For a beginner, what carving should I try first?
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 remember when I was 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. To make a long story short, it was the start of my journey in carving. I didn’t carve wood that day. I found a white brick and started chiseling. I didn’t know what I was carving. I just 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 start of my lifelong journey as a carver.
Afterward, I worked with wood and enjoyed it more than brick. I decided. I’ll carve wood, not brick anymore!
I didn’t understand anything about wood types or carving styles. What’s the difference between chip carving and relief carving? The jargon was all very confusing to me. I had no knowledge of the basic principles of wood carving.
I was 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 obviously, 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 Grandmother told me stories of her childhood in her father’s woodworking shop.
She remembered her father’s songs. He sang songs while working with 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.
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.
What should I carve if I’m new to this hobby?
What is a good carving project for a beginner?
Think about what you like more: a spoon or relief carvings. Beginners sometimes don’t notice how different it is to carve a wooden spoon compared to 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)
Join School of Wood Carving
How do I start my first carving project?
Consider another crucial question. What carving style do I prefer? But that’s not the only question you need to ask. Another question is: what tools are available to you? Do you have basic wood carving tools or just a knife? Some of you might only have a chainsaw :). You can do a chainsaw carving but with a chainsaw, you can’t carve a spoon.
I suggest trying out different carving styles. Think about it, what hand tools do you have? If you have only a chip carving knife you can’t do “spoon carving”, but it does not mean you can’t do something else.
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 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 – What should I carve if I’m new to this hobby?-Basic First-Time Woodcarvings
Here is a List of some ideas:
- Crafting wooden spoons
- 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!