Which carving is good for a beginner?
It's not hard to begin wood carving.
Every summer, I spent time with my grandparents in a small village by the Volga river in Russia. I remember when I was six. 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. 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 began to chisel away. I didn't know what I was carving. I simply enjoyed doing it. At the end of the day, I could see a human face in that brick. I don't remember what I felt, joy or frustration, but I know now it was the start 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 didn't understand anything about wood types or carving styles. How are chip carving and relief carving different? Those specialized words didn't make much sense to me. I had no knowledge of the basic principles of wood carving.
I felt 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 she knew where to find him.Other side of my family. Father's side had a history of fine woodworkers and furniture makers. One of my great-grandfathers was one of the furniture makers for a royal house in Saint Petersburg, Russia.My Grandma shared stories about her childhood in her dad's woodworking shop.
She recalled the songs her father used to sing. 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.
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’s a good first carving project for me as an amateur?
What should I carve if I'm just starting out?
Decide what you find more interesting: a spoon or relief carvings. Sometimes a beginner doesn't realize how big the difference is between carving a wooden spoon and carving some 3-dimensional sculpture with a gouge and a mallet. Also known as carving in the round.
Nature itself operates through the steady interplay 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?
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 of you might only have a chainsaw :). You can carve with a chainsaw but not a spoon.
I advise experimenting with various carving 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 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 oil for your carving tools: if there’s not enough, just like people with ADHD, your focus can either freeze or suddenly become very intense.
WOODCARVING – What’s a good first carving project for me as an amateur?-Beginner-Friendly Carving Ideas
Here is a List of some ideas:
- Spoon carving
- 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!