quite suitable for learning the basics of carving. When drying, it can become deformed, which is why small products are usually cut from birch.
- Oak - great option, but only for experienced craftsman. The relief is perfect, but you need a very sharp tool and a confident hand.
- 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:
- Preparation- selection and rough processing of the workpiece, transfer of the design.
- Actually the thread- application of a relief pattern.
- Finishing- elimination of defects, grinding, varnishing, etc.
Instructions for performing basic carving operations are shown in the table.
Making an icon case
05.02.2019, 09:14
Making a table of contents with wood carvings for an icon case
In a similar way, the table of contents (top) for the icon cases in the photo below were made.
To enlarge the image, click on it with the mouse.
First, a sketch of the table of contents in real size is drawn on paper, in accordance with the size and proportions of the future icon case. It is determined where the wood carving will be located, and the sketch of the carving itself is first drawn.
Then the drawing is transferred to a sheet of fiberboard or plywood and carefully, as accurately as possible, cut out with a jigsaw at low speed, without turning on the pendulum stroke. Fine tooth file (I use BOCH T101 AO or Gepard T101 AO files)
Thus, we made a template according to which, using a router, we will make the very top (crown, table of contents) of the icon case.
In the photo below there are two ready-made templates: the first from fiberboard is the table of contents wall, the background on which the wood carving will be attached. The second plywood template is the cornice, the arched frieze of the icon case, it will be made of wood.
All bends, curves, and template lines are carefully sanded with sandpaper. It depends on how symmetrical, even and neat our template will be. appearance ready table of contents for the icon case in the future.
The following photos are a template for the lower and upper parts of the icon case
We place the fiberboard template on a sheet of plywood and trace it with a pencil.
After this, we cut out with a jigsaw close to the drawn line, but without touching the line itself.
We screw the template into the plywood blank.
Using a router and a straight copy cutter with a bearing, we go around the workpiece along the contour.
The bearing on the cutter moves along the edge of the template, and the cutter removes excess material from the workpiece.
In this case, the workpiece exactly copies the profile of the template.
We also outline the arched cornice with a pencil on a wooden board.
Cut with a jigsaw, roughly, without touching the line.
We attach the template to the workpiece and repeat the previous operations.
We attach the template using self-tapping screws to reverse side details, not on the front - so that on finished element no traces of screws were visible.
Although if you make a mistake, putty will help.
We repeat the same thing when making an element for the lower part of the icon case.
Using an edge molding cutter we select desired profile from the front side of the cornice.
Then select a shallow (5-8mm) groove inside the cornice.
We connect the cornice with the wall of the table of contents.
You can immediately glue two parts together and then paint them together, but I find it more convenient to varnish and tint these two elements separately.
View from the front and back.
Sketch, wood carving template
Overhead thread for icon case
25.01.2019, 06:50
Making carved decor for the table of contents of a floor icon case.
The top (or table of contents, crown) of the floor icon case is an arch with applied wood carvings.
Inside the arch there will be an Orthodox eight-pointed cross with carved decor.
First, we draw the arch itself on a scale of 1:1 and then the cross around which our wood carving will be placed.
Initially, the sketch is drawn “by hand”; the accuracy of the lines and the smoothness of the curves do not play a significant role at this stage. The main thing is to place the pattern evenly around the cross, observing general outline proportions, create a logical and complete design of floral ornament.
After that, using patterns, we align the hand-drawn lines, achieving smooth transitions, roundness of curls, and adding small details to the sketch.
We draw, as usual, only one left part of the pattern - the right one will be strictly symmetrical to it.
In order to understand what the finished carving will look like, you can attach a mirror along the vertical line (running along the cross). The right side of the carving sketch will be reflected in the mirror, that is, the entire pattern as a whole will become visible to us.
With a pencil I shade out those parts of the sketch that will be cut with straight chisels. Unshaded areas - semicircular incisors.
Some craftsmen cut out the sketch and glue it onto wooden blank. Then, along the lines of the sketch, using a jigsaw, unnecessary parts of the pattern are removed and cut with cutters directly on the paper and on the workpiece at the same time.
With this method, the sketch template is not saved, and if you later need to make exactly the same decor, you have to re-create the drawing.
I do it differently: I laminate the sketch drawing with simple transparent tape on both sides. I then carefully cut it out using the cutters to create a carving template that can be used over and over again. You can call it a stencil.
