What are good carving projects for a beginner?

As a novice, what should I try carving first?-Basic Carving Plans for Starters

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For a beginner, what carving should I try first?

It's not hard to begin wood carving. 

Each summer, I stayed with my grandparents in a small Russian village by the Volga river. I recall being six. I sneaked into my grandfather's workshop and discovered a woodworking chisel. I didn't know what the tool was, but I saw it had a sharp edge and thought I could cut something with it. To make a long story short, it was the beginning of my journey in the world of carving. I didn't carve wood that day, though. I found a white brick and began to “chisel away”. I didn't know what I was carving. I just liked the process. By the end of the day, I could identify a human face in that brick. I don't remember what I felt, joy or frustration, but I know now it was the start of my lifelong journey as a carver.

Following that, I used wood and liked it way more than brick. I decided. Wood carving is for me, no more brick!

I was unaware of the various types of wood and wood carving techniques. What's the difference between chip carving and relief carving? All those technical words were hard for me to understand. I had no knowledge of the basic principles of wood carving.

I felt very blessed with both sides of my family. My grandfather had a small shop and a couple of workbenches, and I could spend time with him and watch how he worked. For him, his shop was a “hiding place” from his wife, my grandmother. But she knew where to find him.My father's side of the family has a history of skilled woodworkers and furniture makers. One of my great-grandfathers crafted furniture for a royal house in Saint Petersburg, Russia.My Grandma shared stories about her childhood in her dad's woodworking shop.

She remembered the songs of her father. He was singing while working with wood.My first chisel came from my grandfather, and my first whittling knife came from my grandmother. It was actually a pocket knife made in the USSR, not a real whittling knife. Pocket knives are good for basic carving. Those two tools were all I had for carving. I didn't have any gouge or power tools. Not even a real chip carving knife. A simple pocket knife is enough to make something beautiful.

Back then, I had no idea that woodcarving would become a major part of my life. Nowadays, I carve for collectors globally and private homes. I never knew woodcarving could be so fulfilling.

As a novice, what should I try carving first?

What is a good carving project for a beginner?

Consider what you prefer: a spoon or relief carvings. Many times, beginners don't understand the big difference between carving a wooden spoon and carving a 3D sculpture with a gouge and a mallet. This is also known as carving in the round.

Nature itself acts through the constant balance of opposites—earth and fire, sun and moon, male and female, dark and light. 

(Based on Robert Greene, Mastery)

 

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I'm starting my first carving project. What should I do?

Reflect on another significant question. What is my favorite carving style? Though, this isn't the only question to think about. Another question to think about is: what tools do you own? Do you own basic wood carving tools or just a knife? Some folks only have a chainsaw :). You can carve with a chainsaw, but not a spoon.

I suggest trying out different carving styles. Once more, what hand tools do you own? If all you have is a chip carving knife, you can't carve a spoon, but you can carve other items.

 

Dopamine is like transmission fluid: not enough of it, as in those with ADHD, makes it hard to shift attention or it jumps to high gear.

(John J. Ratey and Eric Hagerman, Spark)

Dopamine in woodcarving is like oil for your carving tools: without enough, similar to people with ADHD, your focus can either freeze or suddenly become intensely focused.

WOODCARVING – As a novice, what should I try carving first?-Basic Carving Plans for Starters

Here is a List of some ideas:

• Spoon carving
• Old European Knife Carving
• Relief Carving
• Carving in the round
• Bird and Fish Carving

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