A carving in the round, such as a bird, a small animal or a figure, starts as a square block and ends as a form with curves on every side. The middle stage, roughing out, decides most of the result. Get the proportions and masses right at this stage and the details go easily; get them wrong, and no amount of detail will rescue the figure.
Choosing the block
Pick a block a little larger than the finished figure, about a quarter inch extra in each direction. The grain should run along the long axis of the figure, so that thin parts such as legs, necks and tails have fibres running down them. A knot or split in a place that will be removed does no harm, but avoid them in thin sections. Basswood is the usual choice: even, soft and easy to work in any direction. The carving woods database lists other species with their grain and ease.
Two drawings
Draw the side view on one face of the block and the front or top view on an adjacent face. Mark the centre line on all faces. The two drawings give the outline in two directions. The silhouette of each is cut first; the wood that is inside both outlines becomes the figure.
Use a template for repeats, and trace it onto the block. Keep the drawings inside the edges by about 1/8 inch, so there is margin to trim if a cut goes beyond a line.
Removing the bulk
Bandsaw or coping saw cuts make the first waste removal when a saw is available. Without one, use a knife, a hatchet or an axe, which the cuts database lists as hatchet roughing for larger pieces. Cut to the pencil line on the side view first, turn the block, and cut to the line on the second view. Keep the cut-off waste pieces when you can, as they can be taped back on to restore the flat faces for drawing.
Whether by saw or by knife, stop about 1/16 inch outside the line. You can always take more off, but cannot put it back.
Rounding the corners
The figure now has a blocky silhouette. Take off the corners in stages, using the push cut and the sweeping cut. Start from the edges where the drawn lines meet, cutting diagonally to make a chamfer at 45 degrees, then cut the chamfer's own corners in the same way. Each pass doubles the number of facets and makes the form rounder, like an octagon that becomes a sixteen-sided shape.
Work in large cuts. A roughing cut removes as much as the wood and the tool will allow, following the grain. The aim in this stage is a simple mass, without detail.
Proportions
Check proportions often, and from all sides. Put the carving next to a drawing or photograph. Compare the ratio of the head to the body, the length of the legs, the depth of the chest. Many beginners leave the head too small or the neck too thick. A useful check is to stand the carving against a window and look at the silhouette: if it reads correctly as a shape alone, the proportions are right.
For a bird, the body is an egg shape, the head a small egg on the front, and the tail a wedge. For a standing figure, the head is about one seventh of the height. For an animal, a long side silhouette and a deep chest will come from your reference.
Symmetry
Keep the centre line on the top, back and front as you cut, redrawing it after each stage. Measure from it to each side at several points with a pair of dividers or a ruler. Keep the two sides equal in step: take a cut from the left, then one from the right, and compare. A figure that is a little off at the roughing stage is hard to correct later.
Stop before detail
Resist the urge to carve an eye or a nostril until the forms are right. Detail cut into an unfinished surface gets cut away when the form changes. Smooth the mass into planes and curves, and leave the surface with visible knife facets. Then, and only then, mark the features with a pencil and cut them with stop cuts and V-cuts. The cuts database includes both, along with the finishing cut that leaves a clean facet.
Finishing the shape
A final pass of thin, slicing cuts gives a surface of small flat facets that catch the light. Many carvers leave this faceted look on purpose, since it shows the hand of the maker and needs no sanding. If you want a smooth surface, refine with a rasp, then sandpaper in steps up to 220 grit.
Common problems
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Lumpy form | Cuts too small, too early | Return to larger planes |
| One side larger | No centre line | Redraw and measure |
| Legs break off | Grain runs across them | Orient the block on the grain |
| Head too small | Judged from one angle | Check the silhouette |
| Tear at the ends | Cutting uphill | Reverse direction |