I attach the template to the workpiece and trace it with a sharpened pencil or pen. Using a jigsaw, I remove everything unnecessary and get a blank for carving. Externally, this is a house slotted carving, but we still have to work on itcutters and chisels. In order for me to understand where, what and with what to cut, I transfer the sketch drawing to wooden part. Also with the help of patterns.
After processing with cutters, the finished decor is manually sanded with fine sandpaper.
We use sandpaper to remove scorch marks from the jigsaw file, and smooth out uneven surfaces after work with chisels.
By turning the thread over, you can trim the reverse side of the pattern with cutters in some places. In this way we will, as it were, lift and separate our carved decor from the background to which it will be attached.
On the following photos The wood carving is coated with clear varnish.
The wooden board for the workpiece was glued from different plots - this can be seen from the different colors of the boards. In this case, this is not important - the finished carved decor will be painted with gold paint.
The varnish plays the role of a primer and several applied layers will allow you to get smooth surface before gold plating.
Wood carving on the icon case painted “gold”.
Floor-standing icon case with wood carvings
Wood carving, sketches, photos
14.09.2018, 04:29
Transferring a wood carving sketch onto a linden board using a template
If the overhead thread is symmetrical in horizontal or vertical plane, then only half of the sketch (template) is drawn
"Spruce and drill" - workshop hand carving woodworking in Belarus
Decorative panel, for church furniture
12.09.2018, 06:50
We make panels only from wood: ash, oak, birch, alder. Most often, of course, from linden.
If necessary, we will do the finishing: tinting with stain or stain, varnishing.
All wood carvings are carved only by hand.
Drawing, sketch, sketch carved ornament pre-discussed. As are the sizes.
Carved panels can be used as overlay wood carvings for church furniture, for example, for a floor icon case or a church iconostasis.
Carved panel for a wooden altar
08.09.2018, 07:57
Hand-carved decorative wood panel
At the first stage of work on the panel, it is glued together wooden shield, assembled from identical linden slats (lamellas).
A sketch for wood carving is marked on the shield and using electric jigsaw all unnecessary parts of the ornament are removed. The result is a slotted or through saw thread.
A decorative panel can become an element of a furniture facade
In our case, wood carvings (carved panels) were made for the door of a wooden altar in an Orthodox church.
You can order production from us and buy an altar with a canopy, in the form of a floor-standing icon case.
06.09.2018, 07:36
Wood carving - from sketch to finished product
Creating a sketch or drawing is the first step in making carved decor.
The sketch is drawn on a scale of 1:1.
This takes into account not only the external, aesthetic appearance of the future product, but also the capabilities of the carver, his skill, the availability of the necessary cutters, the complexity and size of the carved decor.
To enlarge the picture, click on it with the mouse.
The next step, after creating a wood carving sketch, is to laminate it (for example, with ordinary transparent tape) and cut out a template along the contour of the drawing.
With this method, the thread template can be used repeatedly if several carved patterns are to be cut.
Just trace the template along the contours with a pencil.
The next step is cutting out the slotted pattern with a jigsaw.
We remove everything unnecessary, leaving what we will work with with cutters.
In principle, this is already the so-called house carving.
A simple incised overlay wood carving used for home decoration.
Using patterns or “by hand,” we apply cutting lines and designs to the workpiece.
After working with cutters, sanding, tinting and painting, you get this kind of wooden carved decor.
This false cross with carved pattern carved for a church lectern made in our workshop.
You can see his photo and description in the "Analoi" section.
When copying images and reprinting an article, a link to the site is required!
21.05.2016, 07:50
Wood carving for the front part of a church lectern.
Step-by-step production.
Transferring a drawing or sketch to the board.
You can transfer the pattern to the workpiece using a carbon copy or using a cut out template.
With the second method, a template once made and cut out, for example, from thick cardboard, can be used many times if you need to make many identical products.
The finished slotted pattern is processed with cutters and chisels of various shapes.
At the final stage, the wood carving is sanded with fine-grained sandpaper before painting or coating with oil, wax, or stain.
Wood carving for mirror
26.03.2016, 09:19
Sketching a carved pattern
Transferring the design to a linden board and cutting out the outline with a jigsaw
Finished work... Then sanding, tinting, painting...
