MATERIALS

• Basswood turning, pear-shaped: 2 5/8″ (6.7cm) dia. by 3 1/2″ (8.9cm) tall

• Simple Green®

• Acrylic paints: alizarin crimson, black, burnt sienna, ivory white, medium flesh, tompte red

• Finish: boiled linseed oil

• Oil paint: burnt sienna

• Mineral spirits

• Paper towels

TOOLS

• Carving knife

• #11 gouges: 5/32″ (4mm), 3/16″ (5mm), 9/32″ (7mm)

• V-tools: 1/8″ (3mm), 1/4″ (6mm), 3/8″ (10mm)

• Paintbrushes: assorted

Roger Beane is a retired middle school teacher who started carving in the early 1980s. He carves a variety of caricatures and Christmas items and teaches carving classes. He lives in Oskaloosa, Iowa, with his wife, Andrea (who helped him write this article).

Think Sharp

Behind the blade with Flexcut’s product manager Matt Retkowski
By Dorissa Bolinski

Peace, Man

Follow this guy to the biggest festival of the summer

By Bruce Ankeny

Classic Gnome

Walk in the enchanted forest with this friendly little character

By Mehmet Berat Tas

Magical Seahorse

Carve an elegant decoration that’s sure to please any fan of the open sea

By Birce Keser

Wacky Blade Cover

This funny tool guard will protect your favorite knife

By Mark Akers

Hummingbird and Crane

Soar above the clouds with miniature birds in flight

By Steve Tomashek

Crop Circles Frame

Use a burr meant for roughing out to carve a textured design

By Kristin LeVier

Realistic Atlantic Salmon

Reel in a trophy fish that looks like the real thing

By Charles Weiss

Celtic Chip Carving

Create a wall hanging or decorate a box lid with an ancient design

By Blandine Champagneur

Salty Sea Captain

Embark on a high seas adventure with a friendly seafaring gent

By Jonathan Creason

Happy Hopper

This charming fishing frog is ready to star in his own fairy tale

By Alice Wang

Diamond Rosettes

Take chip carving to the next level with four unique geometric designs

By Nikolas Rocha

Walking Farmer

Get a groove on and put some movement into your carvings

By Blake Lunsford

Sunflower Starburst

Catch the summer sun in a medium relief carving that exudes happiness

By Dustin Strenke

Easy Dolphin

Whittle a sweet, pocket-sized sea mammal

By Tom Hindes

Mustache Man

Curve the centerline to add interest and a natural flow to carvings

By Dave Dion

Getting Schooled

Teaching dynamo Richard Embling shares his passion for woodcarving with students everywhere

By Dorissa Bolinski

Whitetail Deer

Practice carving delicate appendages with this easy but measured design

By James Ray Miller

Oak Leaf and Acorn Pendant

Capture the beauty of nature within the fluid lines of this organic necklace

By Slavica Popovska

Baxter the Ghoulish Gourd

Wow your neighbors this Halloween with the coolest pumpkin on the block

By Lundy Cupp

Wood Spirit with Raven and Wand

Conjure a magical man of the woods with a found log and some carving bits

By Edgar Shrum

Carving a Cherokee Bear

A stylized design and a good sanding really make this piece of cedar pop

By James “Bud” Smith

Monster Magnet

Bring this funny mummy to life with strategic cuts and an eye on dimension

By Richard Embling

Glowing Soap Ghost

Turn a simple DIY soap into a cute spectral gathering

By Janet Bolyard

Tall Hat Wizard

Add movement, shadow, and personality to your caricatures by removing a whole lotta wood

By Jim Feather

Axe of Strength

Protect your favorite carving knife with a Viking-worthy blade cover

By Nick Kelam

Decorative Salad Bowl

Turn, texture, and color your own dinner party showstopper

By Luke Voytas

Ichabod’s Flight

Carve and stylize a folk-art figurine that looks like a rustic heirloom

By Jill Motovidlak

5-Point Star Rosette

Acrylic paint and gel stain add flair to an easy chip-carved coaster

By Marty Leenhouts

Agatha the Witch

Gluing layers prior to carving adds dimension for spellbinding results

By Betty Padden

Haunted Statue Caricature

Try a scary texturizing technique for this ghostly guy

By Jerry McNulty

Autumn Lighthouse

Subtle washes of acrylic paint give life to a tranquil fall scene

By Fred and Elaine Stenman

Whittled Fantasy Pencil

Give a drab desk some personality with this quirky one-knife project

By Lieve Roelants

3. Rough out the boots. Use the knife to make V cuts on the boot line. Carve in at a slight angle from above and below this line to create a V-shaped cut. Extend these cuts a little to the left and right sides of the block.

4. Rough out the scarf. Cut in the bottom of the scarf. Following the same instructions as in Step 2, use the knife to make V cuts on the lower scarf line. Two cuts, one angling down and in and the other up and in, form the V shape that meets at the lower scarf line.

5. Set up the arms. Use a 1/4″ (6mm) 90° V-tool to establish the arm blocks. Starting at the boot line, lay the V-tool on its side and follow the arm lines up to the scarf. As you approach the scarf, raise the V-tool out of the wood to prevent running the tool into the scarf.

6. Roughly shape the body. Use the knife to roughly shape the upper body and back. Make cuts that angle up and in toward the scarf all around the body.

