录 (lù): Carve du bois

After Grandpa retired, he became fascinated with woodcarving. He often sits under the old locust tree in the yard, holding a piece of wood, and slowly carves the shape of a little bird with a small knife.

I saw a Qing Dynasty carved wooden brush holder in the museum. It has landscapes and figures carved on it, and the lines are very fine—people admire the craftsman's skill.

The first step in learning woodcarving is to practice carving straight and curved lines on a wooden board. Only by controlling the pressure well can you carve lines of consistent depth.