Choose a wood that has a soft enough surface to let you etch lines into the wood, especially soft hardwoods that have enough give, yet aren’t so soft that you damage them with your drawing tools. Some parts of the wood are harder or softer and vary in roughness, affecting how easy the wood is to work with. Test different types of pencils on different parts of the wood to see what effects they create. Use wood with an interesting grain pattern that contributes to the beauty of the drawing as well as a few knots to help make the drawing process easier. Air dry the wood and touch it to ensure that it is not wet. Smooth out the wood using a smoothing plane and sand it. If there is a rough part that you want to incorporate into the drawing, only sand it lightly. Beginners might want to start with the smoothest surface possible.
Draw a light sketch and erase parts that you do not like, freely exploring different composition options. For example, draw a bird that has different wing positions and find the position that you like the most. Wood is not damaged by an eraser as much as paper, so erase on the wood frequently, slowly altering the drawing until you are satisfied with it.
Ink lines that do not show up well on the wood, emphasizing the eyes, nose and mouth. Run a fine-tipped pen over faint lines. Alternatively, use darker graphite pencils. Determine where the light source comes from in the image. Sections of the image that the light source strikes need less inking, while areas shielded from the light source need more inking. Most wood is not as light as white paper, causing pencil marks to not stand out on wood as much as on paper, due to the lack of contrast. Consider using white-colored pencils to create contrast.
Since you cannot start over after you lay more permanent materials on the wood, set the drawing down for a few hours and come back to it. Look at the wood with fresh eyes to help you notice mistakes that you would otherwise miss. Preserve the drawing by spraying coats of lacquer on it. Finish the wood to protect both the wood surface and the drawing. Use a clear wood finish that won’t change the appearance of the drawing. Some finishes darken the wood slightly.