Wood Sculptures

The Warmth and Beauty of Wood in Sculpture

Wood is a common material used for sculptures, with the sculptor using wood carving or cutting tools in order to create their designs. The technique used by the artist can vary, depending both on what the finished design will look like, as well as the level of details that will be incorporated into the sculpture. There might even be a number of different cutting and carving techniques used on a single piece; a large power tool like a chain saw may be used to make the rough cuts, switching over to finer carving tools when the time comes to add the finishing details.

Examples of Wood Sculpture

Wood can be used very effectively for a wide variety of sculpture types, including styles such as contemporary sculpture, modern sculpture and even abstract sculpture. It is often used to create art which depicts living things, such as animals or other natural subjects, because the rustic natural appearance of wood lends itself to these types of pieces. Sizes of wood art pieces can range to small carvings featuring intricate details, all the way up to extremely large wood sculptures fashioned from entire trees. Wood is also often used to create wall sculptures, both for indoor use as well as to create outdoor designs, such as fashioning wood pieces that are designed to be displayed on an entire wall of a building, or even to give character and beauty to natural objects such as trees.

History of Wood Sculptures

Using wood in sculpture was probably one of the earliest forms of the art, due to the fact that wood has always been readily available, in addition to being an easy material with which to work. Man has always had a desire to add beauty and design, not only to objects specifically designed as art, but also to everyday items. For example, examples of carving on common objects such as a smoking pipe stem or a common canoe paddle have been found, as well as objects that appear to be strictly designed as an object of art.

Challenges of Using Wood in Sculptures

There are some inherent challenges when using wood as a medium for art. Wood has a tendency to crack, which can sometimes make it difficult to achieve fine details. It also can decay, and can be damaged by the elements, changes in temperature or humidity conditions, and is susceptible to damage by insects. Of course, wood can easily be painted, stained or covered with a protective coating such as varnish, which can not only enhance and add interest to the sculptured piece, but can also add some protection.

Strengths of Wood as a Sculpture Material

Wood does have a number of strong points that makes it particularly suitable and desirable as a sculpture material. First, it is often easier to cut and carve than many varieties of stone or metal, and is easy to finish or paint. Wood also has a warm rich appearance with an interesting natural grain and texture which can add a lot of additional interest to a piece. It is also especially appropriate for rugged or rustic styles of art.