How to carve patterns Part 17 ~Waves~

2022年6月19日how to carve

In this lesson, we'll carve the wave pattern shown in the next sketch, aiming for simplicity—but make no mistake: this design demands both skill and imagination.

If you can’t visualize the flow of the waves as you carve, it will be difficult to capture their energy. To "ride the waves" is as much a mental process as a technical one.

Contents

- 0.1. Tools Used
1. Preparation
2. How to Carve the Waves (Openwork Method)
3. Reflections on Carving
4. How to carve patterns

Tools Used

12mm sharp chisel
6mm sharp chisel
9mm shallow round chisel
6mm shallow round chisel
6mm round chisel
3mm round chisel

Preparation

Use carbon paper to trace the wave pattern onto a postcard-sized wooden board (approximately 15mm thick).
Download the sketch here: [Wave PDF ]

⚠️ Since the design may fade as you carve, it’s okay to copy only the general outline at first.

Note: I didn’t have a standard postcard-sized board available, so I used a 107mm × 160mm × 15mm board. The sketch itself matches the standard size.

How to Carve the Waves (Openwork Method)

Step 1: Cut Out the Surrounding Area

Use an electric drill to make a hole in the background area, and remove everything except the waves using a scroll saw.

🔧 If you don’t have a scroll saw, drill as many holes as needed to outline the shape, then carefully remove the waste material.

Step 2: Start Shaping the Waves

We're going to give the waves a rough three-dimensional form first.
Here are some visual and conceptual cues to guide you:

Use the shallow round chisel (or similar) to carve areas deeper as you move along the direction of the green arrows.
Along red lines, make cuts with the sharp chisel to define edges and contours.

Step 3: Sharpen the Wave Crests

Use the sharp chisel to refine the corners and tips of the wave shapes—these represent the forward motion of the wave and should feel energetic and crisp.

Step 4: Carve the Wave Steps

Where there's a step or drop in the wave shape, first make a clean cut with the sharp chisel, then use a combination of shallow round chisels and round chisels to carve intersecting curves and slopes.

Step 5: Build the Flow

Once the full shape is roughed out, use curved chisels to enhance the sense of the wave flowing forward.
Carve intuitively—think of water in motion, curling and crashing.

Step 6: Carve the Finer Ripples

Now it's time to carve the smaller, more detailed ripples in the waves.

As before, use the sharp chisel, shallow round chisels, and round chisels. Focus on the rhythm of the wave: carving without a sense of image will lead to failure.

Draw sketches if needed. Revisit the design. Expand your mental image. Let the waves guide you.

✨ You don’t need to have all the answers before you begin—carve as if you’re discovering the shape within the wood.

Reflections on Carving

Stay calm and patient. Impatience creates tension—and tension disrupts flow.
If you approach the second half of the work with the same intention you started with, your technique and your mindset will improve together.

Sometimes it goes smoothly. Sometimes it doesn’t.
That’s okay.

🎌 Adults have the luxury of carving like they enjoy life itself.
🌊 Enjoy the waves. Trust your hands. Trust the process.

Good luck.

How to carve patterns

[Supplementary lecture] Controlling lines with a single sharp chisel

how to carve