Questions from a beginner

[AndyC]

I am interested in getting into carving. My great uncle and mom were/are both carvers and I have always wanted to try it. I love to paint and draw but am not very good at it, not sure how this wil transfer to carving.

I just want to do small things at first and am wondering if the set from Littleshavers.com would be sufficient?

Also, where can I buy wood to carve? Can you get it at Hobby Lobby, Michaels or Joannes?

Finally, what is relief carving?

Heres to having all my fingers this time next year. Thanks for your help.

[Thor]

Hi AndyC and welcome,

You are one of the lucky ones if you already have a carver in your family. Hopefully, your mom can be a terrific source for information and instruction.

I bought my daughter one of the beginner kits to do small carvings, and it is fine for her, but I do mainly relief carving, and prefer my long handled mallet tools which I use with both hands for more control.
You'll get lots of opinions on tools from this board. Everyone can be very helpful.

Look through the carver gallery on this site for examples of relief carvings, chip carvings, and lots of other styles.

Again, welcome
Thor

[gene-messer]

Welcome Andy .... glad to have you ... Hobby Lobby wood is pretty steep .. Try one of the local carving outlets for wood ... It will have what you need ..
Good to have you ..

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by gene messer

Welcome Andy .... glad to have you ... Hobby Lobby wood is pretty steep .. Try one of the local carving outlets for wood ... It will have what you need ..
Good to have you ..

I have been trying to find carving places in the Kansas City area but have been unsuccessful. Thanks for the tip.

[Mitchell]

Welcome aboard Andy.

Thor gave some great information (thanks Christina).

Check the list at the very top right hand corner for a link to clubs (Club Search) that may be located near you. There should be MULTIPLE sources for wood (and supplies) in the Kansas City area (don't know how close you actually are to KC). Do a search on-line for "wood carving supplies Kansas City" or something along those lines.

There is a show in Kansas City this weekend, I believe. GO TO IT...

Lastly, GET A GLOVE to protect those fingers!

[Mitchell]

I checked and there is a thread on the Kansas City show this weekend that was started by Lynn.....

Here's a link -> The Kansas City Show....A reminder`

[Irishman]

Hello Andy,

Interestingly, my feedback is much like Thor's. I bought my 14 year old daughter a beginner palm set from Little Shavers and they suit her fine for how she wishes to carve. Like Thor, I use long handled tools and a mallet. Pfiel tool is my preference but only because my instructor recommended these fine tools about a year and a half ago and I have been quite pleased. Careful when you buy them by the set as there are sometimes toolsin the set that you might not need initially. You can do a lot of carving with two-three types of gouges, a detail knife, and a chisels or cutter to make the stop cuts....and a mallet if you choose long handled tools.
As for wood, if your just starting, try and get some hard wood logs and put together a basic holding apparatus with some plywood or odds an ends laying around, plus tacky material you can get cheap at the Dollar Store to put on the bottom to prevent sliding. Logs are cheap and plentiful. I use a lot of birch for my carvings. I even get discarded hard wood slabs from the local mill to practice relief carving or to carve out signs.
Getting into carving does not have to be expensive. If you would like to check out the Tutorial section and look for "Different approach to carving eyes" you'll see that I used a plain old pine log...very sappy by the way but soft to carve...and you should be able to see the holder I use to secure the log in place while I carve. I have two different size holders depending on the size of log I use. Most of my carvings is deep relief or not quite "in the round". The true definition for relief carving is better answered by our relief carvers here on the site. If caricatures is your interest, then your tool and wood material needs would be different.
Good luck with your venture. Hope to see your carvings soon.

Patrick

[AndyC]

I just found out about the KC show. I am off Friday so I think I will go out and check it out. I live right in the middle of KC.

[susieq]

Andy,
It's great that you are going to the show..... You will not only see carvings galore, you will connect with vendors who sell supplies, and maybe even carvers who teach. If you can get into a carving group for a little while to teach you the basics, you will learn faster and better than any book could teach you. Nothing beats seeing someone actually do what they are trying to teach you to do. Plan on spending a few hours there. They usually have demonstrations several times a day on different carving related things. Go, have fun.
susieq

[Tom-H]

Welcome Andy, You got some excellent advice, so far. I think you will enjoy this Board. And as you can see, folks are most willing to share and help...Tom H