But What Do I Want To Do?

[AldenNight]

I've been looking around the forums a bit - mostly trying to figure out how to get started; therefore, I paid close attention to "Beginner Book" posts and I saw a recurring theme:

"The kind of book you should get depends on what you want to do."

Here is the thing, I'm new. I don't know the difference between woodworking and woodcarving, whittling or carving, or an xacto knife from a jack knife. How in the world am I suppose to know what I want to do in woodcarving?

With that said, what am I missing? Is there a special test to determine where to endeavor? Should I pick randomly from a list? If so, where is said list?

I'm really interested in woodcarving and I decided to buy a couple of books about soap carving as a cheap entry method but I'd like learn and grow and do well in this hobby. Any help is appreciated!

[SlowMover]

I see your point. The three MAJOR (there are probablly more) styles of carving done by most hobbiests are chip, relief, and for lack of a better word sculptural or 3D(someone smarter give us the correct term). These can be broken into smaller sub-catagories, particularly 3D which at least here is sort of layered into caraciture, realistic, animal/bird, and styelized(sp?). You also have the choice of power or hand carving, or a combination of both. The tools required for different styles sometimes are so different, that folks usually pick one style over another to limit the cost of tools to get started untill they determine if they like carving enough to continue and invest more in additional supplies.

How to decide?
Go to the library and check out general carving books, read the descriptions of different styles, and more importantly LOOK AT THE PICTURES..see what interests you the most.

Read all the forum sections here for a while, but also LOOK AT THE PICTURES...see again what you like best.

Go to a carving show or club, talk to and look at the work of others, and see wht interests you the most.

Hope this helps.

[AlArchie]

Well, if you started with soap carving, I will assume your interest leans toward small animal and human forms... a good place to start, and to follow up on that, switch to wood carving of similar objects. The basic techniques will be the same.
These types of small carvings can be done with a simple "bench" type knife or a pocket style whittling knife.

And for small hand held pieces, you may find the terms whittlin and carving to be interchangeable. There may be some subtle differences in interpretation, but I sure wouldn't worry about them as you start out.

A basic sharp knife is important. A Murphy knife from a reputable supplier, sharpened and honed when you first get it will be a good choice. Flexcut roughing or detail knives are another "sharp from the box" blades, available over the counter. http://www.littleshavers.com/Index.html will get you mail order knives, ready to carve with. There are others, but this guy has served me well.

Al

[davbell22602]

Originally Posted by AldenNight

I've been looking around the forums a bit - mostly trying to figure out how to get started; therefore, I paid close attention to "Beginner Book" posts and I saw a recurring theme:

"The kind of book you should get depends on what you want to do."

Here is the thing, I'm new. I don't know the difference between woodworking and woodcarving, whittling or carving, or an xacto knife from a jack knife. How in the world am I suppose to know what I want to do in woodcarving?

With that said, what am I missing? Is there a special test to determine where to endeavor? Should I pick randomly from a list? If so, where is said list?

I'm really interested in woodcarving and I decided to buy a couple of books about soap carving as a cheap entry method but I'd like learn and grow and do well in this hobby. Any help is appreciated!

I'm the same boat as except I wanna to do power tool woodcarving. I just got a Dremel 300 for Christmas.

[oldbearx2]

I think your best bet is research, look at as many carvng books as you can find. See what interests you the most and start there. Visit here often and check out woodcarivng sites on the net to get a feel for what you want to do. It may change several times before you find your "true love" of carving.
davbell I would look at a couple of Frank Russell books on power carving, some great ideas and tips there. One word of advice I can give is don't run out and buy a boat load of tools to start with, you'll find out like I did that having more carving tools don't make you a better carver.

[Buffalo Bif]

Hey guys this is not a decision to be made in your head, but one to be made in your heart. Meantime, no reason you can't do the carving equivalent of doodling- make some chips, or dust, get used to what your tools do, or don't do. Go outside and carve your name in a tree. Turn a square into a ball. What other hobbies or interest do you have? Whittle a football. Copy something you see here that catches your eye. Where you start doesn't mean much, you will eventually find your niche, wherever it is. Carving is a journey, the important thing is to start...

