What should I try carving first as a beginner?

Can I get a recommendation for a beginner-friendly carving project?-Basic Carving Projects for Newbies

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As a beginner, what carving should I start with?

Wood carving isn't difficult to get into. 

Every summer, I stayed with my grandparents in a small village by the Volga river in Russia. I recall being six years old. I snuck inside my grandfather's workshop, and I found one woodworking chisel. I didn't know what the tool was, but I knew it had a cutting edge and I could probably cut something with it. Long story short, it was the start of my carving journey. I didn't carve wood that day, though. I found a white brick and began to “chisel away”. I really didn't have any idea what I was carving. I just enjoyed it. At the end of the day, I could identify a human face in that brick. I don't remember if I felt joy or frustration, but I know now it was the beginning of my lifelong journey as a carver.

Then, I worked with wood and preferred it over brick. I decided. I'll carve wood, not brick!

I had no idea about the types of wood or the different styles of wood carving. What sets chip carving apart from relief carving? All those complicated terms confused me. I lacked any basic understanding 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.Other side of my family. Father's side had a history of fine woodworkers and furniture makers. One of my great-grandfathers was one of the furniture makers for a royal house in Saint Petersburg, Russia.My Grandma shared stories about her childhood in her dad's woodworking shop.

She remembered the melodies her father sang. He was singing while working with wood.My grandfather gave me my first chisel, and my grandmother gave me my first whittling knife. Actually, it was a pocket knife from the USSR, not a whittling knife. Pocket knives are good for simple carving. Those were my carving tools. I didn't have a gouge or any power tools. Not even a real chip carving knife. A basic pocket knife is enough to create something beautiful.

Back then I didn't know that woodcarving would be one of the most important parts of my life. Now I am carving for collectors around the world and private residences. I did not know that woodcarving could be such a rewarding hobby.

Can I get a recommendation for a beginner-friendly carving project?

As a beginner, what should I carve?

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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How do I start my first carving project?

Think about another key question. What carving style appeals to me? But this is not the only question you have to ask yourself. Another question to consider is: what tools do you possess? Do you have basic carving tools or only a knife? Some folks only have a chainsaw :). You can carve with a chainsaw, but not a spoon.

My advice would be to experiment with different styles. Think about it, what hand tools do you have? If all you have is a chip carving knife, you can't carve a spoon, but you can carve other items.

 

Dopamine acts like transmission fluid: without enough of it, as seen in folks with ADHD, switching attention is hard or it jumps straight to high gear.

(John J. Ratey and Eric Hagerman, Spark)

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

WOODCARVING – Can I get a recommendation for a beginner-friendly carving project?-Basic Carving Projects for Newbies

Here is a List of some ideas:

• Hand-carving spoons
• Old European Knife Carving
• Relief Carving
• Carving in the round
• Bird and Fish Carving

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