Wood carving is a sculpture carving discipline in which you use sharp implements to carve your desired shapes into, or out of, wood. It requires great attention to detail and good hand-eye coordination, as well as creativity. It is not suited to children or adolescents, as it involves the use of potentially dangerous sharp tools. Wood carving is done in one of four basic styles, depending on the effect you wish to achieve. In relief carving, the piece of wood retains a flat back and you carve three sides of the sculpture so it stands out from the flat surface. In chip carving, you remove chips of wood from the surface, creating a depressed carving within the wood. In whittling, you create a traditional carving by whittling away at wood with a chisel or knife. In the “carving in the round” style, you create a rounded, lifelike figure, such as a bust.
Stone carving is one of the oldest and best-known sculpture carving methods. It involves creating a three-dimensional work of art by using a number of sharp instruments to hew the desired shapes out of stone. The finished sculpture can then be sanded, abraded or polished to create a smooth, shiny surface, or left untreated to create textured effects. Stone carvings are often created using locally available stones, but Italian marble is prized as a stone carving material and is often exported worldwide for this purpose. Other commonly used stones are granite, alabaster, soapstone and limestone.
Ice carving is a sculpture carving technique in which you create a three-dimensional piece of art by using a number of tools and heat to carve shapes in ice. Ice sculptures are commonly used as decorative pieces and are often used in the catering and food industries. Ice carvings are temporary by nature and require special cold conditions to keep your work from melting. This type of carving carries special risks and hazards, as you will often be working with a combination of water and electricity.
Virtuoso carving is a sculpture carving technique in which you use materials other than the traditional ones of stone, wood and ivory to create your art. It was a carving technique of choice for sculptures commissioned by wealthy people, as it often involved carving in expensive, delicate or rare media, such as gemstones. Virtuoso carving techniques often require great levels of skill.