This is the preliminary cut from the back to the front. A paper pattern is glued on the back of the spruce and a very sharp knife is used to cut out the pattern. This is a piece of Engelmann spruce that I have already planed down to a specific thickness. It is less than 2 mm in thickness and the part where the rose is cut has been reduced to about 1 mm.
Wow, looks good. Do you carve the intricate design by hand?