Relief carved panels can add warmth and visual action to your woodworking. Difficult? Not at all. The approach I often choose to create them combines the efficiency and ease of using a router to remove the background with the organic, handcrafted look that only traditional carving tools produce. It is a simple, direct method that uses only a few tools, goes quickly, and adds an artistic element to your work that you will be proud of.
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| Only a few carving tools are required and all are available online. |
Choosing a subject for relief panels can be daunting. I find botanical forms are a good choice as they come in an infinite variety and are very approachable to carve. The design of the sample panels was inspired by a variety of poppies growing in my home’s flower beds. If you need some help, antique ceramic tiles offer inspiration and a place to start. As with most decorative details, it’s best to keep the forms simple; the panels should add to the overall appearance of a project, not overwhelm it.
Here are a couple of hints to help get started:
- Choose fine textured, consistent grained wood that mills cleanly when routed and carves predictably.
- Use a mallet and rapid light blows for the best control and no “uh oh” moments from a misguided cut.
- A carving knife is handy for the spots that you can’t get a carving chisel into.
- Sharp tools cut cleanly, dull tools tear the wood, so take the time to sharpen your tools (there are only 4!)
CLEAR THE BACKGROUND
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| After gluing on a pattern for the panel, clean out the bulk of the background with a hand-held palm router and a sharp 1⁄4" straight bit or spiral upcut bit. |
The first step in making the panels is to create a paper pattern. Using a paper pattern rather than drawing directly on the wood allows you to make changes easily. Plus, with the aid of a printer, you have a record of the project should you want to repeat it. If you are making the poppy panels, download and print off the patterns. With pattern in hand, apply it to the carving blank using a temporary spray adhesive for easy removal.
The background waste is cleared with a palm router fitted with an oversized base. The oversized base provides the router with plenty of support so that the background surface is smooth and consistent. Use a sharp straight bit or upcut bit.
You can use large bits for wasting out large areas or smaller bits for fine detail, however resetting the depth to leave a perfectly flat background can be tricky, so I think it’s best to stick with one size of bit for the whole project if you can. I find a 1⁄8" bit works well for most furniture scale panels.
Once you have completed the routing, peel off the remaining paper pattern. A clean, routed background will enhance your hand work, so clean up any “fuzzies” on the panel. A knife and a palmetto scrub brush will help with this task, getting into all the tight corners and recesses.
DEFINE THE CARVED FEATURES
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| Using a sharp V-groove gouge makes quick work of defining and separating the petals, leaves, and stems. | Carefully carve each petal into fluid, organic form that dives under or overlaps the next one using the #3 x ½"gouge. | To create a rolling surface, the leaves are carved with an opposing series of cuts using the #9 x ½"gouge. |
With background cleared, begin carving by separating features such as the end of the stem and the flower petals with the V-tool. This is done to allow the removal of material without fear of chipping out adjacent areas. Use a mallet and a light, fast tapping blow which will give precise control and a clean exit. As you carve down areas, such as the flower petals, it may be necessary to redefine them with the V-tool a second or third time.
CARVE THE FLOWERS
With the flowers divided into individual petals, carve each petal down to its own level and dive into the next one using the #3 x ½" gouge. View the flower as a whole and how each petal will relate to its neighbor to create a rounded form with well-defined petals.
You may wish to add an undulating upper edge to the petals with the #9 x ½" gouge. Use all the height of the wood, carving from the top down to the background level to maximize form and texture. Undercutting is used to create a sense of separation and a shadow line, turn the V-tool on its side and slightly undercut overlapping petals where they intersect.
CARVE THE LEAVES
The leaves are an opportunity to create a very active shape that contrasts well with the flat background. They are carved with an opposing series of cuts using the #9 x ½" gouge to create a rolling surface.
Think about how the panels will be viewed and cut the leaves deeply so that less edge will show at the top (more exposed to the eye) and more at the bottom (hidden from the eye). The last step is to use the V-tool to cut a vein in the center of the leaves to create symmetry and add detail.
SHAPE THE STEM & FRAME
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| The stem and frame shaping is cut using a combination of the #3 x 1⁄2”gouge and knife. |
Use the #3 x ½" gouge and shape the stem, rounding the wood and having it subtly dive in and out of the flat plane. The stem needs to be shaped all the way to the background. Tight areas such as where the stem diverges for a leaf are best handled with the knife.
The flower stem “grows” from the frame of the panels, so once you have shaped the stems continue onto the edges of the frame creating a modest faceted round over. This will reduce the contrast of the router cut background and side walls with the carved texture of the poppies.
STAMP THE BACKGROUND
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| Working from one end to the other, I struck the stamp, then repostioned it being careful to not overlap the previous impression. Rinse and repeat. | Stamping tools come in a variety of shapes to get in between those tight spaces. |
The background can be left plain or textured with stamps. If your background is routed cleanly, then you may enjoy the look of the flat plane contrasting with the carved flowers. If your background isn’t flat and uniform, or if you would like to add some visual character to the panels, stamping is the answer.
Stamps come in a variety of shapes, so there is always one that will fit in the various spaces. Try to keep the depth of the stamping consistent, so while you may need to hit the larger stamps solidly to leave a good impression, the small stamps should be struck lightly to prevent overdriving them.
