[D'Marie]

Hi, Linda, Love the characters, but I, too, want to learn how to do children and female faces. Janet Cordell is the only teacher I've gotten to meet so far(I'm a newbie at carving). Janet's faces are beautiful and yet, she can carve a horse with the best of them. Perhaps you could go to one of her sessions. I'm sure you would enjoy the time with her.

[D'Marie]

Wow... the sites have been so helpful, as have each of your suggestions! Thanks for all your help. Is it true that one has to make 500 of something to be really good?

496 blocks of wood on the wall, 496 blocks, take one down, carve it around... 495 blocks of wood on the wall...

Merry Christmas!!

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

500? I don't think so, some come on here and almost immediately are doing beautiful work, depends all on the individual and how much effort is put into learning....and carving naturally lol

[Thomp]

i doubt it would take 500 to learn how to carve something, unless you was hard to learn from repetition,

sorry i been quite busy with ornaments here of late.
to answer the question about folks carving women, there are a few here,

check jim oh posts for free beer lady's night, she ain't pretty but worth the look if for nothing more than the chuckles of what some folks will do for free beer...

[Pablo]

Linda, I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that I had seen a "how to" article in WCI sometime back regarding making teaching sticks. I'll have to check into my stack. Great idea though. I'm new to this myself, and any help is great to get.

pablo

[arbarnhart]

I had a thought; literally a twist on the idea (pun intended)...

Why not use a 2x2 and go in a spiral pattern? This would allow a lot more steps on a single stick. For example, lets say you need 3" of height for each step example. You carve step 1, then carve step 2 on the next corner 3/4" down, step 3 on the next corner another 3/4" (1.5" from the top) down, step 4 next corner another 3/4" down (2.25" from the top). When you get to step 5, it will be positioned right under step 1. Round and round it goes and the spiral makes it obvious in what direction. You would probably need to number them or drill a tiny hole at the top for a movable pin to help keep track of what step you are on.

Obviously there are limitations as to what the design being carved is and the stick would be subject to more wear on carved surfaces, but it would keep the sticks short and avoid those "then a miracle occurs" steps you get when you can't provide enough detail.

Pablo - as far as the "how to", if you just followed a tutorial and switched to a new spot for every photo (or two or three, depending on how detailed they are) that would pretty much be it. The big rule would be not to do two cuts that intersect and are best done in a particular order (usually just because you have better reference points) in the same single step.

[Thomp]

Andy,

i really wasn't ignoring your post here, but was contemplating what to say here, during my recent absence, and hope i can express some ideas....

I dont think there is a proper way to do a study stick as no concrete rules, heck look at other examples from great carvers such as Enlow and others with their eye and lip sticks and pattern hair balls,

i would think working in a spiral might be a great way to allow your self the necessary steps on larger figures. as long as the steps were clearly marked..

the first one i did here was that cabby looking dude, and when i come across it i still wonder for a second what it is because i put in to many steps it gets confusing.

then again we may be missing the best point of the project, being it affords you the practice you wouldn't get doing any other type project..
these sticks are hard to make the first few times..no joke!