CNC milling machines | Coat of arms & crests made with a CNC milling machine | coat of arms carved in wood

Ornaments, Coat of arms & crests made with a CNC milling machine.

You’re seeing them more and more often on the internet: images of ornaments and family crests/ coat of arms created using a CNC milling machine. The commercial availability of high-quality 3D scanners and very cheap CNC machines means that virtually anyone, without any training or knowledge of the art of ornamentation and woodcarving, can bring all sorts of copied items to market. Don’t be misled by ‘good reviews’ or the appearance of images offered online.

Sellers or ‘makers’ are not always entirely accurate or clear in their online communication about how these milled panels and family crests/coat of arms were produced. But fortunately, there are still a number of manufacturers who are honest about their production processes and make it clear that their work was produced using CNC machinery. However, this group is very small.

Grand terms such as ‘expert’, ‘handmade’, ‘craftsmanship’, ‘tradition’, ‘artisanal woodcarving’, etc...  are recurring commercial ‘triggers’, and combined with a lack of the necessary specialist knowledge among the general public, these terms on social media are easy pickings. An audience that is becoming increasingly uninformed; and with the disappearance of highly specialised training programmes and skilled tradespeople who can still recognise true high-end craftsmanship, this knowledge is also vanishing from our society, and the internet and social media are gradually being replaced by slick, empty rhetoric images.

There is a growing number of people who cannot tell the difference between traditional craftsmanship and work milled using a CNC machine. These days, it is all too easy to fool such people with flashy photographs and quick-fix solutions produced using new techniques such as CNC milling, 3D printing and AI.

Fortunately, however, I have completed 11 years of training – six years as a cabinetmaker and four years as a woodcarver – and have been a self-employed ornamental woodcarver for 35 years, so I can safely say that I am someone who very easily recognises these online pitfalls and smooth talk when it comes to my craft.

Sometimes I do take the trouble to confront these ‘makers’ on social media about their claims of ‘handmade’ and keep asking them why they don’t simply say it’s made with a CNC machine. And then they always start beating about the bush, constantly looking for excuses, saying that it’s a lot of work – sometimes taking up to four weeks – a claim I regard as a lie. Or they bring up the fact that there is some finishing work involved.

This finishing work (sanding) consists of removing the milling marks or imperfections left behind by the CNC router on the surface of the wood, and in doing so they give themselves carte blanche to claim that their CNC-made product was also created by hand.

It is common knowledge in the woodworking sector that a CNC-machined relief or family crest /coat of arms in wood looks ‘lifelessly’ stiff or metallic; this cheap-looking finish is often due to a lack of the necessary training or an inability to give depth or relief to the milled surface. Because a milling machine does exactly what it is instructed to do and is very limited in its capabilities, it strips the milled product of all its natural vitality and character.

The lack of natural movement, the undercuts in the wood carving, the carved facets –etc.. all of this is missing, which is why these pieces look and feel lifeless.

The complexity of a hand-crafted family coat of arms, created by a woodcarver with professional experience spanning decades, cannot possibly be replicated by a CNC machine. This skilled craftsman has built up years of expertise and possesses a sense of design and a mastery of fine detail, which ultimately makes all the difference visually.

It is precisely these small but significant details that ensure handmade products result in a high-quality, artisanal item – one that offers added value to the purchase, intended for people with a long-term vision.

I come along every week myself, as I also teach a woodcarving course at a school that has four professional CNC-controlled milling machines, and I regularly bring along a hand-carved family crest or ornament to show the teachers/operators of these CNC machines so they can comment on my latest carving. Always love their reaction.

And I’m always told, ‘We can do a lot, but the character and depth in your carvings – that’s something even our machines can’t achieve.’ And that’s always nice to hear; it strokes my ego.

For the true connoisseur, CNC-milled work – whether ornaments or family crests/ coat of arms – has no lasting value in the long run, because it lacks the unique character and artisanal finesse that distinguish it from hand-carved creativity. After all, authentic craftsmanship is recognisable by its subtle details and personal touch, something that machine production can never fully replicate.

