Learn what makes the perfect pocketknife You can whittle with almost any knife, but some will make it more fun and comfortable than others. Get advice on picking the perfect pocketknife from the expert whittler Chris Lubkemann. He’ll tell you which blades you need (and which ones you don’t) […]
Intricate details and interesting poses add life to these realistic Santa carvings By Dylan Goodson With any carving, it’s important to get the overall anatomy correct. But for me, the fun comes when it’s time to add details. I prefer realistic carvings because I can really add as much detail […]
Your new chance to carve our very first Santa By David Sabol In many ways, it’s the iconic carving we compare all Santa projects to—the cover project of Woodcarving Illustrated Issue 1. This piece captures the whimsy and fun of carving, and the finishing technique leaves no question that it’s […]
Create a one-of-a-kind gift by upcycling wooden cigar boxes By Desiree Hajny Most good cigars come in Spanish cedar boxes, and Spanish cedar is a great wood for carving. So, why not embellish a cigar box with a carving to transform it into a wonderful keepsake box. When carving the […]
Fun and festive Halloween figure is easy to carve By Cyndi Joslyn Here’s a fun figure to decorate a tabletop or any surface you like. You can easily carve it in a few hours using just a few tools. It’s just as easy to paint. CLICK HERE to download the […]
Get started with your fall decorating with this fanciful relief carving pattern By Lora S. Irish This clever little critter is planning ahead for winter. Rummaging through the oak leaves, he’s picking up acorns and storing them away. Use this adorable pattern to decorate anything–and carve it in a few […]
Simple cuts add texture to this happy fellow by Jim Villars When I started getting requests for handcarved bears, I carved them using models and patterns. Those first attempts were so bad that the fireplace rejected them. I decided to create my own version, depicting a bear how I thought […]
Facial expressions and body language let you tell a story with this carving by Arnold Smith Most of my carvings begin with a story in my head. “This hunter, who happens to be a really poor shot, finally killed himself a duck and was really excited about it. He […]
Simple relief seashell is a perfect project for summer By Cindy Joslyn This simple shell is a great way to commemorate a beach vacation. I use mine as a paperweight, and I include instructions for weighting it, but you could also carve the shell into a box top or even a mantle. […]
Designed as a cane topper, this majestic eagle could easily be enlarged for a full-size carving By Pat Mikula Moore A cane head makes a great project for several reasons: it is small enough to hold in your hand; if you make a mistake, you haven’t ruined an entire cane; and […]
