When you think of woodcarving, you might be imagining a rustic, handmade creation in the rich browns and beiges of natural wood. That's the traditional way to do it, after all.
People have been carving wood as an art form for thousands of years, and over that time, they've gotten pretty incredibly advanced, even when using traditional techniques. Just check out the amazing Dongyang wood carvings at the Leifend Pagoda in China.
It's wonderful to keep traditional art forms alive after thousands of years, but some artists take a slightly different approach. Artist Martin Tomsky, for example, uses modern technology to bring this ancient craft into the 21st century.
His wood carvings feature layers of wood, stained in different tones, all laser-cut into precise, intricate images with astounding levels of detail. Using these techniques, he creates everything from large, complex wall hangings to small, simple brooches and jewelry.
Check out some of his work below and see what kinds of possibilities there are for the humble art of wood carving.
[H/T: Colossal]
Using multiple layers of wood in different colors, Martin is able to build up three-dimensional images full of detail and personality.
They're like a painting and a sculpture combined into one.
His incredible carvings draw their inspiration from various stories and legends, and feature a sense of narrative.
You can see the story just by looking at some of these pieces.
Of course, a piece doesn't have to be large or complex to be effective. This adorable little hedgehog brooch is small and simple, but not less delightful than the other pieces.
Even some of his narrative pieces, like this one about the legend of Charon, have a smooth simplicity that's just as striking as the intricate pieces.
Other pieces take inspiration from the intricacies of nature.
He also creates beautiful customized pieces that can bear a name and other personalized details.
Although his craft comes from a long, rich tradition, his creations have a distinctly modern feel with their smooth lines and cartoon-inspired faces.
Still, even with the modern, cartoony elements, these intricate carvings have a timeless, ancient quality that reminds us of fairy tales, legends, and mystery.
And by using different stains, Martin is able to make make the 3D elements of his pieces stand out even more.
Martin says that his inspiration originally came from books. He grew up in South London to Czech parents who, prior to coming to England, worked as publishers — and book smugglers.
And he doesn't juts work in browns, although that does seem to be his favorite palette.
These pieces, celebrating ocean life, are full of vibrant color.
