Wood Objects

Wood objects in Africa are extremely varied and complex and also possess a long artistic tradition.
The art of carving in wood requires a great deal of patience.
Carvers come from a long line of predecessors with special wood working skills.
Well carved African wood objects are the result of the artist being well versed in geometry, symmetry and precision.
The woodcarver’s raw material is a single block of wood, out of which, he creates refined objects.
The woodworking tools to carve African wood objects are very rudimentary.
These include, the axe, the chisel, the adze, the rasp, the scraper and the knife and their use is in the described order.
All of these tools as rudimentary as they may be, are of absolute necessity.
The skill of the African carver to carve  wood objects without the use of a model or a template, involves a strong visual and three-dimensional perception of the final product.
He will use a handful of tools. The most significant tool is the adze. The use of this tool defines the shape of wood objects.
Once the shape is defined, the woodcarver uses a rasp tool to eliminate angles.
The scraper tool will then be used to smoothen and improve the surface of wood objects.
Once these stages are completed, the wood object is then polished, dyed or painted.
The most important knowledge an African carver must have prior to carving wood objects is to differentiate all types of wood.
This knowledge is fundamental.
Hard woods are used for sculptures, masks, doors, utensils, while soft woods are used for drums and other music instruments.
African wood objects such as fetish figures, heddle-pulleys, masks, door locks, doors, slingshots are all collectible items.