 

Legacy

Moreover, whilst the original value of works by a woodcarving artist only increases over time, the value of a machine-machined piece – or even mass-produced items – declines. Naturally, such machine-produced pieces or copies lack recognition.

The lack of character, craftsmanship and artistry – combined with any potential future collector’s or antique value – will ensure that your ‘CNC identity or family name’ is used in a very cheap way to put your family story in the spotlight: an heirloom or solution that will ultimately remain irrevocably linked to the client. And that is actually a great pity.

CNC sold online

Furthermore, even some manufacturers of CNC milling machines who sell and promote their machines online do not always provide accurate visual information. With a number of manufacturers, it is clear that AI has influenced the images of the milling results, and in some images of CNC machines, the end result shown is one that is impossible to achieve with that particular machine or technique.

In other words, the unsuspecting customer who may be considering purchasing a CNC machine is misled from the very start.

Here are a few examples of  CNC milling machines, with AI-processed photos or examples of milling work that cannot be achieved with these machines; the red arrows indicate these.

Not possible with this machine ( red arrow)

Image as seen is not possible to make with this machine.

The image featuring elephants was created by AI

https://www.patrickdamiaens.info

Creating delicate wood carvings in the style of Aubert Parent | High-relief woodcarving in lime wood

To create a woodcarving in the style of 

Aubert-Henri-Joseph Parent.

Aren’t these two images of the bouquet of flowers you just saw wonderful? I didn’t create them myself, but they served as inspiration for a personal piece in this style. 

This exquisitely elegant woodcarving is apparently attributed to the French woodcarver Aubert Parent. (Attributed – so without a signature)

Sold at Christie’s in 2014,  Auction price USD 1,250 

Description:

A LOUIS XVI CARVED LIMEWOOD FLORAL TROPHY

ATTRIBUTED TO AUBERT PARENT, LATE 18TH CENTURY

Dimensions: 44 cm high,  and 35.5 cm wide.

Creating delicate woodcarvings in the style of Aubert Parent

I thought it would be a fun challenge to try making something completely different: a woodcarving reminiscent of the work of woodcarvers such as Aubert Parent or Jean Pierre Putman. 

As you know, crafting family crests in wood has been a significant part of our annual turnover for years. So a bouquet of flowers carved from lime wood was, once again, something completely different; it turned out to be a new challenge and a learning process.  

Below you will find a number of images of the various stages. The ornament is 45 cm long, 27 cm wide and 8 cm thick.

It is almost impossible to explain in detail how to tackle this project, but much of it comes down to intuition and creativity. Hopefully the images will help give you a better idea.  Of course, it’s not perfect in terms of the plant kingdom, but nothing is as boring as ‘perfect’.

We start by transferring the design onto the wood, cutting out the outline with a jigsaw, then gluing it (with newspaper) onto an MDF board, and ‘let the fun begin’.

Creating delicate wood carvings in the style of Aubert Parent
 High-relief woodcarving in lime wood

https://www.patrickdamiaens.info

Wooden reproduction of family coat of arms | Heraldic woodcarving | Custom-made crests & arms carved in wood

Wooden reproduction of family coat of arms

Wooden reproduction of family coat of arms 

 Custom-made crests & arms  carved in wood

 ‘One could indeed say that heraldic coats of arms carved in wood have, to a certain extent, become one of my specialities.

I also really enjoy doing it; it is always a personal challenge to be able to carve a family coat of arms in wood. Heraldry is also a very interesting subject and I always look forward to starting a new commission for a heraldic coat of arms.

!!! CNC routering or even AI images of coat of arms.

As for the internet, it is important to remain vigilant: do not be misled by ‘good reviews’ or the appearance of images offered online. Many of these photos, supposedly from ‘colleagues’, are not handmade, but are the result of CNC machine production.

 For the true connoisseur, such works have no lasting value in the long term, as they lack the unique character and craftsmanship that distinguish hand-carved pieces. After all, authentic craftsmanship can be recognised by subtle details and a personal touch, something that machine production can never fully replicate.’

‘Every heraldic sculpture or bas-relief usually starts with a design or image that the customer sends me. In some cases, I am obliged to add a helmet and/or mantling to this design, but always with respect for the original. I don’t usually touch the shield and the crest. 

