# Beginner in Carving.



## JohnChung (Sep 20, 2012)

Hi guys,

Any good tutorials on creating this type of carving? I am also looking for books that provides a good foundation on woodcarving.

http://www.google.com.my/imgres?imgurl=http://images.wisegeek.com/balsa-wood-carving.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wisegeek.org/what-types-of-woods-are-good-for-carving.htm&h=800&w=667&sz=41&tbnid=TybXo9HMuUXxDM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=75&zoom=1&usg=__pDIHUmDHcPbEa5mnhg8R3D0MXiA=&docid=mizoEg1ew629zM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0wNbUe7eLcmuiQeqpoGoDw&ved=0CG4Q9QEwCA&dur=333

I currently own a palm carving set:
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=31121&cat=1,130,43332,43334&ap=1

Not sure which tools I need to use for this project.

Thanks,
John


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

http://lumberjocks.com/MariyaArts

Major inspiration for carving. Good luck on your endeavors
JohnChung!


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## LSIrish (Mar 2, 2013)

Hi John, What you are showing is called sunken relief carving. You have all the tools you will need in your Lee Valley set except for a good bench knife or chip carving knife.

If you go over to the Wood Carving Illustrated Message Board there is an entire section of step-by-step tutorials on your first carvings. Sign up so that you can see all the photos. I would suggest the Tutorial section - Stickies - Relief Carving the Wood Spirit Green Man.

Susan Irish


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## JohnChung (Sep 20, 2012)

Susan: which carving knife should I get from this web-site:

http://www.hocktools.com/Knives.htm

Thanks,
John


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## mpounders (Jun 22, 2010)

John, I wouldn't get any of those! Hock is a revered name for plane blades, but I've never heard of his carving knives. Try a Helvie knife or a Drake knife, all they do is carving knives.


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## lathu (Aug 8, 2013)

Hai.I'm a new joinee in this forum.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

.
When I first started working in wood I did this type of carving. I started by taking a class from California Carvers club. Many states have similar clubs and I suggest you find one near you. You can learn a LOT from them at VERY low cost.


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## lathu (Aug 8, 2013)

I'm interested to join and study the carving.You will give me the details i will try and join the course.


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## RobsonValley (Jul 28, 2013)

There's no faster way to get moving in wood carving than to do a wood carving course. Even if the course details a carving style that you have no plans to go with. There's no better way to realize what your best questions are than to sit down and do it.

If you have to go the book route or tutorials, it's really hard to know what the options and alternatives are for both wood and tools. Then, the books can't be all things to all people. Maybe it's short on wood selection, tool sharpening, whatever.

I began with a carving course, we did a basswood relief carving. Already, I had made up my mind that if I was going to carve any wood, it would be western red cedar. Relief carving has never appealed to me. BUT, if you did relief carving on the top and all 4 sides. . . . . . that's what I wanted to do.


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## lathu (Aug 8, 2013)

The wood carving course is best.So where is the best place to study the course?


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

I don't know about tutorials, I got thrown in off the deep end so to speak. My advice is to get some scraps of soft wood and play around with the different chisel types and see what they do, figure out how the cut best, then make some practice carvings, doesn't have to even be as complicated as the one you want to do. Just get the feel for the tools. Also, the eye is probably done with a brad point bit, just sayin.


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## RobsonValley (Jul 28, 2013)

1. Ask around. See if you can find a local wood carving club. Sometimes those clubs have a very narrow focus on one style of carving over any of the others. Such as cottonwoodbark wood spirits, Santas, etc.
If that isn't what you want to do, keep looking.
2. Any sort of "craft market" near you? If so, contact the carver of the works that you like. The market may even support advertising for carving courses.
= = = 
With wood carving gouges, you get what you pay for. And the good stuff (Pfeil) runs $25 - $50 each. Even so, a "carving sharp edge" doesn't last more than 30 minutes even in softer woods. Like it or not, learning to sharpen & hone tools is a must. And that means sharpening supplies and another learning curve.

True, you could work with a few gouges just to see what the marks in wood look like (is that really carving wood or crap?) Otherwise, if you launched into a 5" x 7" relief carving, you get something done and learn the effectiveness of the different edge shapes at the same time. . . . including the value of a carver's stop chisel.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

http://www.sculptor.org/Sculptors/Associations/WoodCarvingAssociations.htm 
Start looking here:


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## lathu (Aug 8, 2013)

I tried to study this site.I cannot get the information.Please will you give some other related website in tutorial.


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## RobsonValley (Jul 28, 2013)

The Sculptor Org site doesn't list any of the major carving clubs that I know of.
Globally, it would be a nearly impossible task.
A far, far longer list exists in the Wood Carving Illustrated Forum website.
Many courses, workshops and educational classes are commonly listed there.

I still believe that it is easier to find local carvers if you can find locally-made carvings for sale.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

MARY MAY, doesn't get any better , she has an on line class ,10.00 a month, cant beat it . Also she sells chisels , and they really do make a huge difference.

I have never had the luxury of taking a woodworking class, but I spent a week with Mary, Unbelievable. $ well spent .

http://www.marymaycarving.com/carvingschool/


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## lathu (Aug 8, 2013)

This class is useful for you only.


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