Wood is a strong, highly durable but fibrous natural material. There are two types of wood: softwood and hardwood. Hardwoods come from deciduous trees which lose their leaves in autumn, such as oak, beech, teak and walnut. Softwoods come from coniferous trees such as cedar, pine, spruce and yew, which have needle-shaped leaves that stay green. Generally, hardwoods have a higher density and are closer grained than softwoods. Hardwoods are more difficult to carve, but are more durable. They are also able to take fine forms, intricate detailing and higher polishes. Wood is sensitive to temperature and humidity: it will continue to move, even after carving. To prevent wood from splitting or cracking artists use seasoned wood that has been left out to dry to minimise moisture content and thus movement. Artists use a variety of tools to carve wood. Saws are used to cut a piece of wood that is secured on a saw-bench to prevent it from moving. The artist starts with roughing out, the cutting away of larger parts of wood with an axe or adze. An adze is a type of axe, but unlike the axe has an arched blade at right angles to the handle. It is a tool that dates back to the Stone Age. Chisels and gouges in various shapes are used for fine carving. Rifflers and rasps, which can look a bit like a cheese grater, are used for both coarse and fine filing of inward or outward curved surfaces. Once the sculpture is complete, the wood surface can be left untreated but is often sealed with wax polish, oil, or a resin based solution. The wood surface can also be sealed by paint, and in the past sculptors have even used gold or silver leaf.

 

image: Flemish School, The Entombment (84/28)