Relief carving texture

[Mike Willeson]

I am working on a relief carving that contains 3 types of foliage - clumps of small ground level plants, larger bushes 6-8 feet tall, and trees. I am struggling a bit with creating varying textures.

Any suggestions on techniques I can use to apply different textures to the 3 types?

[Mark Yundt]

It sort of depends on the size to some extent. Naturally the larger the piece the more detail will define the different plants. On a small carving you’ll be limited.
If the piece will be painted (and depending on size) burning could be an option.
But on trees I’ve used what are essentially cloud like carving to represent clumps of leaves layered in between branches . Similar for shrubs. Shorter ground cover V tools make a variety of short strokes (grasses) and longer deeper ones for reed/stalk flowers.

Sort of how you ID trees from a distance. It’s not the individual leaves that tell you what the tree is but the shape, forms and arrangement of branches and clumps of leaves that tell you Maple vs oak.
That’s what gets carved. Form. Not detail

[Mike Willeson]

Thanks for the thoughts Mark.