Best Carving Design Contest Archive

2008 Santa Carving Contest – All Entries

Congratulation Winners!

With more than 100 carvings entered in this year’s Santa Carving Contest, judging was a difficult task indeed. It’s interesting to see how carvers took inspiration from last year’s entries. We definitely saw improvement in the pieces from carvers who participate every year.

Get ready for next year with these tips from the judges!

The judges spent hours studying Santa after Santa. We took a few notes while listening in on their conversation. The following suggestions might help your Santa make it to the finals next year!

  • Attitude—Santa should look jolly, not angry or stern.
  • Finish—Paint shouldn’t make the carving look plastic.
  • Pose and Movement—Change the angle of the head or hips to eliminate the square look and add a sense of flow.
  • Facial Details—The face is the first thing people notice. Gather reference material and practice.
  • Bases—If you add a base, make sure it ties in with the rest of the carving.

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