
If I were a beginner, what would be the best carving to do?
Starting with wood carving isn't tough.
Every summer I stayed with my grandparents in a small Russian village by the Volga river. I remember when I was six years old. I sneaked into my grandfather's workshop and found a woodworking chisel. I didn't know what the tool was, but I noticed it had a cutting edge and figured I could cut something with it. To cut a long story short, it was the beginning of my carving journey. I didn't carve wood that day, though. I found a white brick and started to “chisel away”. I had no clue what I was carving. I just liked the process. At the end of the day, I could see a human face in that brick. I don't remember if 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 knew nothing about types of wood or about different types of wood carving. What's the difference between chip carving and relief carving? Those specialized words didn't make much 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.The other side of my family, my father's side, is known for their skill in woodworking and furniture making. A great-grandfather of mine was a furniture maker for a royal house in Saint Petersburg, Russia.My Grandmother told me stories of her childhood in her father's woodworking shop.
She recalled her father singing songs. He sang while he worked with the wood.I got my first chisel from my grandfather and my first whittling knife from my grandmother. It wasn't actually a whittling knife; it was a pocket knife from the USSR. Pocket knives are good 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 can create 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.
What are some simple carvings I can do as a beginner?
I'm new to carving, what should I start with?
Ask yourself first what is more appealing to you: a spoon or relief carvings. New carvers often don't realize the huge 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 moves through the ongoing exchange of opposites—earth and fire, sun and moon, male and female, dark and light.
(Based on Robert Greene, Mastery)
Join School of Wood Carving
Any tips for my first carving project?
Consider another crucial question. What carving style do I prefer? Yet, this isn't the only question to consider. Another question is: what tools do you have? Do you own basic wood carving tools or just a knife? Some might only have a chainsaw :). You can carve with a chainsaw but not a spoon.
My advice would be to experiment with different styles. So, what hand tools do you possess? If you only have a chip carving knife, spoon carving is out, but you can still carve other things.
Dopamine works like transmission fluid: if there’s not enough, as is the case in people with ADHD, attention can’t easily be shifted or can only be shifted all the way into 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 – What are some simple carvings I can do as a beginner?-Simple Entry-Level Carving Projects
Here is a List of some ideas:
- Carving spoons
- Old European Knife Carving
- Relief Carving
- Carving in the round
- Bird and Fish Carving
