I'm planning to start wood carving for furniture and home accents. I'm particularly interested in creating designs for doors, door frames, mantles, floating shelves, outdoor benches, and ornamental ends for pergola beams. I want to keep it simple, avoiding overly ornate or figurative carvings, focusing instead on adding subtle accents to plain pieces with rigid angles and flat surfaces. I feel confident about learning the techniques but I'm in search of design inspiration. Can anyone suggest books, specific artists, or museum resources? I've tried Pinterest but keep running into either intricate designs that are not practical or random AI-generated images. Also, is there a better keyword than "wood carving" to use in my searches? It seems like that term encompasses a massive range from simple whittling to grand sculptures.
3 Answers
Looking into 'Craftsman home interior designs' can be beneficial. If you're aiming for a specific theme, try searching with 'wood' along with that theme, like 'wood animal figures' or 'abstract wood design'. Searching terms like 'simple wood appliques and medallions' could yield useful results too. Just keep in mind that it might take some time to find the perfect designs, especially since Pinterest can be hit or miss.
Ethnographic museums are a fantastic resource! I've found tons of inspiration by exploring their online collections or visiting in person. Look for common kitchen items like wooden spoons, butter molds, and hair combs. These often have simple yet beautiful designs that can inspire functional pieces with just the right touch of decoration.
You might want to check out bas relief carving. It seems to align well with the kinds of projects you have in mind and adds a nice depth without going overboard on the detail.
Absolutely! It’s a great technique for adding character to simpler pieces, like cabinets or frames.