Hi, today I'd like to introduce you to one of my favorite crafts for you, the craft of carving. Carving is a technique of the art of engraving exquisite, gorgeous patterns or designs into materials such as metal and wood. It's an easy craft to learn, but it's far from being a master at the beginning. It takes a lot of practice and training to become an excellent carver. It requires you to keep going and keep your mind on it. When you finally have the mindset of a master, you will not only be a master of this craft, but you will also have learned to handle complicated things calmly. That's an unusual treasure that not everyone has.
Meaning of engraving
Carving can be used to record things. It can realistically restore the appearance and shape of objects and can tell people in the future what happened there through the carving of a specific scene. Carving belongs to a kind of art that is based on the combination of people's cognition of the external world and imagination inside their brains. It is born from reality but goes beyond the reality. It's a creation of humankind to present its wisdom about life. Carved works can be symbols of many things such as status symbols. For example, the church's carved designs represent God's will to arrive in the mortal world to help people rid themselves of poverty and pain. This type of carving gives people a feeling of solemnity while also being gentle and kind. Another example is the family ring engraved with a specific family totem, which introduces a noble identity to others while having a beautiful decorative effect!
The History of Carving
Carving is an art that could date back to ancient times when mankind would carve designs with special meanings or uses on cliffs, bones, stones, and wood. People are so fascinated with these fantastic patterns created by carving for they could decorate normal objects to make them look more elegant and could represent the status of one’s organization such as their family or their association by the unique pattern.
The craft of carving has evolved time after time, there were generations of masters who had developed kinds of skills and methods in carving. Thanks to their devotion, the carving technique has been shaped to a high level nowadays. The language used is accessible to a broad audience, avoiding jargon and technical terms. The text is grammatically correct and free from spelling and punctuation errors. No new content has been added beyond the original source text. Even nowadays, carving masterpieces are still considered treasures of human beings, and their historical status is never going down but is evaluated higher and higher year by year. I think that's because the tools today are easier to handle the works of carving so the craftsman can’t imagine how the pioneers created those delicate works with the simple tools.
The Development of Carving
Nowadays, carving is ignored by people, but still interspersed in people's lives. The most common example is the carving of doors. Walking in the old-time style shopping street, you will find that there are many shop doors that are carved gorgeously and specially designed to be attractive. A more common example is the carving of wooden furniture. In addition to the material and shape of the furniture, the special carvings give the furniture an unusual visual beauty. And you will see, even in the food, there may be beautiful carving designs. People love the gorgeous carved patterns but always forget that they do love them.
Learn to carve by yourself
Don't be afraid to try new things. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, no one is born with the ability to do complicated tasks. You can become proficient at a craft if you commit to practicing it. However, in addition to mastering the craft, you need the appropriate tools to aid in the carving process. Choosing the right tools for your carving is important.You need a high-performance engraving machine. It requires that you have knowledge of the characteristics of the types of instruments.
Carving requires you to think of a frame you want, like a blueprint that you have to create first. A rigorous plan determines whether an endeavor will turn out to be an achievement. The lines should be on the draft before the outlines are etched. The outline of the designs ensures that you will not miss or confuse the steps; it helps the process to be clear and helps you transfer your idea more clearly.
Then you are supposed to select the appropriate materials for the engraving. Each type of material has its own characteristics such as hardness, flexibility, and color.
Different materials result in different effects. You have to consider their traits to judge whether they fit your project.
Now you could start carving work on the material. Careful preparation is a prerequisite for the smooth running of the carving process. For example, cleaning out the surface is necessary for your engraving. Every single granule may block your meticulous etching and turn the resulting pieces out of the expectation.
Carving is a process so complicated that it requires various skills. Various carving methods may produce the same result, but some unique designs require special techniques to complete. Gravers made of different materials have diverse effects in specific situations.
After you have established the desired shape on the material and already cleaned its surface, the final step of carving is polishing to smooth the surface.
Oxidation after engraving can prevent your finished products from rusting and protect the surface from etching, etc.
Remember to love your life
Carving is for the purpose of getting the product you want. But in addition to its result, it also has an effect to help you in a state of practicing patience and concentration.
Some people call it a kind of mental therapy, it helps to get rid of bad emotions. Pay your full attention and energy to complete the project, and allow yourself to ignore all distractions. It's a way to immerse yourself in a new world, so you don't have to get along with others, you only have to get along with the product, and all you have to do is finish your project. Please do not hesitate to try a new craft; it could very well become your new way of life.
