[1brandonschmidt]

I am about as bad as they come.I subscribed to this forum in hopes of getting better.

[Donna_T]

Welcome Brandon,
Good info here that should be of help as you learn more about carving. Surf through old postings as well as recent stuff--good info everywhere.
Donna T

[K Karver]

Hi Brandon,

Rather new myself. Welcome. I agree with Donna, a good way to get to know people and some cool stuff is trolling through the postings. I have looked at some of the gold star sites that show up in them and they are great. Enjoy.

John

[JIM QUILICI]

1 brand...,
the best way to get better is you being the the judge, carve something... when you are done ..look at it study it, how do the eyes look...what can I do to make them better. are the eyes even or is one eye higher than than the other , do they look like a eye?....do that with the mouth ,ears, nose, arms, fingers, hands feet, and then change them on the next carving, because you know what to look for, there is no way you won't get better.
Jim

[pallin]

Don't beat yourself up for not being an instant expert. I cannot think of any hobby or human endeavor that doesn't have some individuals that are "way out" ahead of the rest of us. Don't measure yourself against them. Set realistic goals for your own progress. For most of us it is a long, slow, step-by-step process.

[RussL.]

My advice?

Enjoy the process....'cause there is a lot more of that to enjoy than there are finished carvings! ;-)

Enjoy sharpening, enjoy picking out wood, enjoy new tools, enjoy new applications for old tools, enjoy your carving space, enjoy the lay-out of a new project, enjoy trying different types of carving, enjoy reading carving posts, magazines and books, enjoy getting the lighting right...
Enjoy the process...'cause it's all a process.

I have been "seriously" carving for only about year and slowly but surely somehow along the way I have improved...noticeably, even to me!

A year ago I tried some excercises from a book about carving letters in wood. Just a couple of days ago I went back to the same excercises and applied myslef to them again.
What a surprise! I did everything better, faster and cleaner. What a revelation!

So enjoy the process. It all there for you.
...and this message board will help when nothing else can.

All the best,

RussL.
Newbie Second Class

[Mottles]

Hello, and welcome, the getting better is a good thing. We have gots of really good carvers and woodburner who have lots of good carving knowledge. So if you have questions or need help 'just ask'.
Kathy