Welcome to the Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board, an online wood carving forum community where you can join thousands of carvers from around the world discussing all things related to carving. To gain full access to the message board you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:
  • Browse over 90,000 posts.
  • Communicate privately with other carvers from around the world.
  • Post your own photos or view from 3,500 user submitted images.
  • Gain access to exclusive wood carving promotions offered by Wood Carving Illustrated and Fox Chapel Publishing.
All this and much more is available to you absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact the Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board's Support Team.

Go Back   Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board > Wood Carving > Wood Carving for Beginners
Connect with Facebook

Wood Carving for Beginners

Reply
Share Thread:
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-09-2004, 08:52 PM
Gun Gun is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Northern Arkansas
Posts: 10
Default Carving books

I am getting into carving and am wondering what would be the best carving book for someone who is interested in carving mammals? I have been looking on amazon and on hastings websites and there is so many to choise from, any really good ones?
__________________
"A knifeless man is a lifeless man"&&-old Nordic proverb
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-09-2004, 09:02 PM
Donna_T's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: Nevada, Missouri (Southwest MO)
Posts: 2,490
Default Re: Carving books

Gun,
Desiree Hajny probably has some of the best animal carving books, depending on which animals you want to do, although I personally don't like to woodburn as dark as she does. Frank Russell has a good book on using power to carve animals. If I remember right, if you suscribe to two years of Wood Carving Illustrated, you get a powercarving publication free.

I wrote you a message under the animal/bird section about some other ideas--including trying to find a woodcarving club and suscribing to woodcarving publications.

Donna T
__________________
Donna Thomas has been carving in SW Missouri since 1988...
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-11-2004, 03:54 PM
mdallensr's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,798
Default Re: Carving books

Some of the best books are pretty specific. I've been carving aquatic animals, mostly mammals, and have a good book with many illustrations and patterns. There are good books on bears and other big game animals. Fox Chapel has a great selection and you can look through many carving books at a Woodcraft store if there's one near you. My best source has been our library and carving shows, since I can study them well enough to know if they're going to be useful. If you're sure of the book title, you can watch for it on ebay and save a few bucks.

You'll find books with lots of photos very helpful. Patterns are good, but you really need to know what that animals look like in real life, in different lighting, even different seasons. The view you seldom get in normal animal viewing or books is the 'plan' view, from directly overhead. It's fairly important to have that view if you intend to get the head shape and proportions right.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-13-2004, 05:02 PM
squbrigg's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Miramichi, NB, Canada
Posts: 5,945
Send a message via MSN to squbrigg
Default Re: Carving books

Might I suggest 'Elements of Woodcarving' by Chris Pye. I'm not a new carver, but I'm always reading and re-reading books to refresh my memory. Just finished this one and found it to be most informative. It stands out from the others.

Rick Butz's books are good as well. Comprehensive and easy to follow.

I suggest borrowning books from your local library at first, to find the one(s) that you think works best for you. They will bring in most anything via inter-library loan, and it reduces your cost of hit and miss, or other peoples opinions or favorites. Identify the ones you like then buy them. I have too many books that I've bought, sight unseen, and never looked at them again.

Good luck and happy carving.

Bob
__________________
Before they slip me over the standing part of the fore sheet, I'd like to pipe: "Up Spirits" or "Splice the Main Brace" .....................one more time.

http://community.webshots.com/user/squbrigg

link to Gallery photos
http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.co...user/2823/sl/s
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-13-2004, 05:57 PM
Hi_Ho_Sliver's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: Arizona
Posts: 11,124
Default Re: Carving books

I would love to have a carving book library, have very few really....but I do subscribe to Woodcarving Illustrated, I belong to NWCA and a benefit is the Chip Chats magazine and I also subscribe to 'Carving' magazine....I highly recommend all three!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-14-2004, 02:39 PM
mikeg's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Milton, VT
Posts: 699
Default Re: Carving books

Sliver,

Unlike you, I tend to be a collector(pack-rat if you ask my wife). When I was working at Barnes and Noble part time, I came accross a couple of carving books. That was what got me started carving.

Now, in addition to the couple dozen books on my shelves, I've got 3 coming that I ordered on-line this week from B&N using a gift card my sister gave me for my birthday. I've also got a more in transit from ebay auctions. Once they all come in I'll be up over 30. I don't know that I have a clear favorite though.

Now I just need to find the time to read them all! They are great for ideas though. But I would like to read them all more in depth when I get the chance. Believe it or not, I'm trying to cut down on the books I buy for a while. (Maybe it's time to start collecting more tools! )

In addition I get the 3 carving magazines you mentioned. They are a great source of ideas and information.

If you're ever in VT, you're welcome to peruse them. I've always believed in loaning books out since you can only look at one at a time! Of course, if all the books I've loaned out over the years came back at once, my wife would probably wring my neck since I've got more than 4 6' bookcases full as it is!

mikeg
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-14-2004, 03:39 PM
Gun Gun is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Northern Arkansas
Posts: 10
Default Re: Carving books

Well here is proably a better question then. What about pattern books? It seams to me you can learn to carve for trial and error and maybe a few books but what would be a good animal carving pattern book?
__________________
"A knifeless man is a lifeless man"&&-old Nordic proverb
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-15-2004, 12:30 PM
mitchell
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Carving books

Gun,

Tom Wolfe has a pattern book. I would suggest coloring books and wildlife drawing books also. You can get patterns from the coloring books. The drawing books provide great reference. I really like your thought about trial and error. I believe that to become a better carver, you must take risks and also make some mistakes.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
chip carving books farfalla Relief and Chip Carving 11 09-01-2006 02:14 PM
Top five carving books Paul_Guraedy General Wood Carving 17 05-28-2006 03:48 PM
Books on carving BobD General Wood Carving 34 05-05-2006 10:56 PM
Power Carving Books woodbychuck Author questions 0 07-31-2005 12:27 PM
Carving Books Overhauled tbox61 Wood Carving for Beginners 1 02-23-2005 04:10 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:16 PM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2010 Fox Chapel Publishing Co., Woodcarving Illustrated

SEO by vBSEO 3.3.2