# Character Carving



## GrumpyGolfGuy (Apr 29, 2020)

As I re-start my journey into carving I find myself drawn back to character carving over relief. Although I like the idea of relief I am drawn toward the wood spirit, green men, gnome types of carving and really want to give it an honest shot. My question is how do I start this journey? books? YouTube? I've searched for a club in my area, nothing within a couple of hours away.

If books, which ones?

Thanks, Chris


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

Chris, my neighbor is a wonderful carver. I was talking with her some time back. She had an interesting piece of wood just sitting there. I asked her what she was going to make out of it. She said it hasn't told what it wants to be.

So there you go, look at the wood and let it speak to you, than listen and make it so.


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## bobnann (Apr 19, 2019)

Grumpy, a great carved named Harold Enloe has book that details eyes, ears, noses etc. Each covered in its own chapter. Nice step by step with great pictures. He does some great cowboy characters.


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## GrumpyGolfGuy (Apr 29, 2020)

> Grumpy, a great carved named Harold Enloe has book that details eyes, ears, noses etc. Each covered in its own chapter. Nice step by step with great pictures. He does some great cowboy characters.
> 
> - Bob Gnann


Thats great news to me, I acquired 2 of his books a couple of years ago I believe, got to get them outs the book shelf tomorrow.


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

It is interesting that you refer to carving as a journey. So the pleasure may be found along the route, or the destination. With some carvers, the joy is in the process (planning, cutting, smoothing) or finishing the project. Do you find satisfaction in watching others play golf? Or, do you have to experience it yourself?
Many of us got started when we saw a carved object and said "I could make that!" If sufficiently motivated, we did it. We often struggled with choosing the right tools, or sharpening them. If things went right, we completed the task, and maybe added our personal touch to it. Then we saw another object we wanted to try. Few of the avid carvers I know got there by watching others do it. 
When you get the book about wood spirits, green men and gnomes, thumb through it until something grabs you. Ask yourself, "Do I have the tools and wood needed for this project?" If the answer is yes, go to it!


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## GrumpyGolfGuy (Apr 29, 2020)

> It is interesting that you refer to carving as a journey. So the pleasure may be found along the route, or the destination. With some carvers, the joy is in the process (planning, cutting, smoothing) or finishing the project. Do you find satisfaction in watching others play golf? Or, do you have to experience it yourself?
> Many of us got started when we saw a carved object and said "I could make that!" If sufficiently motivated, we did it. We often struggled with choosing the right tools, or sharpening them. If things went right, we completed the task, and maybe added our personal touch to it. Then we saw another object we wanted to try. Few of the avid carvers I know got there by watching others do it.
> When you get the book about wood spirits, green men and gnomes, thumb through it until something grabs you. Ask yourself, "Do I have the tools and wood needed for this project?" If the answer is yes, go to it!
> 
> - Phil32


Golf is something I rather do by myself, while I do watch a little I'd much rather be on the course alone. I have been fascinated with carving for as long as I've been working with wood, just never knew how to take the first step. Over the past few years I've done a lot with hand tools, getting away from most of the power stuff. With that I have discovered how rewarding hand planes really are. Restoring a few of them really taught me about sharpening which flipped on the light for carving, I finally understood what sharpening was all about and more importantly how to do it. I know I have to ability to do the character carving and the desire, now just need the time, which is coming with the RV'ing becoming a bigger part of our lives.

Chris


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## CV3 (Mar 3, 2015)

I loved carving from the day I put a Xacto knife to a three limb. Thats when my journey started and it is a journey with all the curves, bumbs and brake downs of a trip on four wheel drive trip on a old rock trail. I started with walking sticks and woodspirits and like your caracter carving I am still most at home doing sticks. But I now enjoy all tiypes of carving. Your caracter carving is a great training ground and those skills will let you do all types of carving. It id just in the doing. If there is a carving clup in driving distance give it a try. They are great places to pick up new skills and get help. And WOW, with your RV you can meet carvers every where you go. I have a good friend who plans trips in there motor home around places with carving clubs nereby. He has met and learned from carvers in al but 5 states and plands to get to them some day.


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## ClaudeF (Sep 22, 2013)

You asked about books. I have quite a few, but I'd suggest these as a start:

Caricature Carving From Head To Toe - Dave Stetson
Tom Wolfe Carves Woodspirits and Walking Sticks - Tom Wolfe
Carving Crazy Critters - Gary Batte
Carving Caricature Animals - Desiree Hajny

Also, The Woodcarving Academy at https://woodcarvingacademy.com/ I have taken two online carving classes from Dave Stetson and learned a lot. Some comments above about not learning by watching, I'll have to disagree with. The classes were using Zoom online in nominally 2 hour sessions. Dave went into a lot of explanations of why he was doing what he was doing. The whole session was recorded, and after it was over, in a few hours, it was available online. I did not attempt to carve while Dave was live, although some others did. What I could do, is watch the class session again, pausing it after a minute or so, and then carve what he just explained. This is one of the class projects: https://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/417034

There are many more carvers on the Woodcarving Academy web site who are very good and have many varied carvings to teach.

Claude


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## GrumpyGolfGuy (Apr 29, 2020)

> You asked about books. I have quite a few, but I d suggest these as a start:
> 
> Caricature Carving From Head To Toe - Dave Stetson
> Tom Wolfe Carves Woodspirits and Walking Sticks - Tom Wolfe
> ...


Claude, Thanks for the list, this will be real helpful for me. I like the Santa carving, might have to give that a go. Also thanks for the academy, I will definitely be looking further into that.

Chris


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