A short video of a master class on making a carved frame for a mirror or picture
There is a legend among local residents that tells why the village has such a name: they say that once upon a time a small unknown village burned down near Slonim. Two residents of this village - two brothers who bore the surname Krakot - descended along the Jordanka River to these places. The first brother settled in the upper reaches of the Jordan River, and the other went down the river. The place where the elder brother settled was called Great Krakotka, and where is the youngest - Malaya Krakotka. Today, these two Krakotkas are still located next to each other....
Here's another story from that time
One day they decided to involve the boyars living in Velikaya Krakotka in the ordinary daily work that the peasants did. The boyars then began to resist, saying that digging the earth and hauling hay were duties and activities for peasants. And theirs, the boyars' business, is military service. We got offended and went to the capital - Warsaw, to the king himself ZhigimontVase.
He listened to the boyars and said that no one would do this to them again and gave them a paper in which it was written that the boyars should not be involved in any other work other than military service. The kings did not give offense to their subjects and tried to adhere to ancient laws.
After three sections of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Krakotka found itself in Russian Empire in Slonim district. There is evidence that in 1798 there were 31 men living in the village. The fact is that before this there was a liberation uprising under the command Tadeusha Kosciuszko.
In the 18th century, our country was almost entirely Uniate. Uniates lived then and in Great Krakotka, and Little Krakotka, behind which there has long been a Uniate cemetery.
At the Krakotki cemetery
Attractions
The village is famous for its natural monuments.
On the very outskirts of the village is the Republican Geological Geomorphological Natural Monument "Krakotskaya ridge". Scientists say that it appeared 220 thousand years ago during the Ice Age! Such ridges, they say, appeared from sand, stones, in the openings of water streams in ice cracks.
The famous Krakota boulder
When the ice melted, a man came here.
On the outskirts of Krakotka, in the forest, there is a very beautiful juniper grove. If someone has been to Crimea, then he has seen such juniper groves. Such groves are rare in Belarus.
On the outskirts of the juniper grove, an ancient cemetery has been preserved, along which stones are scattered. The fact is that according to local ritual, when they buried someone who took his own life, a stone was placed above the head and at the feet, where a wooden cross was also placed. It is believed that when the day of judgment comes and everyone goes to God’s judgment, it will be easier for him to get up holding the cross. Now these stones have been destroyed because the cemetery was plowed up and planted there.
About the holy healing spring
In the village there is a holy spring with healing water, which has been known since ancient times.
There is a local legend about the krinichka.
They say that this land once belonged to Mr. Skurat, who had a daughter, she had very poor eyesight. One day an old man came to the village and stopped near a mountain from which water flowed.
The elder drank this water, rinsed his face, and immediately his eyes began to see better. He came to the village, told the people about it, who told everything to Pan Skurat. Pan began to take this water and treat his daughter, rubbing her eyes - the girl was cured. Then Pan Skurat dug a well on the mountain and from that time on this little spring began to be called Pan Skurat's spring.
Now the krinichka is consecrated in honor Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John. They say that on holidays the water here is drawn to the bottom, but it quickly fills up. Water helps against eye and stomach diseases. There are examples of people being cured with this water. But it is known that water helps those who believe.
The Holy Krinichka is located near a river with the interesting name Jordanka. It was deeper and wider until land reclamation was carried out. And when the reclamation was carried out, it became a small stream. The name of the river is mysterious. Legend says that once in these places they killed a man who called himself Jordanas. Or maybe there is a connection between the Jordan River and the famous Jordan River, in which John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ?
Water blessing prayers are held here, with special solemnity - on the day of the Nativity of John the Baptist (July 7). Water from this source is taken not only by local residents, but also by pilgrims and travelers from near and far abroad.
Famous personalities of Great Krakotka
In the part of the village that was formerly called Malaya Krakotka, Ivan Solomevich, a Belarusian literary critic, folklorist, bibliographer, translator, and encyclopedist, was born.
He signed his works with the pseudonym Krakotsky or Yan Solomevich.
The writer was born in Malaya Krakotka, and went to school in Velikaya.
