How do you choose what to carve?

[tamm5912]

Im just a beginner, in fact I havent carved my first carving yet. So I was wondering how do you choose what to carve? I have alot of wood set aside for chainsaw carving and find these pieces "speak to me" as what they should be. Do you prefer to do the ever popular bear or more intricate and unusual chainsaw carvings? I am leaning toward the unusual because it seems everyone does bears. But my first carving will be a bear but it will be a cub on all fours not the typical welcome bear. Oh and there is nothing wrong with the typical bear carving for those that carve them!!!

Thanks in advance for your replies
Chainsaw Lady
Chainsaw Carving - Home

[carver33]

Im not a chain saw carver, but I have carved a number of different things over the years and I think you hit it on the head when you said the wood speaks to you. By all means, if you see a figure in the wood - go for it. Don't worry what's popular or common.

A lot of carvers find a nitche (sp?) and primarily carve the same type of peices. From all appearances, this does allow one to become very good at that style of carving. I prefer to carve something different with every new project. This leads to some very good and some not so good results.

Personally, I take my inspiration from many sources; sometimes I see another carving that I like and carve something similar, sometimes I see a figure in the wood, other times a picture will just pop into my head and other times, I'll cruise photos and pictures on the web for inspiration.

There are probably many more sources for inspiration than there are carvers. If you have a particular interest, then follow and study that interest and make that your primary thrust whether it's popular or not. If not, go for whatever fanct strikes you at the moment.

Bill (Aiken, SC)

[cut up]

Hello, Chainsaw Lady.
A chainsaw is much too heavy for these old bones, so I have to stay with the smaller stuff. I usually attempt to carve whatever peaks my interest. I keeping several sources of patterns, pictures and plans around to browse through and have always found something that I want to try. Then there are others that request my services to make something for them, and sometimes leaves me with my artistic liscense to get creative and it usually ends up with some very happy smiles.
Michael

[bassman]

My first carving class happened to be a facial expression class and it hooked me so much that that is all I have done so far. these are just small carvings with hand tools not chainsaws but the chap who taught the class is a chainsaw carver as well and his comment was, "I carve everything except bears!" Yes it seems everyone does bears but to each his own.

I figure you carve what you are most comfortable with and and what strikes your fancy at the time. Right now it's faces and elves but I would like to get into full figure caracature carving.

Elliott

[rbloch66]

When I started, I did so with the intent of doing caricatures, then I began to look around at what others were doing, and I found something that I liked in many different styles. So I tried them, and am still in the process of doing so.

But now I'm starting to find 'my place' so to speak, and am discovering what is mine to offer to the carving community. It's not written in stone, but it's where I am right now.

My suggestion is to keep an open mind, find something that speaks to you and keep it simple. The joy of what you learn every step of the way is worth going slowly.

You will constantly surprise yourself.

[Paul_Guraedy]

You mentioned bears and chainsaw carving which, to me, indicates an interest in wildlife and relatively simple in the round figures. I carve mainly wildlife and get a lot of my ideas from nature magazines. Most of the States around here have magazines put out by their Game and Fish Commissions. I have found photos in these to be excellent sources for ideas. I cut out the photos of interest and now have a fairly extensive file cabinet of animals. I usually have to put two or three together and do a lot of positioning but they are good sources.