The art of carving has been passed down for thousands of years, and many ancient carving techniques have been preserved in the long, slow road of history. These ancient carving techniques have become unique through time and change. The works carved using these techniques can be very special and amazing. Learning ancient carving techniques can help carving enthusiasts to improve their carving skills and provide a lot of different inspirations for the creation of works. In this article, we will introduce eight ancient carving techniques to give carving enthusiasts a good understanding of what they are all about.
Line Carving
Line carving, like its name implies, is the practice of carving a pattern in the form of a line when carving an object. The carving method is generally based on the design of the line pattern, determine the location of the line carving directly. Even for some complicated line patterns, with the help of a stereoscopic microscope, it is possible to find the perfect position to carve out the lines in minute detail. The greatest advantage of line engraving is the ability to engrave very fine characters or patterns on the surface of an object.
Thin Carving
Thin carving is a very elegant art, mainly used for carving jade. The style of thin carving is known for its elegance, exquisite craftsmanship, and close proximity to paintings. The carving technique mainly involves the use of a engraving knife to carve simple calligraphic paintings and poems on the outermost surface of the jade, which can give the work a classical flavor without the need for depth of carving. It is an ancient carving art that combines calligraphy, painting and sculpture.
Round Carving
Round carving, also known as three-dimensional carving, is an overall expression of the ancient art of carving, which focuses on shaping the three-dimensional effect of carving. In order to ensure that the observer can see the side of the object from different angles, the carver will carve from different angles, such as front, back, left, right, top, center, bottom, etc., in order to form a good round carving effect. During the carving process, the carver needs to change the use of various engraving tools and carve the round body in steps to make the carving pattern clear, firm and easy to see. It allows the observer to get more information from the modeling, forms and lines, and to savor more of the mood.
Relief carving
The spatial expression of relief carving can be three-dimensional or planar, and it can be attached to a certain carrier or relatively independent. In short, relief sculpture is to carve different layers on a plane, so that the work presents a three-dimensional effect, unlike round sculpture that is directly carved on a three-dimensional object. According to the different depth of image modeling, relief can be divided into shallow relief and high relief. Shallow relief is a single-layer statue with a single content, while high relief is a multi-layer statue with complex content. Relief carving has more layers and requires the use of a pneumatic engraving machine, which is operated manually to carve different layers of the surface.
Internal Carving
Internal carving is an ancient carving technique used to carve the interior of jade and porcelain. It requires the carver to use a carving knife to penetrate deep into the interior of the jade to carve rounded shapes and relief shapes. It is a relatively complex craft, and a satisfactory piece of internal carving requires the carver to carve two or three layers of scenery inside and outside the jade. Each finished piece of internal carving will be admired by the carving community for a long time. As internal carving requires meticulous carving, each motif needs to be carved over a long period of time, for example, to make the carved figures, animals, plants, etc. present a realistic effect. If you are a person who pursues high carving skills, you must try practicing internal carving.
Intaglio
Intaglio is the engraving of concave patterns or shapes on a flat surface.The technique of this ancient engraving technique involves carving the surface of the engraving material with a recessed effect, allowing the text or design to be recessed below the edge of a hook that is below the surface of the material. It relies on skillful and accurate techniques to carve lines with origins, destinations, rhythms and depth effects.
Color Engraving
The most important step in color carving is selecting the material for carving. After selecting the carving material, the color, skin tone, and texture of the material should be incorporated into the theme of the creation during the carving process, so that the work will have a sense of coincidence. As the saying goes, “Coincidental color carving.” The most important result of color carving is the word “coquettish”. Only “coquettish” is appropriate and complementary, and its works have artistic contagiousness, which can make the viewer understand and recall the memories.
Openwork Carving
Openwork carving is the effect of drilling holes in a piece of carving material using a pneumatic engraving machine and hollowing it out using a chisel. The ancient technique of openwork carving mainly involves using hand-carving tools to pass through the jade material before hollowing it out with hinges so that there are many spaces on both sides where the jade is connected. Each space is a unique pattern, very transparent and good-looking.
Conclusion
There are many carving techniques, and the ancient carving techniques of the ancients are worth learning for carvers. I believe that the content about ancient carving techniques presented in this article can inspire carving enthusiasts to go on improving their carving and painting skills, learning and innovating. Let every carving enthusiast maintain the craftsmanship of being responsible for every piece of work and every piece of raw stone, love carving from the bottom of the heart, and sooner or later become a famous carving master.