You're here because you want to know more about the art of wood carving. But before you get into it, you want to know the label you'll be getting. What do you call someone who carves wood? In this article, we will give you some of the basic things you need to know about wood carving.

A Quick Guide: What You Need To Know About Wood Carving

Wood carving has been in existence since prehistorical times and has evolved from its ritual and religious purposes to abstracts and aesthetics. But wood never loses its charm. That is why this art form is still both popular and functional. Before we find out what do you call someone who carves wood, let's look at some fun facts about wood carving.

History Of Wood Carving

Let's look at some significant facts in wood carving history:

• Wood carving is considered one of the oldest arts of humanity.
  
  
• North American Indians use it for their wooden fishhooks, and Polynesians carve patterns on their wooden paddles.
  
  
• The Clacton Spear is a 400,000-year-old spearhead and is the oldest known wooden device used.
  
  
• Where Timber was present, wood existed as the primary medium to create art and improve technology.
  
  
• Figure-work on wood was considered more difficult than sculpting marble. Wood cracks easily and is prone to other environmental factors. But it was still considered a significant medium resulting in magnificent pieces.
  
  
• The Shigir Idol is the oldest known wooden sculpture and was discovered in Russia. Said to be at least 11,000 years old, this sculpture remains a mystery to this day.
  
  
• Magnificent wooden sculptures were created during Germany's late Gothic era, as evidenced in pieces, like the St. Wolfgang Altarpiece.

The Wood Carving Process

Before we get to the basics of the wood carving process, what do you call someone who carves wood? Someone who carves wood is popularly known as a woodcarver. It is also referred to as a wood sculptor or woodworker. But since carving is a significantly specific method of woodwork, woodcarver is a more exact way of describing someone who carves wood.

A wood carver normally uses the following tools:

• A carving knife to cut and trim the wood
• A gouge to make hollows and curves
• A veiner – a gouge with a U-shaped edge
• A straight-edge chisel or carving lines
• Mallets
• Hammers
• Detail knives

The wood carving process:

• choosing wood
• selecting the appropriate tools
• carving and designing
• refining the wood with tools
• smoothing of the wood surfaces
• enhancing and preserving the wood

Conclusion

Wood carving as an art form is said to be declining because of the emergence of machines. But this statement proves to be false because of the number of woodcarvers who have chosen to preserve wood carving. You could be one of them. What started as simply wanting to know what do you call someone who carves wood could turn to a hobby and eventually a lifestyle.