Tips & Tricks: Carving - Where to Start

• relief carving
• whittling
• power carving
• chip-carving
  (and… ?? what other types of carving is there?)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

• power carving (Jordan Straker’s Shoe Challenge Class)
• chip-carving (MyChipCarving’s quilt squares is a good place to start)
• spoon carving (Spoontaneous has us thinking creative designs)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

no matter the style of carving you want to learn, I suggest taking a class.
This can be online, live, or DVD.
I first learned to chip carve from a VHS tape (I’m dating myself).
You’ll never regret taking a class when you start carving.

-- Marty, https://www.MyChipCarving.com, 866-444-6996

I agree with Marty, take some classes to find out what you want.

-- www.carvingandturningsbyrick.com, Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI

If you think you might be interested in carving, look at some web sites or magazines and see if you see a style that interests you. Different types of carving can require as little as a knife or two and others may use different gouges, vises, mallets, or power equipment. Your local library may also have books and there may be clubs, events, or other carvers close to you. I started out with a few books and information from the Internet, before attending a few seminars and finding a club. The links below list web sites, tutorials, videos, and sources for tools and wood. My advice is to order some good bass wood and start with tools that are already sharp. It is easier at first to maintain an already sharp edge, than it is to learn how to sharpen your own tools and learning to carve on oak, walnut, and pine can be discouraging. And wear a protective glove and thumbguard. Start with simple carvings and work your way up to more complex things. Have fun!

Tools and Supplies
Smoky Mountain Woodcarvers 800-541-5994 http://www.woodcarvers.com/PRODUCTS.htm free shipping if over $150
Woodcraft 800-225-1153 http://www.woodcraft.com/ Authorized Pfeil distributer
Old Texas Woodcarvers Shop 800-752-9781 http://www.texaswoodcarvers.com/
Wood Carvers Supply 800-284-6229 http://www.woodcarverssupply.com/ MasterCarver stuff
The Woodchip Shop 866-996-6324 http://www.woodchipshop.com/servlet/StoreFront
The Woodcraft Shop 800-397-2278 http://www.thewoodcraftshop.com/

Wood
Heinecke Wood Products 715-822-3524 http://www.heineckewood.com/ best basswood
Itasca Wood Products 218-256-8094 http://www.itascawoodproducts.com/ basswood, diamond willow

Knives
Little Shavers Wood Carving Supply 206-767-7421 http://www.littleshavers.com/ excellent sharpening service, beginners’ kits, and other supplies.
Drake Knives 360-659-6778 http://www.drakeknives.com/ superb knives and gouges
Mike Shipley Knives 417-284-3416 http://www.ozarkcountycharacters.com/ Great knives
Pinewood Forge 800-423-1844 http://pinewoodforge.com/ great knives, spoon knives

Good Web Sites
Wood Carving Illustrated http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/forum/index.php
The Carvers’ Companion http://carverscompanion.com/
Carving Magazine http://www.carvingmagazine.com/

Instructional Videos and Websites
Caricatures
Lynn Doughty http://www.outwestwoodcarving.blogspot.com/ and http://www.vimeo.com/user2369419

Flat Plane
Gene Messer http://www.youtube.com/user/whittler0507

Wood Spirits/Santas
Gary McDaniel http://www.3crosseswoodcarving.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/user/3CrossesWoodcarving

Relief Carving
Dylan Goodson http://www.oldoakenterprises.com/frameset.php
Scott McNeil http://www.scottmcneillart.com/VIDEOS.html
Chris Pye http://www.woodcarvingworkshops.tv/home
Lora S. Irish http://www.carvingpatterns.com/#PRIMER TO CARVING and http://www.carvingpatterns.com/

Books and Patterns
Fox Chapel Publishing http://www.foxchapelpublishing.com/category_s/49.htm
Classic Carving Patterns http://www.carvingpatterns.com/ Lora S. Irish

-- Mike P., Arkansas, http://mpounders1.blogspot.com

there isn’t anything yet, I cannot carve

the little black guy, having a shit, on a stump

priceless

carving your friends, your humour, in a piece of nature, a leaf be it gold or plaster, separates the “joiner” from the rest.

says everything about “ability”…….and keeps your adversaries with a good sense of “perspective” in keeping their mouths shut.

The “doubt” factor ?

-- "Good artists borrow, great artists steal”…..Picasso

my fav.,………………saint nick

seems open to the most interpretation of just a name , what a wonderful opportunity to put your own childhood memories into a single statement.

what would you make?

-- "Good artists borrow, great artists steal”…..Picasso

if you taught?

what would you teach your student ?

would saint Nick be black or white or hispanic ?……………..

so many questions, and so little time

-- "Good artists borrow, great artists steal”…..Picasso