study sticks

[rickm]

i just ordered a wood spirit study stick. Now does one just look at this thing for reference or do people actually spend time trying to duplicate the study stick? In other words do people spend time making study sticks from the study stick? that make sense

[rcurtism]

I used it for referance and fallowed along the basic form to see if I could come out close to what they did.I have the santa one by wayne shinlever and the indian one by Billy Reynolds along with the wood spirit one. So far I have found the indian one the most helpful to my carvings. The Santa one I got stuck a few times and the santa turned out looking a bit evil. But they to me they are a big help and I wish there were more of them out there that I could buy. ( hint.....hint......hint..........you good carvers out there)

[Eddy-Smiles]

Good Luck Rick! I never could get the hang of a study stick. I had two. I traded one away and I've still got the one by Skylar Johnson. It's somewhere in my tool box! I have to have someone show me. Just looking at a static presentation doesn't seem to do much for me.

[Tom-H]

Rick, I'm a believer in the study stick for the newer carver who may be a sittin all by him/herself and trying to do a face. However, not all study sticks are created equal. The good study stick will have as many steps as necessary to illustrate the major tool cuts. Too many of the "commercial" study sticks skimp on the steps shown. Most folks probably use the study stick as a hand held reference while they attempt to replicate each step and end up with a final carved piece that looks like the last step on the study stick. However, a real strength of the study stick is making your own, by using the commercial one as a reference. In this way, you are repeating the earlier steps multiple times. Of course this means practice, practice, and practive....

Tom H