Which carving is good for a beginner?
Starting wood carving is pretty easy.
Each summer, I visited my grandparents in a tiny Russian village near the Volga river. I recall 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 knew it had a sharp edge and I could probably 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 had no idea what I was carving. I simply enjoyed the process. By the end of the day, I could identify a human face in that brick. I don’t really remember if 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 knew nothing about types of wood or about different types of wood carving. What sets chip carving apart from relief carving? Those specialized words didn’t make much sense to me. I lacked any basic understanding of wood carving.
I was really lucky with both sides of my family. My grandpa had a little shop and a few workbenches, and I could hang out with him and see how he did things. To him, his shop was a “hiding spot” from his wife, my grandma. But of course, 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 remembered the songs of her father. He sang as he worked with the wood.My first chisel came from my grandfather, and my first whittling knife came from my grandmother. It was actually a pocket knife made in the USSR, not a real whittling knife. Pocket knives are good for basic carving. Those two tools were all I had for carving. I didn’t have any gouge or power tools. Not even a real chip carving knife. A simple pocket knife is enough to make something beautiful.
Back in the day, I didn’t know woodcarving would be such a big part of my life. Now, I carve for collectors all over the world and private homes. I never thought woodcarving could be so satisfying.
What should I carve to practice my skills as a beginner?
I’m new to carving, what should I start with?
Consider what you prefer: 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
What should I do for 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 do you have? Do you have basic wood carving tools or only 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.
My advice would be to experiment with different styles. Remember, 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 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 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 to practice my skills as a beginner?-Simple Carving Ideas for Beginners
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!