What should I try carving first as a beginner?
What should I carve if I’m new to this hobby?-Easy Woodcarving Activities
Which carving is good for a beginner?
Starting wood carving is pretty easy.
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 into my grandfather's workshop and saw a woodworking chisel. I didn't know what the tool was, but I saw it had a sharp edge and thought I could 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, though. I found a white brick and began to “chisel away”. I really had no idea what I was carving. I simply enjoyed the process. At the end of the day, I saw 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 didn't know anything about different kinds of wood or wood carving. What sets chip carving apart from relief carving? All those complicated terms confused me. I wasn't familiar with the basics of wood carving.
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 Grandma shared stories about her childhood in her dad's woodworking shop.
She remembered the tunes her dad sang. He sang while working with 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 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 carving project is best for a beginner?
Decide what you find more interesting: 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 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?
Reflect on another significant question. What is my favorite carving style? However, this isn't the only question to ask. Another question to consider is: what tools do you possess? Do you have 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 recommendation is to try various styles. Remember, what hand tools do you have? If you only have a chip carving knife, spoon carving is out, but you can still carve other things.
Dopamine operates like transmission fluid: if there’s a shortage, as with ADHD, attention shifting is difficult or jumps right 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 – What should I carve if I’m new to this hobby?-Easy Woodcarving Activities
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!