ORNAMENTAL WOODCARVING | How to Carve a Family Crest in Wood | Carving a Family Coat of Arms

The carving of a family Coat of Arms in limewood, the different steps

Patrick Damiaens, Ornamental Woodcarver

First I made a drawing of the Family coat of Arms.

The customer provides me an example of the crest ( which can be a drawing, painting,... his signet ring.) The supplied information shall serve for making a work -carve drawing . The drawing with the correct outlines and necessary details. This Coat of arms was approved by the Flemish Heraldic College of VVF.

The proper drawing is redrawn on tracing paper and  secured by thumb nails on the wood. The drawing is made by means of carbon paper and by a pen is applied to the wood. The contours of the weapon are now on the limewood.

With a band saw or jigsaw we cut out the contours of the coat of arms.

 The cut out sections are now glued on a plate (MDF). This method of fastening ensures us that the coat of arms will be in a stable position on the workbench . The newspaper between plate and wood will later serve for an easy separation.

The actual carving can begin. This stage is called modeling. Many years of studies and full-time experience are crucial.

Now comes the importance of the correctly sawing forward. Due to the modeling  the original drawings will disappear. In this stage, the drawing will  be placed  back on the crude forms of the coat of arms by using a marker or pencil.

This is the most important stage of the arms. The ornaments, heraldic details and carving gets its proper height. Insight into the depths and the relief of the ornament, and knowledge of the maximum depth of an ornament are from great importance, as well as routine and experience in this art form. The use of plaster models and images can also be very helpful in this stage.

The piece of the crest is finished and will be removed from the plate, the backside will now carved. This process is repeated each time with each individual part of the family crest.

The actual coat of arms is cut now and also the text on a ribbon (Deus nobiscum) 'God with us'

These separate sections are merged into a coat of arms and held together by a metal frame so that stability is ensured.

 
Shown below are some other family coat of arms and crests
which have been made by us.

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