By the way, the famous Belarusian Grigory Okulevich was born in Great Krakotka. During the occupation in Polotsk, he was an active figure in the Belarusian national liberation movement. He was also one of the organizers of the BKRG and TBS. When the Poles began to hunt Okulevich, he was forced to emigrate to Canada to avoid arrest. But he did not abandon his Belarusian activities there, and together with his friends he created the first Russian newspaper in Canada, which had its own Belarusian page in the Belarusian language. And when World War II began, Grigory Okulevich volunteered for the war. After the war, he became the chief secretary of the Russians in Canada Federation in Canada, and later became the editor-in-chief of an emigrant newspaper. In Canada, Okulevich wrote and published two books: “50 years of the Belarusian Republic” and “Russians in Canada.”
In Great Krakotka, Grigory Okulevich and his friends created a Belarusian library on the basis of the TBS and named it in honor of Yanka Kupala. But the Poles didn’t like everything that was Belarusian, they didn’t like the local Belarusian movement, so the Poles closed the library. All Belarusian books were taken out of the library. Only in 1939 was the Belarusian library of Yanka Kupala renewed in the village.
The Second has begun World War, and the library was destroyed, but in 1946, the Yanka Kupala library in Velikaya Krakotka was born for the third time. Yanka Kupala’s wife, Vlada Frantsevna Lutsevich, corresponded with this library.
Yakub Kolas, Arkady Kuleshov, Kondrat Krapiva, Ivan Shamyakin, Mikhail Lynkov sent books with their autographs to the library. In 1970, a new library named after Yanka Kupala was built in the village, but today it no longer exists. Pavel Tavlay, the father of the famous Belarusian poet Valentin Tavlay, took an active part in the construction of Yanka Kupala.
Tavlay began writing poetry at an early age. When he studied at the Slonim Teachers' Seminary, during the census he registered as a Belarusian, but wrote Belarusian as his native language, for which he was expelled from the seminary. 2014 marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of the poet Valentin Tavlay. He suffered for 7 years in Polish prisons for his Belarusian activities, but, fortunately, he did not fall under Soviet repression and did not rot in Stalin’s camps; he died of natural causes in 1947. His fellow countryman, the Belarusian poet Mikola Arochka, wrote a lot about Valentin Tavlaya, researched his work, and dedicated many poems to him.
Mikhail was born in a neighboring village, but he loved to come to Velikaya Krakotka, he loved these places. The village is proud of its fellow countryman-poet.
The Great Patriotic War
In 1941, a strong battle took place near Velikaya Krakotka. On the German side, Gulden's regiment fought here against the Red Army. 160 died here German soldiers who were buried on the mountain near the church. And in 1944, when the Germans were retreating, they dug up the remains of each of their dead soldiers, put them in new coffins and took them to Germany.
Today no one can say how many Red Army soldiers died. Only 1,600 soldiers were captured; they were marched through the streets of the village. In the middle of the village of Velikaya Krakotka, 17 known and 338 unknown Red Army soldiers were buried in a mass grave in the middle of the village. And how many of them still lie buried in craters and trenches?
A house was recently built in the village and the remains of 4 more Red Army soldiers were found. They were taken to a mass grave and buried there.
On the outskirts of the village and in the forests there are still amateurs studying the history of the Great Patriotic War, the history of Great Krakotka is found in objects from those times, testifying to strong, bloody battles.
One of the old finds, a cross was found on the road leading to the temple in Malaya Krakotka
Search at the monastery lake (formerly Lake Shkolnoye)
Solidus 1663. A lot was found along the road near the temple in Malaya Krakotka
Ring
10 pfenings
Program "Amateur's Journey" and "Hope for the Village"
Interesting and educational program BT has finally visited our village!
Velikaya Krakotka is rich in interesting sights and people.
The story about them and much more is in the video report offered to you.
I have been in Norway for a relatively long time, but recently, while looking through photographs, I discovered some with Norwegian wood carvings, and also sometimes with subsequent painting on the carvings, I want to bring them to your attention.
Everyone is familiar with this folk craft; it was also widespread in Rus'. Let's remember carved furniture, boxes, household items, window frames, children's toys. But this is our native one, which does not seem anything special.
The place of residence of the nationality certainly has a huge influence on folk crafts; the local national flavor is visible in them. This is something unique, something you won’t find anywhere else.
Let us take the opportunity to compare the already known Russian carving motifs with the Norwegian ones given here. And both ancient and modern. Perhaps there is something in common with the folk crafts of the peoples of the Russian north.
Wood carvings in ancient churches
We visited several ancient wooden churches, decorated inside and out with intricate artistic carvings.
