Techiques and tools for soap carving

What You’ll Need to Begin
Soap carving can be simple and inexpensive. You’ll need:
• A large bar of Ivory soap – Ivory's shape and texture are ideal for carving
• A paring knife
• 1-2 orangewood sticks used for manicures
• Pencil and paper for sketching
• Optional – Large tray to hold soap chips from carving
Unwrap the soap and let it dry for a day. Scrape off the lettering and any raised edges before beginning.


1. Developing Your Design
Begin with a simple design. Start with solid, basic shapes with simple cuts or extensions. Sketch your idea on paper first or try one of these sample patterns.


2. From Design to Soap Carving
• If you have a clear mental picture of your idea or have carved before, you can begin by carving directly on the soap.
• Or, you can use the orangewood stick to outline a rough sketch on each surface before you carve.


3. Begin with Rough Cuts
The actual carvings begin with rough cuts that remove the large parts of the soap not necessary for your design.
• Place the soap on the table or tray.
4. Adding the Details
• After the first cuts, you may find it more comfortable to use the knife as if peeling a potato.




5. Polishing
• Allow your sculpture to dry for a day or two.
• Then, rub it with a soft paper napkin, being careful not to break off corners or high points