What’s a good carving project for a beginner?
Starting with wood carving isn’t tough.
Every summer, I spent time with my grandparents in a small village by the Volga river in Russia. I recall when I was 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 noticed it had a cutting edge and figured I could 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 started to “chisel away”. I really didn’t have any idea what I was carving. I simply enjoyed the process. By the end of the day, I could see a human face in that brick. I don’t really remember what I felt, joy or frustration, but I know now it was the starting point 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 had no idea about the types of wood or the different styles of wood carving. What’s the difference between chip carving and relief carving? The jargon was all very confusing to me. I did not know any wood carving basics.
I was very lucky with both sides of my family. My grandpa had a small shop and a few workbenches, and I could spend time with him and see how he worked. For him, his shop was a “hiding place” from his wife, my grandma. But she knew where to find him.On my dad’s side, there’s a long history of talented woodworkers and furniture makers. One of my great-grandfathers made furniture for a royal house in Saint Petersburg, Russia.My Granny shared memories of her childhood in her dad’s woodworking shop.
She recalled the songs her father used to sing. He sang as he worked with the wood.My grandfather gave me my first chisel, and my grandmother gave me my first whittling knife. It was really a pocket knife from the USSR, not a whittling knife. 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.
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.
What are some simple carvings I can do as a beginner?
What should I carve if I’m just starting out?
Ask yourself first what is more appealing to you: a spoon or relief carvings. A lot of beginners don’t grasp the big difference between carving a wooden spoon and carving a 3-dimensional sculpture with a gouge and a mallet. This is also called carving in the round.
Nature itself works through the constant interaction 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?
Ponder another vital question. What carving style do I enjoy? Yet, this isn’t the only question to consider. Another question to think about is: what tools do you own? Do you have basic wood carving tools or only a knife? Some people only have a chainsaw :). Chainsaw carving is possible but not spoon carving.
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 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, similar to people with ADHD, your focus can either freeze 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:
- Creating spoons from wood
- Old European Knife Carving
- Relief Carving
- Carving in the round
- Bird and Fish Carving
I’m a woodworker who loves carving. I make fancy carvings for a high end client worldwide. I also teach wood carving. I started the School of Wood Carving, a non-profit to help people learn.
The school’s website has over 3,000 how-to videos. Great for beginners and pros! I’m from Russia but have lived in the USA a long time. Like wood? Join us at the School of Wood Carving. We’d love to have you!