They are called bets. These are unique churches that were built in the 10th-13th centuries from logs; there is not a single nail in them.
Remember Russian wooden architecture of the 18th century (much later!)? Kizhi. Something similar here. The Vikings built their longships (warships) in a similar way.
And each of the betting stations we visited was, naturally, the very best. One is the oldest church in Norway, the other is the smallest, and so on.
Norwegian church "stavkirka" with carvings
The ancient carvings around the doors are surprisingly well preserved. The wood is black and looks charred. To make it last longer in harsh climates, the wood was resinized.
What was a little surprising was that entrance for visitors to all churches was paid. And the price is decent, 50 - 80 Norwegian kroner, mostly 60, i.e. about 6 euros, which seemed quite expensive to me just for visiting a small church on your own without any excursion. But old man... You need to look.
Previously, there were a huge number of such wooden churches, their number was in the thousands. The first ones were built directly on the ground, served their purpose until they rotted after one or two decades. New ones were built in their place. Resining the wood increased its service life, but not for long. Later they began to build churches on stone foundations.
In total, very few such bets have survived, less than 30 throughout Norway. All of them are inoperative. Some have become museums under open air, others became private property. This is probably where the cost of visiting comes from.
I really liked the national motifs with stylized deer, which are usually arranged in pairs in the drawings, two at a time, located symmetrically one to the other. They are so unusual that they immediately attract attention. They are found quite often, on shop windows and walls.
The museum shows how to mark wooden surface according to the sketch, how the carving goes. There is an example where a carved motif can already be seen below, and only pencil markings on top.
Norwegian deer are so camouflaged in a complex pattern that you won’t find them right away. Try to immediately find them in the picture below among the ornate patterns!
Planar slotted thread with sketches
Interesting examples of geometric slotted thread on wood. This is a composition that consists of elements, each of which is inscribed in a square. As we see, it can also be a circle. Nearby in the frame there is a drawing - a diagram (sketch) for the carving on which the work was carried out.
Slotted carving is characterized by the fact that the pattern is made not only on the surface of the wood, but is cut through. The result is an openwork pattern. Everything happens on one plane, which is why this type of cutting is called planar.
It can be called geometric because each detail consists of a centrally symmetrical geometric figure, additionally decorated with surface relief carvings.
Glass is inserted on the other side; the whole composition can successfully serve as an artistic partition through which the opposite side light penetrates.
Here is one example of a simple geometric carving design.
Below is a sketch based on which the carved artistic wood carving was made. The diagram looks simpler than the original.
If you are going to engage in this type of creativity, then you can use any contour drawings, patterns, or ornaments as a stencil for carving. They can be intended for something completely different - for example, for satin stitch or cutwork embroidery, drawing, and the like.
Modern souvenirs carved from wood
There are a lot of souvenirs on the shelves in shops and stores - choose according to your taste.
What kind of figures can you buy here? Of course, northern animals. These are whales, dolphins, penguins, walruses. There are many boats, beautifully curved, with sails reminiscent of the Vikings.
I love wood very much, probably first of all because it natural material, it is “warm”, so I always pay attention to wood products.
Viking Drakkar - wooden craft
Walruses - wood carving
There are also Norwegian jewelry in national style– pendants with geometric carvings.
Carved wood panel
In one of the settlements where we stayed (we spent the night in so-called huts - wooden houses), I discovered an interesting painting decorating the outside wall of a wooden house.
Wood carving - panels based on Norwegian fairy tales
As far as I remember, there is a Norwegian fairy tale about three trolls who had only one eye between them. They held on to each other while walking so as not to get lost, and passed the eye to each other if necessary.
Their two boys poor family were in the forest at that time, took the only eye from the trolls, and returned it only for gold and silver.
The panel is carved from wood, and then its individual parts are painted different colors. Even in such a harsh northern climate, the paint is well preserved.
The same technique is used to decorate a “window”, or rather, a window-like frame (bulletin board), in which information about upcoming important events in this locality is placed. Only a few colors were used - brick red, dark green and yellow-golden.
Small bonus. Just look at the wood products that decorate small cozy Norwegian hotels and cafes.
Wall lamp and mug made of birch with bark and birch bark.
Along with the mug, the store also sold Viking women's underwear - bra and panties. But the most remarkable thing is that they were sewn from skins!
