How did you get started in wood carving

[haree]

Helpful post. I got a nice experience over here.
This is the way to expose your ideas.

[Whittled Thumb]

I got laid off, I needed an outlet for my sanity and my energy. That's how it started. But with work now and back at my guitar, I only carve ever so often. I just started an finished a santa last night for a gift. I only carve when I feel like it now or feel inspired.

[twymanok]

I was hanging out in the Fort Campbell Arts and Craft center and saw the woodshop. I did an engraving of my unit's logo under the direction of the instructor "Mr Chuck" a man of 40someodd years of woodworking experience after my 2nd engraving he gave me a hobby knife and some chisels saying if you shape them it will make it look better. I have been hooked ever since

[Dkulhanek]

I got first exposed to it in Cub Scouts carving bars of soap with a popsicle stick, then later with actual wood and a knife in Boy Scouts. I whittled a couple of things here and there, but never really actually made anything. A few years ago, my mother in law didn't know what to get me, so she kind of went the roundabout random gift route. She bought me a set of beginner gouges from Hobby Lobby (ya know the ones that are $5 and are worth nothing?) Anyways, that peaked my interest, and I went to the bookstore and picked up the latest copy of WCI. The rest is history. My wife still "thanks" her to this day for what she started.