WCI #47 - Cover Preview

[Mottles]

Hi Shannon, choice of past cover issues by cover my top pics:
Issues, 24, 28, 30, 31, 32, 36, 37, 41, 43, Handcarved Holiday-Special Issue 2008, and my very favorite current issue 46.
Adding issue 7, 8, 19
Kathy

[skidmore]

My preference is the wolf. I am a subscriber. texturing is somthing i would like to learn, but on the other hand cloth and draping is good too. Again I lean more towards the wolf cover.

Forrest of NC

[Jammy]

I am a new subscriber to the magazine (received two so far). But had I seen these magazines on the news stand, I would pick up the wolf cover immediately and probably not pick up the whirlygig magazine at all.

My personal interests in carving are more solid/realistic carvings rather than folk art/crafts type of activities. (but I'd still put whimsical caricaturesin with my interests as I hope to try one some day soon).

Currently I would LOVE to have the fur / burning article be the one for summer as I am currently doing exactly that on a Grizzly bear I'm working on finishing.

I voted for the wolf.. it lends more to the name of the magazine as well as what I would expect to find inside the covers if I were a new reader.

[Shannon]

As a side note - all the content you see featured on these two covers IS included in the summer issue. It's just a matter of which content to put on the wrapper.

[Jammy]

Here are my choices for past covers that HAVE caught my eye.. some I want to order.

44, 39, 37, 36, 34, 31, 30, 26, 22, 19, 18, 16, 15, 14, 8, 7, 4, 2

[jjtexas]

I voted for the wolf cover because it is something I am interested in, but as pointed out by others I don’t think it will appeal to a non-carver just thinking about starting a new hobby.

I am not a consultant (and don’t get to play one on TV) but maybe a cover showing Ms X (or Mr.) sitting at her/his work bench carving a wolf (and a inserted close-up picture of just the hands, tool and carving) would have more newbie appeal.

Just my two cents worth.

[scooter]

I echo xsailor's opinion.

And of the two, I prefer the wolf cover.

Now to the question at hand - which of the two do I feel a newbie would be more apt to pick up? Of the two choices, I believe it would be the whirligig, as that seems (to me) less intimidating and a good first project for a beginner.

A couple of random (semi-related) thoughts:
- On one cover you've got a rather dull-sounding 'Working with clay models', while on the other a more grander-sounding 'Master carving secrets: Clay models'. So which is it? Are you going to divulge some ground-breaking clay modelling technique, or tell us something we (or some fair number of people) already know?

-I don't care for the use of hands on either cover. I find that it distracts from the featured piece. Maybe it's just me, and maybe I'm exposing my OCD compulsions, but I find myself regarding the hands and thinking, 'Man or woman?' 'Age?' 'Do I see any cuts there?' 'Is that the hand of the actual carver, or a hand model?', and imagining how many pictures they had to shoot to get the desired hand placement. For me, it's just a little distracting. Okay, so I'm a little weird...

Given all these opinions and criteria, it's no wonder why you (Bob/Shannon) say that the cover is the hardest aspect of a magazine to nail down.


S~

[chuckbolton]

shannon and bob-- did you have any idea of the response you would get to your question? im surprised on one hand-- and yet with the number of folks who are members on the message board -- i shouldnt be-- ill be interested to see how many viewings it gets-- tho would like to see how many individuals read the post-- some of us read it multiple times

[Thor]

First of all, that's a terrible tease, and we're not supposed to be prone to "torture" in this country....now that is not the entry into a political discussion, just a joke.
10 new projects....hmmmmm...that part I like.

The colorful cover appeals to me the best....just because I like color, but the project does kind of imply a beginner woodworking project perhaps with children. Just a first impression.

I just want my new issue! subscribing is a benefit.

Christina

[Marci MN]

I too voted for the Wolf. You asked what would appeal to a person to 'pick up that mag'. I know of three folks who got the magazine with Toms Five minute wizard on it.. because they felt they could do that project. If they are not already subscribers.. I'd think it would be safe to say they are not seasoned carvers either. Beginner type projects on the cover would 'grab' I'd guess.

And a hand showing the carving tools with what ever project should be an eye grabber. You dont have to read the title to know what the content is about.

I do have a question. I do remember that very first day I found my first carving magazine. It was a carved Indian head facing sideways. It grabbed me. But since then that store no longer carries the magazine. I've asked local stores to bring it in...and they say its not up to them. HOW does one go about getting more magazines out into the public for purchase? I wanted to purchase a few to send to relatives who've shown interest but cannot find the mag locally either. I know its a free trial via our home page.. but I wanted to send as gifts.

Marcia.