What should I carve as a beginner?

Can I get a recommendation for a beginner-friendly carving project?-Easy First-Time Carving Tasks

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For a beginner, what carving should I try first?

Starting with wood carving isn't tough. 

Each summer, I visited my grandparents in a tiny Russian village near the Volga river. I remember being six years old. I sneaked into my grandfather's workshop and saw a woodworking chisel. I didn't know what the tool was, but I knew it had a cutting 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. I found a white brick and started to “chisel away”. I had no idea what I was carving. I just enjoyed doing it. At the end of the day, I saw a human face in that brick. I don't really remember what I felt, joy or frustration, but I know now it was the start of my lifelong journey as a carver.

After that, I tried to work with a piece of wood and liked it a lot more than brick. I made the decision. I will carve wood and no longer the brick!

I didn't know anything about different kinds of wood or wood carving. What the difference is between chip carving and relief carving? All those fancy words made little sense to me. I did not know any wood carving basics.

I felt very fortunate with both sides of my family. My grandfather owned a small shop and a couple of workbenches, and I could spend time with him and watch him work. For him, his shop was a “hiding place” from his wife, my grandmother. But naturally, she knew where to find him.On my father's side, the family has a rich history of fine woodworkers and furniture makers. One of my great-grandfathers was a craftsman for a royal house in Saint Petersburg, Russia.My Grandma talked about her childhood in her father's woodworking shop.

She remembered the melodies her father sang. He sang as he worked with the wood.I got my first chisel from my grandfather, and my first whittling knife from my grandmother. It wasn't really a whittling knife; it was a pocket knife from the USSR. Pocket knives work well for basic carving. Those two tools were my carving tools. I didn't have a gouge or any power tools. Not even a proper chip carving knife. A simple pocket knife is enough to make something beautiful.

At that time, I didn't know woodcarving would play such a crucial role in my life. Now, I create pieces for collectors globally and private residences. I didn't think woodcarving could be so gratifying.

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

I'm new to carving, what should I start with?

Ponder on what attracts you more: 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 operates through the steady interplay of opposites—earth and fire, sun and moon, male and female, dark and light. 

(Based on Robert Greene, Mastery)

 

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Starting my first carving project. What steps should I take?

Ask another important question. What style of carving do I like? Though, this isn't the only question to think about. Another question to ask is: what tools are at your disposal? Do you have basic wood carving tools or just a knife? Some of you have only a chainsaw :). Chainsaw carving is possible but not spoon carving.

I suggest trying out different carving styles. Think about it, what hand tools do you have? With just a chip carving knife, spoon carving isn't possible, but other carvings are.

 

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 the oil for your carving tools: if there’s not enough, similar to individuals with ADHD, your focus can either get stuck or suddenly jump to intense concentration.

WOODCARVING – Can I get a recommendation for a beginner-friendly carving project?-Easy First-Time Carving Tasks

Here is a List of some ideas:

• Making wooden spoons
• Old European Knife Carving
• Relief Carving
• Carving in the round
• Bird and Fish Carving

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