How to Read a Wood Carving Pattern
Wood carving patterns are not technical illustrations, but rather two-dimensional line drawings. Although some drawings use shading, special symbols or explanatory text to describe the angle, depth and tools used for each cut, most patterns omit this information -- leaving it up to the artist. For beginners, this simplicity and freedom can be confusing, which is why being able to decipher wood carving patterns is a fundamental skill. After learning to read a pattern, you can use and customize free stock patterns, simplify complex drawings and produce patterns from original works.
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Instructions
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Make a copy of the pattern that can be marked up in this planning phase.
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Look for a title or explanation that describes the wood carving pattern so that you can navigate the drawing with some knowledge of its structure.
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Find the major structural pieces of the carving. Look for heads and legs on a body, windows and doors on a facade or the trunk of a tree. Trace these lines with a highlighter or thick pen to make them stand out from the rest.
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Create a second tier of structures for complex drawings with many small lines. For example, after isolating a bird's head, body and feet, draw a colored border around the outline of each feather.
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Review the interior lines within each structure and determine their purpose -- e.g., lines within a bird's feathers can indicated veining, while the lines on a cat's tail might represent the texture of fur.
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Simplify the drawing by eliminating sections of detail. For example, you can omit the veining on a bird's feathers to make the carving easier.
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Imagine the image as a three-dimensional carving by looking for logical areas of depth and shadow, such as the nook under a bird's wing or the folds in a shirt.
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Lightly fill in the deepest parts of the pattern with a black-colored pencil. Ensure that the lines of the pattern can still be seen through the pencil marks. Color in the next deepest areas with a brown-colored pencil. Shade the entire pattern, using a lighter color for each progressive step into the foreground.
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Note areas that logically necessitate a specific detail -- e.g., the vine of a plant is round, so a tapered and undercut style might be appropriate in a realistic carving. Write down the desired cutting styles and techniques on the pattern so that you do not have to remember them.
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Tips & Warnings
The source of the pattern can inform you about the proper way to interpret the drawing. Consider the pattern's artistic style and time period. For example, Dutch colonial carving patterns from the 17th and 18th centuries had a realistic perspective, while 14th- and 15th-century pieces were flat in the style of Medieval paintings and illuminations.
References
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