Where to start ???

Im just begnining to carve. My father had left many nice tools after he passed and I would like to learn to use them. Could you recomend a good starter instruction book.

As you listed your inquiry under 'Caricatures' I assume you are interested in carvings of that type. I am primarily a bird carver and have just developed an interest in caricatures, although I have carved some in the past. The book that got me interested was one on Santa ornaments by Tom Wolfe. I have several of his books on spirits and wizards, but this is the first caricature book. Several other carvers in my group have used the book and found it very easy to follow and thought the descriptions were quite adequate. This may be available in your local library (it is in ours).

Good luck

Carving Caricature Heads & Faces by Pete LeClair....Best book for begining carvers. Â*Got me started and hooked. Don't give up after the 1st one because the 2nd one for me was much better and the 3rd was aaaalll most perfect.

I agree, Pete's books hive good step-by-step instruction.
I like 'Carving Caricature Figures From Scratch', it inspired me to carve over twenty figures. Once you have done one, (by the book) the method is easy to follow.

One thing though, I asked Pete why he didn't specify a size block to start from? He said it didn't matter, that is why it's called carving from scratch.

(By the way, he didn't like the how I carved his figures.)
He said I was carving the corners of the mouth too high.

Critics

:-/ Must be time for bed, I forgot how to typppe andd speell.

I enjoyed Steve Prescott's Carving Blockheads. Good instructions, easy to more difficult carvings, good variety
and one basic cut out. You can use that cut out and carve dozens of different characters.

I agree, great book. I did my self portrait, 'The Grump,' and am working on the 'Fisherman' as a bday gift for my son-in-law. Have two more cut outs sitting here waiting for ideas. I find the full sized ones a little unweildy so have reduced them by 20% which leaves them about 5 1/2 inches high (a little easier to hold on to).