How to carve patterns ~ [Supplementary lecture] Controlling lines with a single sharp chisel ~
This is a supplementary lecture on how to control lines with a single sharp chisel when carving patterns .
Once mastered, this technique allows you to carve lines as fluid and expressive as brush strokes.
✦ Three Principles for Controlling Line Thickness
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How to carve basic lines
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How line thickness changes with cut depth
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How line thickness changes with slope angle
Let’s look at each in detail.
How to Carve Basic Lines
To carve a line with a clean V-shaped cross section:
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Make a straight cut using your sharp chisel.
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Then, from a different direction, carve a slope that intersects with the cut.
This removes a wedge of wood, leaving behind a clean, precise line.
Here’s how it works in cross section:
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First, the initial cut slices into the wood vertically.
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Next, the sloped carving intersects that cut, removing the material and creating the finished line.
This is the fundamental process for shaping lines cleanly.
Differences in line thickness depending on the depth of the cut
Next, let’s observe how the depth of the cut affects the thickness of the line.
In the diagram below:
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At point A, the cut is shallow (depth = v), resulting in a thin line (a).
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At point A′, the cut is deeper (depth = w), which creates a thicker line (a′).
Simply put:
Deeper cuts → Thicker lines
Differences in line thickness depending on slope angle
Now, let’s see how the angle of the slope also changes the thickness of the line.
In this diagram:
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At point B, the slope is steep (angle = β), resulting in a thin line (b).
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At point B′, the slope is shallow (angle = γ), resulting in a thicker line (b′).
So:
Shallower slopes → Thicker lines
Carving lines as if writing with a brush
By combining cut depth and slope angle, you can carve flowing, nuanced lines that resemble brushwork in calligraphy.
However, this requires real finesse — adjusting depth and angle dynamically as you carve.
You must also develop a sensitive touch that responds to the wood’s resistance.
If you rush or become careless, your lines will lose their elegance.
Instead, carve with full awareness and intention in every movement.
🧠 Final Thoughts
In this explanation, we focused on line thickness, but in real carving, changes in depth and angle also create differences in light, shadow, and overall texture.
Try carving various lines and pay attention to these subtleties — it’s one of the best ways to sharpen your artistic instincts.
Bonus: Yagenbori has the same idea.
Yagenbori refers to carving a V-shaped cross-section, just like the lines we’ve discussed.
It also follows the same principle — thicker lines result from deeper and shallower-angled cuts.
Trivia about Yagenbori ~The origin of the name~
The name comes from the traditional "Yagen", a mortar-like tool used for grinding herbal medicines.
A Yagen features a long, boat-shaped trough with a V-shaped cross section, and a pestle resembling a flattened abacus bead.
Since the carved grooves resemble the cross section of a Yagen, the technique came to be called Yagenbori (薬研彫り).
