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 05-03-2008, 08:15 AM
squbrigg's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Miramichi, NB, Canada
Posts: 5,946
Send a message via MSN to squbrigg
Default First lesson.

My Granddaughter, Octavia (6) asked me Thursday if I would start to teach her to carve. She says she's a big girl now and loves to watch Grandpie carve. So after she left, I took a quick trip to Walmart to pick up a plastic knife and some bars of Ivory soap. The plastic knife looked too flimsy, so my wife suggested I carver her a wooden one! What a great idea!

In an hour I had a nicely shaped knife carved to fit her little hand perfectly, using Apple wood, nice and close grained and hard, and with some attentive sanding and a couple of coats of wax, it was ready.

Friday, she had to spend the day with us, as she wasn't feeling well, so we babysat. After a nice restorative nap, she came down to my shop and I introduced her to her first carving tool. She suggested a kitty to be her first project and I sketched an outline on the soap and she went to work!

The kid's a natural!!! She took to it like a duck to water, her depth perception is good, coordination is good, and she has the basic holding methods down pat! She was a very happy little carver! She loves her new knife and did a nice job on her first carving. She followed directions well and was quite content sitting there shaving off curls of Ivory!

Pictures to follow of course!!! :-)

Bob
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Octavia the carver.jpg (209.6 KB, 220 views)
File Type: jpg Octavia in the studio.jpg (207.4 KB, 191 views)
File Type: jpg first lessons.jpg (179.9 KB, 126 views)
File Type: jpg Octavia's carving lesson.jpg (208.5 KB, 168 views)
File Type: jpg Octavia's first carving knife R.jpg (64.1 KB, 140 views)
__________________
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
  #2  
Old 05-03-2008, 08:30 AM
AlArchie's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Bessemer, MI
Posts: 6,240
Default Re: First lesson.

Yoos a good Grandpa, Bob! and what a great idea with the little wooden knife; I'll have to remember that when my little grandaughter hits that age. Thanks for a good pick-me-up!

Al
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-03-2008, 08:31 AM
Tom-H's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Delaware, Ohio
Posts: 3,988
Default Re: First lesson.

Hey Bob! Not that your posting message was not really well done, but...Those photos! They just tell the whole story and more. Forget the fact that Granddaughter is one cutie. The expressions of concentration and attention are great. You gots all the elements going for ya here. Great subject matter, great/cute subject, and a dog to top it off.

If I ever doubted that kids would actually like to carve soap, my doubts are now put to rest. Good for you and good for Granddaughter.

Tom H
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-03-2008, 10:06 AM
Blinky Bill's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Victoria..Australia
Posts: 753
Default Re: First lesson.

Bob,
What you have done is truly inspirational, thankyou so much for sharing this magic time with us. Another great picture would be of Octavia carving right alongside Grandpie...........

Best wishes
John
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-03-2008, 10:20 AM
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 160
Send a message via AIM to Gear Dog
Default Re: First lesson.

wow this is great,and I love how your came up with a better solution. My kids love how I "find the faces in the wood" I'm going to have to make my son one of these. And yes she is a cutie, I love the expressions.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-03-2008, 10:50 AM
Thor's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Dahlonega, Georgia
Posts: 3,916
Default Re: First lesson.

This really brought a smile to my face this morning. Thanks for posting the pictures Bob.
Thor
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-03-2008, 11:22 AM
Hi_Ho_Sliver's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: Arizona
Posts: 11,124
Default Re: First lesson.

Another generation of ship builders in the making!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-03-2008, 12:16 PM
gene-messer's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 8,486
Default Re: First lesson.

Bob .. nothing could be more enjoyable then seeing something like that ..

A new generation learning skills ..

She will never foget her grandpa doing this with her .. reminder with these pictures when shes older ..

Great photos ..

Gene
__________________
G.M.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-03-2008, 12:54 PM
Iowa Carver's Avatar
Knife Nerd
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Iowa
Posts: 3,884
Default Re: First lesson.

That is just great Bob and neat to see!

Corey
__________________


Visit My Website at:
http://theiowacarver.blogspot.com/


Friend My On Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/challagan1


Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-03-2008, 01:15 PM
Sharon of the Dell's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: nor cal,under the redwoods, near the Pacific
Posts: 6,484
Default Re: First lesson.

What a sweet pea, and sweet grandpa. She will remember this experience for the rest of her life. Great idea using soap.I have 7 and 6 year old grandkids that really show an interest in my carving, will have to let them try soap.my 12 yr. old g-son did a simple relief carving in cypress firewood with power carver I got him.will have to post a picture.One of g-parents jobs is to encourage the young ones.Octavia has a wonderful g-pa.
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
Lesson Learned Lindy General Wood Carving 2 11-27-2005 08:33 PM
First Website Lesson Callynne General Wood Carving 14 04-23-2005 12:43 PM
Here's yer lesson right here! Teri_Embrey Wood Carving for Beginners 2 08-12-2003 07:16 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:54 AM.



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