Work Positioner By Mike Pounders Using a work positioner allows you to carve with both hands, which provides greater control and power. This positioner is simple to make with a few pieces of plywood and some hardware. To start, face-glue two pieces of 1/2″ (13mm)-thick plywood together or use 3/4″ […]
Harley Refsal’s new book, Whittling Little Folk, is receiving a lot of positive feedback from Woodcarving Illustrated readers. In addition to the compliments, readers shared that the pattern for Kristian on page 23 is incorrect, and the pattern for Lawrence on page 123 needs a few minor alterations. For Lawrence, […]
Polyurethane core is easy to carve and holds detail well By Terry Brasher Photography by Jay Brasher Several years ago I was hunting for driftwood with my mentor and friend, Vic Hood. On a sandy beach area (rare in Tennessee), I found a softball that had washed up on shore. […]
Faces are quick and easy when you hide the eyes By Don Worley Many people are familiar with the tiny biting insect called the no-see-um. I created a series of carvings I call no-see-ums because the eyes are hidden by hats or hair. Designed to eliminate the task of carving […]
By Lora S. Irish After you finish carving a lure, it can be difficult to display it. While a simple wire ornament stand, which can be found in most craft stores, can be used to display your lure, it’s a simple task to bend your wire of choice into a […]
From Doug Storment, San Antonio, Tex. Most carvers struggle to sketch an accurate centerline on an irregularly shaped band-saw cutout. I use a laser level—the type used to establish straight lines on walls. Mark the center in a few spots on the carving and aim the laser level so it […]
Classic flat-plane design is a great beginner caricature By Harley Refsal Trolls are popular subjects from Scandinavian folklore. These fanciful creatures are ideal for carving in the flat-plane folk-art style, which originated in Scandinavia. This queen is the mate of the troll I carved in Woodcarving Illustrated Summer 2004 (Issue […]
This romantic frame makes a meaningful gift for a loved one By Mike Davies Shapes, symbols, and objects can be brought together to tell stories, and as woodcarvers we have the opportunity to capture these stories in our work. This picture frame in the shape of a heart, bound with […]
Organizing Sharp Tools Whenever you are working with sharp tools, it is important to be organized. I start by color coding my tool handles. For example, I paint a purple stripe on all of my #5 gouges. Then I woodburn my initials or a symbol (I use a sun) on […]
Speed up the roughing-out process by cutting three views with your band saw By Jim Willis I draw the front, top, and side views of my design on the carving blank. This way, I make sure all of the major points in each view line up with each other. Many […]
