Advice for Santa / holiday carving

[cseymour]

Hi All,
I am fairly new to the woodcarving hobby. I have done a couple of Gene Messer's tutorials and I like the flat-plane style of carving.

My question is I am looking for advice / recommendations for Santa patterns, books, or dvd's on Santa carvings that would use a similar style.

Can anyone make any recommendations?

I have enjoyed following Gene's tutorials and noticed improvements with each successive attempt.

Thanks.

Chris

[BobT]

Mike Bloomquist sells a DVD on carving flat plane santas.

Wooden Dreams Woodcarving

Pretty good instruction, he has an addendum in the tutorial section here for carving the eyes.

[cseymour]

Thanks BobT,
I will take a look.

Cheers.

Chris

[Mark N. Akers]

Chris:
Their is a member here that has a couple of excellent DVD's out on doing ornaments,you can see them at
Gargacs Originals.

[Old_Gord]

Hi;
Gene's tutorials as you noted are basically in the Flat Plane Carving style.
Harley Refsal is most likely considered the leading authority in the USA on flat plane carving, he has at least one pattern for a Father Christmas in one of his books , off the top I think it was the earlier version of his book on Scandinavian Carving.
Gerald Ekern also was a flat plane carver and has a book published with a Santa pattern.
I'm going to suggest you take a look at Al Streetman's book 60 Patterns for Santa Carvers, most of the patterns in this book could be done in the flat plane carving style.
Other suggestion already posted are worth looking at as well.
Cheers
OG

Originally Posted by cseymour

Hi All,
I am fairly new to the woodcarving hobby. I have done a couple of Gene Messer's tutorials and I like the flat-plane style of carving.

My question is I am looking for advice / recommendations for Santa patterns, books, or dvd's on Santa carvings that would use a similar style.

Can anyone make any recommendations?

I have enjoyed following Gene's tutorials and noticed improvements with each successive attempt.

Thanks.

Chris

[MelNM]

Ron Ransom also has some great beginners books.
Mel

[Mottles]

Hi Chris, everyone has given you good suggestions and even some I'd like to take a look at. I would also recommend the Fall issues of the various carving magazines. Wood Carvring Illustrated Falls issue always has a santa or two. Another super magazine is Carving Magazine. Check your local book stores or this you can subscribe to their magazine Online.
Kathy

[Iowa Carver]

I really like the Mike Shipley's book Carving Snowmen and Santas. Some great holiday stuff. I have carved a snowman, my 2nd project and getting ready to do a couple of his Santas. Also I just ordered 2 of the Al Streeman books recommended here.

Corey