How to Carve a Wooden Tiki

Tiki carvings have been around for centuries. Since the advent of computerized sketches, some people prefer to take new approaches to carve intricate designs on a wooden tiki. Others prefer to stick with traditional tools. Whatever method you pick, the art of carving a wooden tiki is learned by regular practice and experimentation.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wood
• Dark colored pencil
• Chisel
• Hammer
• Power tools (optional)
• Compressed air spray bottle

1. Take a wood carving class if you want to learn traditional tiki carving techniques before experimenting on your own. Read books on wood carving to gain important pointers from various photographic illustrations.

2. Purchase a reasonably thick block of good quality lumbered wood which you can easily handle. Other options include tree stubs, drift wood or timber pieces. The size of the wood piece depends upon the size of the tiki you want to make.

3. Sketch any pattern or a picture on both sides of the wood with a dark colored pencil. Draw an outline or the whole picture depending upon your expertise level. Keep the picture nearby if the sketch holds fine details.

4. Use a simple chisel and a hammer to make a traditional carving. Or employ air turbine tools which are the size of a small pen but have the power of a chisel and carving chainsaw combined. Such electric tools are easier to maneuver and are more suitable to carve fine details into the wooden tiki.

5. Trace the outline of the sketch with your chosen tool. Take your time to carve and slowly make your way to the middle of the tiki. Step back and analyze your results every few minutes to see which area needs more work.

6. Leave the front side for the time being if the tool starts to chip off the wood. Work on the other side of the tiki for a while. Use a compressed air spray bottle or blow at the carved areas as you work to remove wooden chips.

Tips & Warnings

• Start with easy patterns and then proceed to difficult designs.
• Carve the back or the lower parts of the wooden tiki first. This will help you to understand the wood texture before you proceed to carve the face and other important areas of the tiki.
• Dip your hands in warm water for 5 minutes after every 30-minute session to relieve cramps.
• Put a thumb guard on your hand to avoid injury.
• Use acrylic based paints if you want to add color to your wooden tiki.