Relief carving leaves a design standing out from a flat background, like a leaf on a panel, a crest on a chair back or a face on a plaque. The work is always done in the same order. Each stage depends on the one before, and skipping ahead to detail too soon is the usual reason a relief looks flat or muddy.
The wood and the tools
A relief needs a flat board with enough thickness for the depth of the design, typically 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches. Basswood and butternut are the standard choices, and mahogany, walnut and cherry carve well if you have the skill and tools. The carving woods database lists each species with its grain and ease.
The tool roll is a small set of gouges, a V-tool and a skew or straight chisel, with a mallet for heavy cuts. The tools glossary describes each. A gouge is described by its sweep, the curve of the blade from flat to deeply curved, and its width. A few gouges of different sweeps cover most jobs: a flat one for grounding, a medium one for setting in curves, and a deep one for scooping.
Stage 1: transfer and outline
Draw the design on paper, and transfer it to the wood with carbon paper or by tracing over the drawing with a pencil pressed firmly. Go over the lines on the wood so they are clear. Then outline: use a V-tool to cut a groove just outside the drawn line, in the waste area. The outline separates the design from the background and stops the next cuts from splitting into the subject. The cuts database lists outlining among the relief carving steps.
Stage 2: setting in
Setting in is the defining step. With a gouge that matches the curve of the outline, stand it upright on the line, and drive it straight down with a mallet or the heel of your hand. Choose a gouge whose curve matches the line so a single cut follows it. For straight lines use a chisel, and for tight corners use a knife. The cut is vertical, and defines the wall that will separate the subject from the background. Its depth sets how much the design will stand out.
Then cut from the waste side toward the set-in wall, so that the chips release at the wall. This leaves a crisp edge. Setting in is done again as the background goes lower.
Stage 3: grounding
Grounding lowers the background to a uniform depth up to the set-in walls. Use a wide, flat gouge and work in shallow layers, cutting across the grain toward the wall, and always from the waste toward the subject. Check the depth frequently with a ruler, or a depth gauge made from a scrap of wood marked to the depth.
The ground may be left flat, for a clean, modern look. It can also be textured with a punch or a small gouge, which gives a dappled surface that makes the smooth subject stand out. Stippling with a nail tip is a traditional alternative.
Work down gradually, and re-set the outline when you have gone down another 1/8 inch. Doing it all at once gives a wall that is ragged and unstable.
Stage 4: modelling
Modelling shapes the subject itself. So far, the design is a flat silhouette with straight walls. Now round the edges, cut the folds, hollow the centres of petals and raise the centres of berries. The aim is to make different areas read at different heights: the parts that are nearest the viewer stand highest, the parts that recede are carved lower.
Work in this order.
- Establish the main highs and lows: which leaf overlaps which, which petal is in front.
- Round the forms with shallow sweeping cuts, working from the high point down toward the edges.
- Cut the overlaps, by lowering the piece that is behind, in a band along the edge of the piece in front.
- Add the veins, and the lines between the petals, with a V-tool or small gouge.
Always go with the grain, since relief designs have curves in all directions, and the grain reverses as the subject turns. Go downhill from the high point.
Stage 5: undercutting
Undercutting cuts back underneath an edge, so that it casts a shadow and appears to lift off the background. It is done last. Use a knife or a skew to cut a small wedge below the top edge of a leaf, or a flower petal. A shallow undercut on the edge of a leaf reads as thickness and gives the shadow that makes the subject appear to float. Too deep an undercut weakens the edge, so use it on the edges that need emphasis.
Stage 6: cleaning up
Go over the whole piece with a keen knife or flat chisel and remove fuzz from the walls, slicing cleanly across the grain. Check the ground for ridges. Sand lightly only the areas that require it, since sanding softens crisp detail and leaves dust in the crevices. A soft brush clears the carved areas.
Common problems
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Design looks flat | Modelling skipped or shallow | Round the forms, deepen lows |
| Ragged walls | Grounding in one pass | Re-set and lower in layers |
| Splitting at the edge | Cut toward the wall against the grain | Cut from the other direction |
| Ground uneven | No depth checks | Measure at several points |
| Edges look chunky | No undercut | Undercut selectively |
Practice piece
A single leaf is a good start. Outline it, set in, lower the ground a quarter inch, round the surface and cut a centre vein. It covers all the stages in a small piece, and the result can be judged at once.