Learning the techniques for making detailed work is important if you plan on making large faces or giving more definition to small figures.Before the wood can be carved, it needs to be stripped and smoothed out.Cut away the excess wood with a variety of common wood carving tools.Adding hair strands and wrinkling to your face will give it more depth and detail.
Step 1: A strong piece of wood is the right size for your project.
You can make a face out of any piece of wood if you find a piece large enough.Some types of wood are more used than others.Inexpensive pieces of wood are good for beginners.Once you get used to carving, you may want to use stronger wood.Many types of wood are used by beginners.They can be found in premade blocks.Cottonwood, black walnut, and oak are popular with experienced carvers.These woods have a noticeable grain and are used in commercial products.Woods come in many shapes and sizes.You can even carve a face into a piece of lumber with the right tools.As you practice carving small details like eyes and hair, wood blocks may be easier to work with.
Step 2: Hold the wood in place.
To keep larger pieces of wood out of the way, you need to hold them down to a flat surface.Place them on a workbench with a store-bought accessory.If you are going to work on a small piece of wood, you should use a clamps to smooth it out.As you carve the face, you can hold it in your hand.Smaller pieces of wood can be dangerous.Make sure the carving tools you use aren't close to your body by keeping a firm grip on the block.
Step 3: If the wood has outer bark, remove it with a drawknife.
The wood should be laid on a flat surface.While holding the 2 handles, pull the knife towards you to gradually remove the bark from the wood.Smaller, lighter pieces of wood must be locked up.At most tool supply stores, you can get a drawknife.premade wood blocks can be used to avoid refining a piece of wood.You can start carving them immediately after you take them home from most craft and hobby stores.
Step 4: Remove the soft bark with an axe.
Light white or tan is the color of sapwood.It needs to be removed because it is softer than wood.Start at the end of the wood.To shave off the parts you need to remove, position the axe blade almost horizontal against the wood, then stroke it towards the opposite end.A thin ring of sapwood is what most pieces of wood have.You can see where the harder heartwood begins if you look at the cut end.There may be more wood to remove from younger trees.If you don't have an axe, you can use a carving knife.
Step 5: There are holes in the wood that may affect your work.
You owe it to yourself to take a good look at the wood.You should find out what features speak to you and how you can incorporate them into your carving.When incorporated into carvings, holes, knots, and bumps look more natural.There are insect holes and discolorations that can make a face look rustic.The face doesn't have to be perfect.You may end up making your carving more endearing.Adding rough spots to a beard or nose can make them more attention-catching.
Step 6: Draw lines around the face.
Don't worry, you will get rid of these lines as you go.The face will be carved from one side of the wood.There is a permanent marker in the center of the piece of wood.Make a dotted line from one side of the nose to the other.Professionals use these lines for guidance.They are estimates, so keep that in mind.As you cut away the wood, your carving will evolve.If you're carving a block of wood, make 1 of the corners your centerline.It is easier to carve the facial features out of a sharp edge on a flat surface.If you're a beginner, keep your marker handy.It can be used to outline features before carving them.This can be used to cut small details.
Step 7: Go below the brow and the nose.
For a face carving with no body, a simple way to outline the nose is by placing the brow notch 13 of the way down the centerline.Make a V-shaped cut with a carving knife or hammer and chisel.The letter V can be formed by cutting down the diagonal and then cutting from the opposite side.Start small with V-cuts.Remove the excess wood to widen the notch.Small blocks of wood can be cut with a carving knife.The chisel and hammer are more effective when carving larger pieces.
Step 8: Carve around the nose with a knife.
Diagonal cuts should be made from the ends of the bottom notch.The cuts should be extended to the halfway point between the centerline and the side of the face.Cut back towards the center of the nose and up to the brow notch.If you want to remove the wood around and along the nose, use a carving knife.There is wood between the nose and side of the face.When it comes to shaping features, you need to be familiar with facial proportions.To get an idea of how the nose should look, take some time to observe people and take pictures.Slowly work.Excess wood can be removed, but you can't reverse mistakes.If you make a mistake, you need to cover it up with deeper or evening out cuts.
Step 9: The mouth can be created with a V-tool.
The mouth should be positioned between the nose and chin.It is helpful to trace this part with a marker.You can cut directly into the lines you traced with a V-tool.To add definition to the lips and chin, shave away the excess wood around the mouth with a knife.A lot of wood carvers have mustaches.Mustaches are easier to plan and carve than lips.The lines for the mustache start beside the nostrils, curve down to the top of the chin, and come back up to meet above the lip.A V-tool is a handy tool that can be used to make quick cuts.They can be found online or at some craft supply stores.You can use a knife or chisel if you don't have one.
Step 10: To smooth out the eye sockets, use a V-tool.
To flatten out the nose top and brow notch, use a carving knife.The eyes should be on the bridge of the nose.The almond-shaped eyes that end 23 of the way towards the face's side are created by curving lines.The pupils can be created by carving a circle in each eye.Adding a few lines will add definition to this area.The V-tool can be used to make another line below the lower eyelid.
Step 11: The ears should be made in the side of the wood.
Turn the wood block over and use a V-tool to cut the ears.Keep the cuts level with the eyes and nose.To make realistic ears look realistic, use the original nose notch you made as a guideline.The front edge of each earlobe is what people see when they look at the face from the front.The ear shape can be created with a couple of notches.You don't have to spend a lot of time making ears.Some wood carvers may cover their ears with long hair.The ears can be left off without a problem if this is part of the design.
Step 12: There are carve lines inside the mouth and on facial hair.
Depending on your design, the amount of detail work you need to do to the lower part of the face may vary.The V-tool can be used to differentiate the lips.If you have a beard or mustache, use the V-tool to add volume by carving lines from the nose to the chin.Before adding the fine detail, smooth out the chin area.The lower chin and beard should be under the mustache.Before adding details, shave wood from the lower area.
Step 13: To form the head, round the edges of the wood.
Keep in mind your plans for the hair when rounding out the shape of the face.Measure out the amount of wood you need to leave above the head to make a hairstyle.Slowly cut away the excess wood from the top of your piece until it is level with the ears.
Step 14: The V-tool can be used to cut lines in the hair area.
Beards and mustaches are similar to creating hair.Continue removing excess wood until you have a general shape for the hairstyle.You can use your carving tools to make a series of small, vertical lines from the head to the top of the hair.The hair doesn't need to be long or detailed.You can either add a few lines above the head or work all the way up to the top of the wood.Long hair can be indicated by lines around the ears and the side of the wood block.
Step 15: The face should be finished with smaller details.
To see where you need to deepen your lines, check over your piece.If you want to create smaller lines, remove any excess wood with a knife or chisel.Add small marks around the eyes and wavy lines in the forehead to show age.Similar to other types of hair, eyebrows are done.Use the V-tool to carve a few lines from the eye.Before you finish, check over your piece.There are places where you can improve the face's definition.You may need to check it out a few times.
Step 16: If you want to get rid of rough edges, sand the wood smooth.
Sanding isn't an obligation for some people because they like the rough look of a finished wood carving.You can lightly rub it down if you choose to sand it.This will remove splinters so you don't have to worry about it.Pay attention to the areas you cut with the tools because they can leave sharp edges.Don't wear sharp edges around the cuts to give the face a softer look.