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High Relief Carving

by BeaverCraft Team 24 Sep 2025 0 Comments
Term: High Relief Carving

High relief carving (alto-relief) is a relief style where subjects project dramatically from the background—often more than half their depth—creating bold shadows and near-sculptural depth.

For beginners, high relief is an exciting challenge. You’ll remove a lot of background wood, establish multiple depth planes, and use undercuts to pop features forward. Planning is everything: start with a side profile sketch, mark high and low levels, and sneak up on final depth in stages to avoid breaking delicate parts.

BeaverCraft recommends a small set of sharp gouges (U- and V-profiles) plus a detail knife for edges and undercuts. Work with the grain where possible, and keep tools stropped—clean edges leave crisp facets that read well in strong light. Basswood is ideal for a first high-relief plaque thanks to its fine, forgiving grain.

As confidence grows, you can add texture (fur, feathers, fabric folds) and refine shadows to increase drama. With BeaverCraft tool sets and step-by-step tutorials, newcomers can approach high relief methodically and achieve striking, dimensional results.

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Terms & Conditions

BeaverCraft Company guarantees that:

Each tool is tested and undergoes strict quality control. Our tools are professionally-sharpened and come razor-sharp ready to use right out of the box. Every instrument has a sturdy construction, and its blade is securely glued and firmly attached to the handle. The tool blade is made of hardenable carbon steel and hardened to 56+ HRC. Our tools will not break if appropriately used (only for wood carving jobs).

The warranty does not cover the following cases:

Normal wear and tear of the product. Each customer should independently maintain the sharpness of the purchased tool. Loss of sharpness during operation is not a reason for the repair or replacement of the tool manufactured by BeaverCraft. Misuse or abuse. BeaverCraft tools are designed for hand carving only. Lack of maintenance and cleaning (learn about tool care). Defects resulting from incorrect tool storage are not reasons for replacement. Self-repair, modification, disassembly, and other human behavior that causes damage. Tool loss.

Return/Replacement Policy

Please contact our customer service team if any BeaverCraft tool has failed due to manufacturing defects or doesn't match the listing description. Let us know what happened; attach a picture of the instrument that clearly shows the problem, and describe how you used the tool. We also require further information, such as your contact details which include the following: your name, phone number, address, and email address that you can send to returns@beavercrafttools.com. We will replace the tool with a new one at our own expense and pay all the shipping costs.

Awareness Statement

The ten years guarantee applies only to wood carving tools from BeaverCraft. Always pay extreme attention when unpacking, using, or sharpening any of our tools. BeaverCraft tools are not designed as weapons and should never be used as such. Injuries occurring during the careless use or improper maintenance of BeaverCraft tools are a risk that our customers are aware of. You should never forget safety precautions and follow the correct procedure for using wood carving tools. Children should not use BeaverCraft tools without adult supervision.

Will I Need to Pay Customs or VAT?

BeaverCraft does not collect taxes during checkout.

Depending on your country, you may be charged customs duties or VAT upon delivery.

👉  Read more about taxes & customs fees

If you need help with the paperwork or have any questions, we’re just a message away at md@beavercraft.com.ua.

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