Several clients have had their coat of arms registered somewhere before coming to me and they believe that the version of the coat of arms on their certificate or letters patent is the only way their coat of arms can or may be displayed. That is not the case, of course, but I respect their wishes in this regard.’

‘It is true that a design on paper cannot always serve as a blueprint for cutting wood; the lines are slightly different, since they have to be translated into a relief design. In such cases, there is really no other option.’

‘Once I know the correct contours of the coat of arms, I can start selecting the wood. Sometimes planks are glued together or on top of each other and then planed and cut out. Sometimes a whole structure is needed.

‘For a high relief family coat of arms, the outline of the design must first be cut out: the mantling, helmet, supporters – and sometimes the crest as well – are then glued onto a board and a piece of paper is glued between the board and, for example, the supporters. This paper – usually a newspaper – later serves as a dividing line to separate the board from the finished component.’

Some years ago, when a customer asked me if it was possible too applied heraldic colors, I went in search of a specialist who could do this professionally. I ultimately chose a fellow craftsman who specialises in ‘writing’ icons and therefore also has complete mastery of the technique of applying gold and silver leaf. The heraldic colours and metals are applied in this traditional artisanal manner, if the customer so desires, of course.

Ultimately, the choice of a family coat of arms in wood with or without colours is a personal choice or matter of taste. However, options such as a family crest made entirely in gold or silver or using a technique that imitates a marble effect are also possible; the result – especially in the latter case – is remarkable and relatively unknown.’

 

 Custom-made crests & arms  carved in wood

https://www.patrickdamiaens.info

Crest (Heraldry) carved in wood | Heraldic sculpture | Heraldic beast

Crest (Heraldry) carved in wood  

Heraldic sculpture

2024, a commission from a Canadian client to craft a crest in lime wood. What is a crest? 

This carving/sculpture is part of an existing family coat of arms and, as the word suggests, is depicted/placed on top of the helmet.  

It can be something very simple, such as a star, tree or flower... ... or something more complex, such as a lion, dragon or griffin... The choice of crest designs seems limitless.

To give you a better visual impression, the image below shows a number of family crests that I have created in the past, with the black arrow indicating the crest.

The black arrow indicates the crest.
(Bas-relief | family coat of arms carved in wood)

It is rare for a client to order a helmet crest as a freestanding sculpture. 

This requires a completely different technique and approach than creating a helmet crest in bas-relief, which I have done many times for traditional family coats of arms. 

A heraldic sculpture is carved all around, it is a freestanding object and it requires a completely different carving technique and approach than I am used to.

A sculpture naturally requires thicker wood and, as my studio (and machines) are not suitable, I had to use the services of a furniture maker. 

Securing it to the workbench (a workbench that is lower than normal) is one such variation. For carving bas-reliefs, “at elbow height” (115 cm, for me) is most recommended, and carving a sculpture at (80 cm) height (for me) is most ideal.

Securing the block of wood to be worked on to the workbench also requires a completely different technique than for bas-relief and low-relief carving.

 I always start with rough cutting, at this stage I sometimes use a chainsaw, securing it to the workbench with a figure screw.

Large pieces can be removed without much effort and, for an initial rough design, this figure screw, which is attached under the sculpture and through the workbench, is, in my opinion, the most ideal start. 

Figure screw for statues

Heraldic sculptures are secured to the workbench

using a figure screw.

At a later stage (refining), we switch to the ball-and-screw clamp system. This clamp allows the sculpture to be rotated in all directions, enabling the woodcarver to refine the sculpture in the most ideal way.

Sculpture-heraldic beast clamped onto the ball clamp block 

ideal positions for refining the statue.

Here are a few stages in

 carving a heraldic sculpture 

(Heraldic beast)

LION

Converting sculpture 

from figure screw to ball clamp.

Base

The base of the sculpture? 

A fellow woodturner made this for me; his workshop is picture perfect. 

Wings

Tail

Heraldic beast-crest is finished

Crest (Heraldry) carved in wood  |
Heraldic sculpture | Heraldic beast

https://www.patrickdamiaens.info