Carving

[kudu]

You Know I been Practicing my Caving Lately.
on a relief carving how do you get it to be more noticeable?

I carved a leaf the other day on a flat piece of cherry and it's about .050 thousands above the surrounding wood.
it looks OK,  But I put a light stain on it and some Tung oil too see how it would look, and it almost Disappears unless your right on top of it!

Jim Kimbler's  got that vid on using Bone Black is that the way to get it to Stand Out.

Or can you outline it with something else to (darken it)?

Just wondering How you experts do it?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

You are likely hoping for more than that simple bit of carving can deliver.  Carving stands out when it is detailed and part of a bigger field.  Also, stabbing in along the edges of relief carving accentuates the relief too.

[jerrywh]

Definition -- not depth.  What Taylor said giver definition.

[kudu]

I was kinda thinking about the "stabing In" would "trap" the Finnish more and help define the Carving more. Thanks Daryl"s  Bro.

I was trying so hard to get the Juncture of the carving and the Field/background so seamless that upon Staining it looked just that seamless!

[TommyG]

Just be aware that if you plan on any final whiskering of your stock, the stab lines will close back up somewhat. 

[Ed Wenger]

As mentioned, re-stab the entire design.  With low relief like it sounds like you have, outline the entire design with a “V” gouge, or skew.  It will expose more of the edge of the carving, and really make it stand out.  Best,


          Ed