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There are several sites that have
information for the new carver. To save re-inventing the wheel, we have provided
links to a selected few of these sites. Once you locate them, bookmark them for
future reference.Before You Start...
Ask yourself a few questions:
- Why did you become interested in
woodcarving?
- Did you say to yourself, "I
can do that!"?
- Did a particular style of carving
grab your interest?
- What do you want to carve...
birds... caricatures... decoys?
- Do you want to sculpt large
projects?
- Do you want to whittle small
projects?
A wood whittler
uses only a knife and handholds their carvings. A wood carver (sculptor)
uses a variety of carving tools.
You get the idea! The answers
to these questions will help you decide what tools and wood to buy.
- Rules of thumb:
* Start with the simple and move to the
complex!
* Move from the known towards the unknown.
Confused
?
- Get knife and a carving block.
Go to it! Hold off buying a shop full of tools and a truck load of wood.
- Don't have clue what to
carve? Visit our Pattern Page for a few ideas.
- Join the National
Woodcarvers Association.
- Buy a beginning level book
from a supply house.
- Protect those fingers! Cuts
can discourage the new carver.
- Keep the carving tool sharp!
This increases the enjoyment and decreases the chance of cutting the hands.
- Take a class !!
Get Started !
Visit the following sites for more
information:
- Chipping
Away with Dennis
& Todd Moor is a remarkable site that focuses on "the advancement of decorative
chip carving as an enjoyable, functional, impressive, and reasonably price hobby and art
form." Located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, these guys have developed their own
unique techniques for chip carving and offer classes, books, tools and much more!
Jean Lotz
offers a comprehensive
site filled with tips and techniques for woodcarvers of all levels.
The Carving Bench is piled high with tips and advice for
getting started, carving safety, and finishing carvings.
Smoky Mountain Woodcarvers Supply
presents several pages designed
to get new carvers started on the right foot. Smoky Mountain offers general tips for new
carvers.
Rules for New Carvers
presents Dwight Moore's rules and resources for new carvers.
Get Started with the
New England Woodcarvers Association's beginner's page. This page features general tips for
new carvers.
Advice to New Carvers answers the question, "If you had one thing to pass along to
your fellow woodcarvers, which you felt was the most important piece of advice you could
give, what would it be?"
Take a class !!
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