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Carving a Decorative Frame

Mark Ivan Fortune guides us through the steps to create this unusual miniature decorative frame.

We are in an age of mass production and machining, where smooth, glassy surfaces can be achieved at the touch of a button. One can find much beauty where the human element is apparent – facets from the tool edge tell the story of the dynamic hands which created them.

The work of our fore masters, distressed by the process of ageing – crumbling gesso, flaking gilding, chipped polychromes and rich patinas, smoothed over by years of handling – conjure for us images of a golden age of craftsmanship shaped by the hand of man. Tooled surfaces lend life and vibrancy to your carving, they tell the unique story of the person behind the tools who create them, giving them another level of tangibility, life and movement.  This decorative frame is made up of two layers, the decorative body and an outer frame which lends more depth to the piece. The decorative body consists of ribbons and scrolls loosely based on the acanthus leaf and finished in a slightly vernacular style where imperfection is celebrated.

For this piece, all the elements spring from the baseline, all ribbons, volutes and ears are concave and follow the sweep of a No.6 gouge. 

Things you will need

Tools

• No.2, 10mm
• No.3, 6mm
• No.5, 3mm
• No.6, 13mm
• No.6, 22mm
• No.7, 10mm
• No.8, 6mm
• No.10, 3mm
• No.11, 1.5mm
• No.26, 6mm
• No.39, 10mm
• Router (optional)
• Spokeshave (optional)
• Scroll or fretsaw
• Drill
• Paint scraper

Materials

• Lime (Tilia spp.) 240mm x 150mm x 10mm
• PVA glue (for gluing to backing board)
• Wood glue
• MDF backing board
• Beeswax polish 

Drawings and how to resize them

To enlarge or reduce the size of drawings right click on the image to download it and then go HERE to watch a video on how to use paper with a grid to do exactly that.

1. Glue the main template to both sides of an 240mm x 150mm x 10mm board. Use the centreline to assist in the correct alignment. From the front side of the board cut out the opening
2. From the back, route the sides of the opening to 3mm from the face. If you don’t have a router you can achieve this by grounding out with your carving tools in the usual manner
3. Cut out all components. The arch can be cut from the waste of the opening. Mark a baseline around the outer edge of the whole blank, 1.5mm from the back. Glue your blank to a MDF (medium density fibreboard) backing with paper sandwiched between. Avoid using coloured paper when gluing your work to a backing board. When coloured paper is saturated with glue the pigment can leach into the grain of your carving. To remove a paper template, place face down on a damp cloth and, once softened, the paper can be peeled or scraped away. When gluing your blank to a backing board, mating surfaces must be coplanar – any gaps may result in breakage when the force of your edge tool is applied
4a. Stab the scrolls on their outer edges to prevent wood breaking away. With your V-tool separate the forms of the scrolls from the frame, using shallow cuts on the inner part of the frame
4b. Angling down towards our baseline on the outer edge, tilt the V-tool so it’s cutting at almost 90° on the scroll side
5. With your 2mm No.6, carve the two concave outer edges of the frame down to the baseline. Use rolling cuts to achieve a smooth surface. Stab the edges of the scrolls in a slicing motion to release the chips. Establishing the outer border of the frame first will act as a reference point for the rest of the carving and assist in achieving the correct depth when stabbing in the scrolls
6. Continue carving the rest of the outer frame, stabbing and paring mostly with a 6mm No.3. Clean out the sharp corners with a skew using the previous step as a visual reference for depth
7. Carve the corners of the frame down to the baseline with a 13mm No.6. Leave a diagonal ridge where the two planes intersect
8. Now with the 13mm No.6 carve the four ‘ears’. These should turn both outward and down toward the scrolls, striking the baseline at their lowest outer point. Be sure to leave enough meat to sustain the crisp V pocket on the inner
Top tip

A paint scraper is a useful tool for separating a carving from a backing board. They can be much improved by bevelling a single edge just shy of sharp and rounding over the corners.

9a. Begin the inner ribbons with a 13mm No.6, working in from both directions down to the baseline. Use the 6mm No.8 to carve down from the narrow shoulder. Clean up with a short bent 6mm No.26, leaving the flat ridge at the top
9b. Work the outer part of the upper ribbon in a similar way but carving in both directions from the centre outward
10a. With a 6mm No.6 and working with the grain, carve the long ribbon down to the base on its outer edge, leaving a thin, flat ridge at the top
10b. Stab the top of the volutes in a slicing motion with a 10mm No.7 as you go
11. Stab the lower parts of the volutes with a 10mm No.7. Carve the trefoil in towards them, tapering out to the sides with a sharp central ridge
12. Run the 22mm No.6 through the bosses, tapering downward and outward, giving them a concave form
13a. Now we move on to the hood. Carve down at an angle with a 10mm No.7, making a concave bowl. With an inverted 6mm No.3 working outwards from the centre, curve the ridge, stabbing in the scrolls as you go
13b. Now round over the back with an inverted 13mm No.6 down to the level of the baseline
14a. Now turn your attention to the scrolls. Use a 3mm No.5 in a vertical slicing motion to stab the mouths vertically on the beak side
14b. In a similar way on the head side, slice diagonally, following the curve down to the root, releasing the chip
15. Round over the scrolls. This is best done by paring in a low angle from the side to avoid damaging surrounding detail with a 10mm No.4. Take your time to create a flowing, even curve that springs from the baseline
16. Round the beak over into root of the trench, carving with the grain, reducing the height at the tip to allow for an even, flowing curve
17a. Lightly stab the tops of the ears with a 13mm No.6
17b. With the same tool in hand taper both ears down and outward to the baseline. Following the template, stab in the nose with a 3mm No.5
18. Remove the waste carving down to the baseline at the hood with a 6mm No.8. Leave a sharp ridge along the line of the ears
19. Round over the back of the head with an inverted 6mm No.3
20a. Round in the two flanking beaks as before (steps 14 through 16)
20b. Then undercut the nose with a 6mm No.3
21a. With a 6mm No.8 carve a groove up the middle of the nose
21b. Take a 6mm No.3, invert the tool and round over both sides of the nose, ensuring the two cuts flow into each other
22a. Strop your tools and make a final pass across the whole carving, tidying up any rough cuts. Clean the eyes beneath the beaks with a 13mm No.10
22b. Now carve all the ribbons to a sharp edge. These will likely be very delicate at the ridge, particularly the two long ribbons at the bottom of the carving. Remove all traces of the template
23. We will now turn our attentions to the components of the outer frame. These are best shaped with a spoke shave before gluing to the piece. Simply round over the face to an even curve. If you do not possess a spoke shave a small whittling knife will suffice
24a. Glue the components to the frame – clamping is not necessary here
24b. When the glue has dried, make a pass with an inverted 13mm No.6, ensuring the components flow into one another
25. With a paint scraper, gently lift the carving from its backing by working the scraper under the carving from all directions until it lifts
26. Apply a thin, even coat of beeswax polish with a toothbrush. Allow to dry before buffing with a small piece of rag. Using the template, cut out a piece of stiff card and friction fit to the routed opening at the rear of the frame

Further reading

Neo-Renaissance mirror frame

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