Article discussion thread:Christmas Gnome

[WCIarticleBot]

This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Christmas Gnome

[karvinfool]

This looked like a great tutorial and I was interested in something different than Santas. However, the photos were staged so that, for me, it was hard to see the progression of the project. Great idea, tho!

[Whittled Thumb]

SIX MINUTES!!!

You can not even read the instructions in six minutes. I'd love to see a video of anyone doing this in six minutes!

[Brian Dent]

Great variation for a 6 minute carving project.
I like the idea of a quick projects that can be used to learn basic knife cuts.
Keeping things simple and getting finished results
What is key is practice, practice, practice
Thanks Jan.

[Melissa B]

Dear Jan,

(And you are a "dear" to share this). What a wonderful little gnome! I read some of the comments to your article. If I can learn to carve this in even 30 minutes, it will be the fastest item I can carve! and think of the friends I could share them with. I will give it a go and see if I can master it. Thank you very much.

Melissa B

While I am beginning to look like a caricature,
I might as well carve 'um.

[Tom-H]

Without painting, I'll bet Jan could carve two in six minutes.....it's the painting that slows him down.

Tom H

[Rob Wilson]

Great article and subject..But...I wish it was available in a video format so I could download the video. I use a portable DVD player in my shop for information such as this. That lets me work at my pace, and have the information at hand at all times.

[Lazy Carver]

It won't take 6 minutes the first try, and you won't get it right on the first time around.... That is why there is this thing called 'practice!'. Things do take time, but in time you can achieve near the same, if not better!, than what is tutorialed... The word here is 'practice'... I think even 5 minutes is obtainable... It's not in the time that it takes, but what you do with it, is what counts!

[woodsman1st]

I just loved the comment by whittled thumb; it really made me laugh. Granted I have only been carving for two years and still have much to learn; however, not only on this project must I agree with the outspoken "thumb", I have often felt the exact same way when overly enthusiastic carvers make simular claims; "a 20 minute Santa; carve 3 of 'doohickies' a day; a half hour project; and so forth. When I would attempt one of these "high speed ventures", and find myself still carving at three, four, eight and ten times the time listed by the author, at first I found it completely discouraging; now I just assume that the author loses him/herself in the joy of carving and has no idea how much time has passed, or is a super/expert and has carved the item robotically thousands of times. Still the estimation of time has some merit in that I believe the item/project can be carved much quicker than normal.
One disclaimer is now needed. I just picked those times out of thin air and I am NOT refering to ANY particular author or carving. However listed times such as this one do leave me feeling somewhat discombobulated compared to the actual time it takes me to carve said project.
Again thanks for the laugh whittled thumb; you are my hero for the day for speaking what I have been thinking.

Happy days spent carving are never wasted days.
Ken

[kimschance]

Thanks Ken & Rob,
For saying out loud what others like myself are thinking, feeling and stewing over. I have been at the same place on the '5 minute wizard' from WCI Summer 2007 issue for a week now. My practice stick looks like my Boston and Shiba Inu's chew toy! (Although I believe theirs is more refined) I keep going over and over the directions and still end up at the same place, almost as if there is a secret step left out, assumed - or forgotten. Pictures cant show the thought process, only incremental steps. The gnome has 'cuts' which are beyond this newbie at the moment, as I am still trying to master the easy ones which come more naturally to me.
I wasnt after the fast - quick - easy way out, just thought it was really neat and wanted to try my hand at it. Discouraging to say the least. Unfortunate for my wood pile ... nothing has ever got the best of me!
Chance