Learning to carve

[Texas_Jim]

I am not sure the best way to continue in wooodcarving and I admit to being confused.

Did you folks start with relief carvings and then focus on
carving in the round? It sounds like most of you carve in the round. Most of what I have done has been this style.
The last thing I completed was a Christmas ornament.

Thanks for the help,
Jim

[BasketballJones]

I first did some relief carving with a router (signs, names). I did some scrow saw figures. I made my wife a hutch 15 years ago and did some amateurish relief carving to personalize it. I really didn't know I was doing relief carving, and never thought about carving.

Two years ago I was at my sons baseball practice, which is like 4-5 times a week. It was my first time away from coaching and I was antsie watching. I'm standing next to a father and he pulls out a pocket knife and a small Santa figurine from his jacket. We begin talking. The next day he gives me a copy of WCI and tells me of a local woodcarving club. I read the magazine, leave it my car (good reading material stays in the car). The next day I'm reading it in the parking lot of my son's school while I wait. A father of one of my son's classmates sees me reading it. Turns out he's a caricature carver and the treasurer of the same woodcarver's club.

By chance I met two carvers and people I never truly knew. I go to the next club meeting, which is nothing more than a bunch of retirees and a few sons socializing and doing a little carving (more socializing). There I see two of my neighbors and about 20 guys who worked with my Dad (who had passed a few years before). I get more back issues of WCI and some basswood, and birchwood..

Most of those guys share two passions; golf and carving. The older guys (retired) have to be busy. Many watch their grandkids during the day. Much of carving in the round is portable, and these folks carve on the patio while the kids play outside. Many do their relief carving during 'quiet free time'. Just listening and learning plus those types of WCI articles peaked my interest and influence the carvings I like to attempt.

Woodcarvers are like a fraternity. I've never met a competetive carver. I've been invited to a few homes to see work shops and work areas etc. I suggest you read this board, join yahoo woodcarving group ( a public group), read the books and magazines. The most important thing is the people. That's why I'm sharing this long winded tale. I never thought I could carve (I still wonder)

[Donna_T]

I agree with Basketball Jones and everyone else,
Practice is the secret and getting help and advice from others. Â*Nothing beats a good woodcarving club for support and helpful hints.

I started carving cause I wanted to learn how to make decoys. Â*Some 13 or so years later, I'm finally getting around to trying decoys. Â*I started with a hillbilly caricature (Sadie and Rufus) and did so poorly with them (I thought) that I didn't try another in-the-round people for 3 years!! Â*I tried birds but no one in the club was really into birds--I just muddled along. Â*Then I got started on Santas and you know what...they are 'people' and I got the hang of them. Â*Then I tried animals, fish, and relief. Â*I liked them too. Â*

It's not unusual for me to have one or two projects of 4-5 different types of carvings going on at the same time. Â*Don't limit yourself to just one kind of carving, although I'd agree that you get better with each similar carving you do. Â*Try something different--you might like it, too--maybe even better. Â*If you like doing hummers, try a relief of a hummer, too. Â*And Callynne is right--woodcarvers are the only artists I know who will tell you all their trade secrets and share your joy when you take what we offered and do it better! Â*

Go for it--keep trying different things--but keep trying. Â*Even if you don't have a masterpiece right off the bat, someone would love to have it because you made it with your own two hands.

Donna T

[D'Marie]

I love the hummingbirds, as well, but cannot seem to find a simple pattern for learning their carving. Currently, most of mine look like Texas mosquitos...LOL!
Perhaps the following sites will help in learning about the hummer's wings, at least! Enjoy the museum!
Slater Museum :: Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)

"Folding Feathered Wings" tutorial - Art :: Windchaser's Earth