Poem Engraving Steps

• 1). Design a wood plaque. Consider why you wrote the poem and choose a size and shape for a wood block that suits the purpose. Choose a size where the poem fits nicely in the space and can be surrounded by spacious borders and any decorations you feel make the expression better.
  
  
• 2). Write a poem from your heart. Hold the pen in your hand and write, on paper, the script that tells your message best. Fit the poem to the space on your plaque. Choose a moderate size handwritten script that will look nice on the plaque you want.
  
  
• 3). Choose your wood to last. Hardwoods like cherry or maple endure for life. The measurements depend on your poem's length and how you would like to display your words.
  
  
• 4). Trace the writing by drawing the poem script on tracing paper. Place one piece of tracing paper on top of the poem page. Carefully trace out each word, marking out each letter. The trace gives you an outline that can be drawn on wood.
  
  
• 5). Shape the wood piece. Bevel the edges by cutting angles on each side. Smooth the edges with sandpaper.
  
  
• 6). Draw the script onto the wood. Place the tracing paper next to your wood. Using the tracing paper for reference, with a pencil, freehand draw the words onto the wood. With the design already done, you can focus on carving the wood well so the words look nice.
  
  
• 7). Outline the script with a bench knife. Take the bench knife firmly in your hand. With the wood secure, begin going over the letters' traces with the blade to make a poem outline. Press firmly into the wood to go deep enough to make your words clear and definite. Make the straight edges with the wood steady. Turn the wood and keep the knife steady to make the turns in the contours.
  
  
• 8). Use gouges to deepen your words in wood. Move the tool into the wood to take out the wood inside the letter shapes. Go through each letter once at a shallow depth to make full letter bodies. Go deeper the second time to achieve the depth you want. Edge the letters' inner contours with the v-gouge.
  
  
• 9). Use the chisel to remove unwanted wood until you reach the letter bottoms. Make the bottoms even. Strip away all the wood still inside the letter forms until the shape bottoms are fully clear.
  
  
• 10
  
  Smooth the letters' contours with the fine file. Carefully hone the words by finely evening the edges with the file, bringing out the detail.
  
  
• 11
  
  Add any decorations you like. Use the wood carving tools to engrave lines or designs, such as flowers.
  
  
• 12
  
  Sand and finish the wood plaque.