Simple mixtures and techniques to create a variety of flesh colors By Lora S. Irish While there are a variety of pre-mixed paints to simulate different skin tones, I prefer to mix my own. That gives me complete control over the colors, highlights, and shadows. It also allows me to […]
Woodburned details and dry brushing bring this cute critter to life By Leah Goddard Given the right circumstances, realistic wildlife carvings make great holiday ornaments. I created this squirrel holding a candy cane to combine my interest in realistic wildlife with whimsical situations. Carve this piece out of a solid block […]
Stage your own backwoods battle with patterns for a complete chess set By Mitchell Cartledge Most of my carvings tend to be small so I can move from an idea to a finished piece relatively quickly. After creating a few typical hillbilly caricatures, they took on a life of their […]
Classic geometric designs embellish this useful caddy By Barry McKenzie Learning to convert a variety of patterns into chip-carving patterns will open up a whole new world of opportunities. Nearly any image can be converted into a free-form chip-carving pattern, but quilt patterns are especially well-suited for geometric chip-carved designs. […]
Classic heart design is a great project for novice carvers By David Western This simple design is the pattern I use with beginner carvers in my lovespoon carving classes. Although it is a straightforward design, it contains several elements that will assist new carvers in learning important carving techniques. Shaping […]
Easy beginner character can be carved as Santa’s helper or a garden gnome By Ross Oar This happy fellow started out as a project in a beginner’s carving class. The compact figure is easy to carve, but provides essential practice in carving faces and texturing hair. Intermediate and advanced carvers […]
Roughing and dry-brushing techniques add life to your carving without overpowering the wood By Lora S. Irish I use stain, oil paint, and acrylic paint to enhance projects without obscuring the wood grain. To demonstrate these techniques I chose this fun wood spirit, whom I call Woodie, that is carved […]
Functional floral decorations are a lesson in traditional carving techniques By Fred Wilbur These nature-themed designs are a wonderful way to hone your skills. They make delightful gifts and add a touch of Gothic flair wherever they are displayed. Be warned–the carved magnets may attract more attention than the pictures […]
By Shawn Cipa After researching the mysterious art form of gargoyles, I wondered how I could integrate a carved gargoyle with a subject dearer to my heart: canes and walking sticks. One thought that crossed my mind when I first studied images of classic waterspouts, or “true” gargoyles, was, “That […]
