Wood engraving is an art form almost as old as man himself. Wood is one of the easiest, most versatile craft materials available. A skilled wood craftsman can turn a block of wood into a masterpiece of art suitable for indoor and outdoor decoration or gift giving. Many wood artists make a good living selling their creations at flea markets and craft fairs. Learning to engrave wood well can take several years, but even a beginner can take a piece of wood and create an engraving with little or no preparation. The first attempt won't be a masterpiece, but with time and practice, your wood engravings will improve.
Instructions
1. Start with a simple flat piece of wood, measuring 12 inches by 12 inches and 3 or 4 inches thick. Any wood will do. Maple and mahogany are hard, basswood is easier to engrave and ideal for a beginner. Keep your first design simple. Use a marker to draw your design onto the surface of the wood. A simple flower design is ideal to get you comfortable with your tools and accustomed to working a design into the wood surface.
2. Remove excess wood around the design area to bring your design out in relief. Use a scauper and mallet to remove the large pieces of wood at a time. You can do this part of the process fairly quickly, since your goal is to fashion a rough engraving before you begin detail work.
3. Use a small point chisel to round out the rough lines of your design. Keep the chisel at an angle that allows you to remove thin strips of wood from your cuts. This is detail work, so avoid taking too much wood off during this process. Light taps with a mallet as you keep the chisel point on the edge of the lines will produce the best results.
4. Switch to tinting tools and add detail and shading to the background, which will set off your relief engraving. Alternate between a combination of tinting tool sizes to etch your background with fine lines to give it a textured design.
5. Finish your engraving with clear lacquer or varnish. Paint your engraving with acrylic paints first, if you desire, or keep the natural color of the wood, but always use a clear protective lacquer coating.
