English

Debut Rose Relief

General info

1 2
  • My first tutorial ever
  • This rose relief is a traditional Thai carving design
  • This tutorial shows you how to carve an open rose and leaves in detail
  • All you need are a bar soap and a carving knife!
  • Perfect room decoration!
  • Great gift for your friends and family
  • Difficulty: Intermediate

What you will need

supplies
  • Soap
  • Carving knife

Soap info

COW bath size soap (red box)

Used in tutorial

COW bath soap
  • Available
  • COW brand
  • Floral scented
  • Size: 8.5 cm (3-3/8") x 6 cm (2-3/8") x 3 cm (1-1/8")
  • Weight: 125 g (4.41 oz)

Instructions

1. Holding a carving knife like a pen, touch the soap with a ring or little finger to support the knife.
To cut off the soap thinly, move the knife away from your body.
step 1
2. Thinly cut off the top of the soap to create a flat surface.
Usually the surface of the soap is dry and crumbly, so remove the surface. Then draw a 3 cm (1-1/8") circle in the center with a pointed tool such as a knife point or a toothpick.
step 2
3. Holding your knife at a right angle to the soap, deeply cut a circle along the outline.
Tip: Turn your soap with the hand holding it and don't move your knife. Either clockwise or counterclockwise is fine.
Then tilting your knife, cut the soap along the circle by turning the soap.
step 3
4. You can cut the circle either inside or outside. Then remove the soap.
step 4
5. Evenly shape the soap around the center. Trim the edge of the top of the center a bit.
Divide the top of the center into five equal parts by marking five dots.
step 5
6. Cut a thin petal shape around the center. The petal is a little bigger than one-fifth of the circumference of the center.
Thinly cut off the inside of the petal.
step 6
7. Smooth the area where you will carve the second petal. Cut the second petal that overlaps the first petal.
step 7
8. Thinly cut off the inside of the second petal. Repeat two previous steps to make the third and the fourth petals.
step 8
9. Thinly cut off the soap where you will carve the petal, then carve the fifth petal. The first row of the center part is done.
step 9
10. Lower the top of the center of the flower. Carve a first petal of the second row. The petal is placed between the petals of the first row.
step 10
11. Carve the next four petals in the same way as the first row. Lower the top of the flower center and shape the center into a small dome shape. Carve five petals of the third row. Less than five petals is ok.
step 11
12. If you'd like, carve the fourth row. The center of the flower is done.
step 12
13. Divide the soap around the center into five equal parts by marking five short lines. Carve a shallow dent where you will carve the first petal of the outer layer. Then cut a petal shape in the dent. The petal is a little bigger than one-fifth of the outside of the center.
step 13
14. Cut the soap under the petal and remove the soap. Then smooth the area where you will carve the second petal and carve a shallow dent.
Cut the second petal in the dent. The second petal overlaps the first petal. Cut off the soap under the second petal.
step 14
15. Two petals are done. Repeat the steps to carve the third to fifth petals.
The first outer layer is done.
step 15
16. Slice off the soap around the first layer to carve the second layer.
Carve a shallow dent between the first petal and fifth petal of the first layer. Each petal of the second layer is placed between the petals of the first layer.
step 16
17. Cut a petal shape in the dent and cut off the soap under the petal. The first petal is done.
Carve a shallow dent and carve the second petal that overlaps the first petal.
step 17
18. Repeat previous step to carve the third to fifth petal of the second layer. The rose flower is done.
Slice off the soap around the flower to prepare flat surface for six leaves.
step 18
19. Cut a leaf shape in the corner of the soap. Cut off the soap around the leaf.
Carve a thick midrib shape in the leaf, then lightly cut off the soap around it.
step 19
20. Carve three V-grooved thick veins to both sides of the midrib without a gap.
Cut three notches to both sides of the leaf.
step 20
21. Carve the second leaf in the second corner of the same side, repeating steps 19-20. Then carve the third leaf between the first and the second leave.
Carve the same leaf set on the opposite side of the flower.
step 21
22. Evenly cut the edge of the soap and smooth the area around the flower and leaves.
step 22
23. Finished!
step 23