Learn the fundamentals of carving in low relief by Chris Pye This article was first published in issue 43 of Woodcarving Illustrated. This design gives you the opportunity to practice low-relief carving. The technique is the same whether you are carving kanji characters, traditional letters, or pictorial designs. These kanji characters […]
Simple cuts add depth and shadows by Lora S. Irish This article was first published in issue 39 of Woodcarving Illustrated. A high relief carving depends on shadows and the illusion of depth. Undercutting helps you achieve this and has the added benefit of tucking the joint line underneath an element, which allows […]
Roughing and dry-brushing techniques add life to your carving without overpowering the wood by Lora S. Irish This article was originally published in issue 46 of Woodcarving Illustrated. In this project, I use stain, oil paint, and acrylic paint to enhance the project without obscuring the wood grain. This fun wood […]
Transfer measurements and maintain proportions with these simple tools by Bob Duncan This article was first published in issue 57 of Woodcarving Illustrated. Basic measuring tools have been around for most of documented history; the Freemasons include dividers in their symbol. These simple tools help carvers create symmetry and transfer measurements […]
This easy-to-make shop aid is a great way to keep your gouges and V-tools in tip-top shape by Lora S. Irish This article was first published in issue 35 of Woodcarving Illustrated. With just a few minutes of work, you can create this honing board customized to sharpen your specific gouges […]
Carve in your living room with this simple shop-made board by Gary MacKay This article was first published in issue 49 of Woodcarving Illustrated. When I first started chip carving, I would place a towel on my lap to catch the chips. With chip carving, you should have your thumb, knuckle, […]
Classic technique allows you to scale a pattern without using a photocopier or computer By Jon Deck and Bob Duncan Before photocopiers were widespread, woodworkers and crafters enlarged patterns by hand. While there are hosts of drafting tools that make this possible, the easiest way to enlarge a pattern is […]
Taking a caricature from concept to completion by Marv Kaisersatt This article was first published in issue 38 of Woodcarving Illustrated. By relying on commercially available patterns, your scope of subjects is very limited. It’s actually quite simple to design your own caricature by determining proportions and positions with models before beginning the […]
Tips and tricks to clean up difficult areas in a relief carving by Lora S. Irish This article was first published in issue 38 of Woodcarving Illustrated. Clean joint lines are the first problem a budding relief carver runs into. If your joint lines are not sharp and clean, the whole […]
Add texture and designs to your carving with these simple tools by Roger Schroeder This article was first published in issue 46 of Woodcarving Illustrated. Essentially, a woodcarver’s punch is a steel texturing tool with a pattern engraved on its tip. Just when woodcarvers started to use them is unknown, although […]
