Alexander Grabovetskiy’s online woodcarving school.
It is the best online woodworking school I have seen, and I have seen a lot of them over the years. There are no gimmicks, just European craft tradition solidly rooted in a lifetime of training and experience, taught by a true master woodcarver (if you know me you know I do not use that word lightly, and I believe that is what sets this school apart from many of the other schools out there). Part of that tradition entails sitting at the feet of a master and watching how they work. It’s remarkable how much you can learn watching someone take a piece from beginning to end and learning the framework that their personal craft methodology exists within. Learning to connect the dots of different skills and techniques is really what pushes you to the next level in whatever skill you are pursuing.
Alexander’s school gives you a look into his personal work philosophy and allows you to see the most important parts of carving through his eyes: drawing throughout the carving process, learning to think of carving in three dimensions, how to achieve that vision through your tools, gouge techniques and grips, and other minute details that take a lifetime of experience to gain and make a world of difference in practice. For example, hearing Alexander explain his methodology for using specific tools in certain situations, watching his workflow, how his sharpening setup and frequency, workholding, and workshop all flow together synergistically are things I’ve already taken away from his lessons.
I think one of the best ways to learn a skill is by watching a master, and Alexander is one of the few people I truly believe is a master in woodcarving. This probably sounds like a paid advertisement at this point, but I’m not affiliated with the school. I simply think this is the best carving school available to students today.