My humble opinions.

[AldenNight]

SlowMover: I really appreciated your breakdown styles of carving.

AlArchie: I think you are right, at the present time I am interested in carving 3D animals, people, forms, miniature or not, it helped to have you say it.

oldbearx2 and bflobif: Thank you guys for driving home one of my points, which was when your new you don't know where you want to start and at least for me I couldn't care less where I start, I'm sure as I progress I'll eventually hit every style and find "my style."


With that said, is my idea of starting with soap carving and doing 3D a good idea? It sounds like AlArchie thinks so but are there any downsides?

While I'm playing with soap carving I'd like to start getting knowledgeable about woodcarving, I'll be checking this forum and any websites but I would really prefer a book or a dvd of some sort that is going to teach me the basics about the knives, the wood, and so forth. It would be nice if there was one to get my feet wet in every style.

Forums are just flooded with people posting a question and the only response is "use the search" which was helpful the first time somebody asked a repeat question but now when you search for any topic for beginners the top 100 threads tell you to use the search...

I will be looking around but what further suggestions can you offer. I've searched on the internet for a club/classes/store in my area that specializes in woodcarving and I can't seem to find anything that wouldn't cost me a small fortune to travel to. I'll be looking at pictures and reading threads, what else can I do?

I'm thankful that you guys are here, willing to listen and offer your wisdom and experience.

[happyhal]

I would also check you tube. Search for wood carving. You can watch those videos to see the different styles and kinds of carving, and all the different ways to use all the different carving tools. Hal

[Claude]

Originally Posted by AldenNight

...
I will be looking around but what further suggestions can you offer. I've searched on the internet for a club/classes/store in my area that specializes in woodcarving and I can't seem to find anything that wouldn't cost me a small fortune to travel to. I'll be looking at pictures and reading threads, what else can I do?

I'm thankful that you guys are here, willing to listen and offer your wisdom and experience.

1. Subscribe to Wood Carving Illustrated Magazine (look over on the left side of the screen) - lots of great ideas in each issue. If you go down to the local bookstore, you can usually find Wood Carving Illustrated, Carving Magazine, and/or Wood Carving (from the UK) Magazine. Read through one and see if any of the styles appeal.
2. Go to YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. and search for Whittler0507 and also for Carverswoodshop - Gene and Arleen both have many good videos for beginning carvers. Gene's are nearly all caricatures in the round (3D), while Arleen has some that are a type of relief carving.
3. Look over on the left side of the screen for the Carver Galleries. This is a section of the forum where members have posted photos of their carvings. Look through them and see if anything appeals to you.

SlowMover described the carving in the round (3D) well. Chip carving is basically taking a flat board or wooden plate and cutting triangular or curved chips out of the wood to make a design - generally a geometric design, although some do floral and other items. Relief carving is generally taking a flat board and cutting out the excess wood to make a "wooden photo". One method cuts the wood so that the background is cut the deepest to give you a sensation of three dimensional depth. Another version carves away the background while leaving the image highest (the head on a coin is a good example).

Each of these styles has some unique tools, although there is some overlap. Chip carving, for example, uses different knives than the ones used in 3D carving. Relief carving generally uses gouges instead of knives, while the 3D carving can be knives only, gouges only, or a combination. Some people even carve with chainsaws.

A good general set of starting tools is the beginner's set that Rick sells at Little Shavers Wood Carving Supply The set includes very sharp gouges, knife, a strop for keeping them sharp, a safety glove, etc.

You can get hardwoods such as walnut, cherry, maple and so forth at a lot of lumber yards, when you decide to move on to more exotic woods. As a beginner, I'd recommend you start with basswood. I buy mine from Dale at Heinecke Wood Products Good price, fast service, and top quality wood.

Hope this helps...
Claude

[arick]

I'd suggest you visit a woodworkers club in your area. You'll probably find clubs that are comprised of various wood crafting venues, in cluding power vs hand carving. Most importantly, club members are very helpfull.

Like you, I was looking and went to the local seniors center for information. There I found a wood workers club AND a fully equipped shop. Membership is $18 per year.