7. Carve the boots and the tail of the scarf. Draw the tail of the scarf on the chest. As with the arms, lay the 1/4″ (6mm) 90° V-tool on its side and carve up the scarf lines. Use the knife to separate the boots with a V cut. Then cut back in to the boot line at a slight angle to shape the boots.

8. Taper the hat and scarf. Narrow both areas with the knife so they’re slightly less wide than the body.

9. Shape the arms. Continue to shape the upper body and draw the arm shapes on. Following the pattern, use the knife to cut in the arms and mittens. Cut a separation between the coat sleeve and the mittens, bringing the mitten slightly under the end of the sleeve. Make a three-sided triangular chip cut at the crook of each elbow for depth.

10. Carve the coat and boots. Draw a line for the bottom of the coat. Using the knife, stop-cut the line. Shape the back of boots, carving from the bottom of the boots up and in to the stop cut. In front, shape the top of the boot by cutting straight back toward the leg. Round over the bottom edge of the coat. Draw a line for the sole of the boot, and then cut the line with a 1/16″ (2mm) 90° V-tool. Use a 1/16″ (2mm) micro gouge to cut in a Vibram sole for the boot.

11. Carve the hat and scarf. Use the knife to make soft V cuts in the scarf to shape and add form. Draw a small opening for the eyes. Stop-cut the line and the scarf line just below it, and then slowly shave wood out from between the cuts. Draw a line at the top of the hat. Make V cuts separating the pom-pom from the hat.

12. Finish the hat. Use the knife to create hat texture. Carve facets using a sweeping or rolling motion with the knife blade all around the hat. Use the 1/16″ (2mm) 90° V-tool to create the texture for the pom-pom. Draw a series of swirling lines meeting at the top. Then carve in the lines with the V-tool.

13. Add final details. Use the knife to undercut the arms, scarf, and pom-pom. A thin sliver of wood is removed from all these areas to add the appearance of depth and roundness. Cut along the edge of the feature, and then cut at a tiny angle just above or below the first cut to remove the sliver of wood.

Paint Notes

Hat: purple

Pom-pom: antique gold

Eyes: oyster white, denim blue, charcoal

Scarf: antique gold

Scarf trim: Sharpie® ultra fine, purple

Jacket: purple

V on jacket: oyster white

V outline: Sharpie® ultra fine, purple

Mittens: antique gold

Boots: oyster white

Vibram soles: antique gold

MATERIALS

• Basswood, 1″ (2.5cm) square: 2″ (5.1cm) long

• Graphite paper

• Pencil

• Boiled linseed oil

• Mineral spirits

• Delta Ceramcoat® All-Purpose Sealer

• FolkArt® Antiquing Medium Plaid 811

• Acrylic paints: antique gold, charcoal, denum blue, oyster white, purple

• Howard Feed-N-Wax®

• Paper towels

• Soft cotton rag

TOOLS

• Carving knife

• Micro gouge: 1/16″ (2mm)

• V-tools: 1/16″ (2mm) micro, 1/4″ (6mm) 90°

• Paintbrushes

• Purple ultra fine Sharpie®

Karen Scalin has been carving for more than 25 years. She lives in a suburb of Chicago. See more of her work on Etsy at WoodCarvedMinisByKLS.

Carving

Cut the basic shapes with a band or scroll saw and carve the cats with your tools of choice. I use small palm gouges and a detail knife to work the pieces into shape and carve the details. I don’t sand the pieces, preferring to leave the carving marks to enhance the folk-art feel.

Finishing

I finish my carvings in a four-step process. First, seal the carving by applying a thin layer of boiled linseed oil thinned to a 1:1 mix with mineral spirits. Let the mixture soak in for a bit, and then wipe off the excess with a clean cotton rag. Let the carving dry overnight. Next, apply acrylic paints thinned slightly with water. Layer the paints, shading with darker tones. When the paint is dry, seal it with high-quality fast-drying satin polyurethane. Apply the polyurethane as thinly as possible, but work it into all of the crevices. Let the carving dry overnight. Finally, antique the carving with oil-based gel wood stain. Slather the gel stain on, and then immediately wipe it off with a cotton rag. Let the carving dry overnight.

Painting Guide

Dark Cat

• Base for body: dark chocolate (1)

• Stripe detail: black (1): striping detail

• Facial details, stripe highlights: antique white (2)

• Inside of ears: flesh (3)

Orange Cat

• Base for body: antique gold (1)

• Lowlights for body: Jack o’ lantern orange (1)

• Stripe details: rookwood red (1)

• Facial details and paws: antique white (3)

• Nose, inside of ears: flesh (2)

1 Americana

2 Apple Barrel

3 Ceramcoat

MATERIALS

• Basswood, 3/4″ (1.9cm) thick: dark cat, 1-5/8″ x 1 7/8″ (4.1cm x 4.8cm)

• Basswood, 3/4″ (1.9cm) thick: orange cat, 1-1/2″ x 2-1/4″ (3.8cm x 5.7cm)

• Acrylic paints: see Painting Guide above

• Boiled linseed oil

• Mineral spirits

• Fast-drying satin polyurethane

• Oil-based gel wood stain: antique oak, colonial, or old oak

• Cotton rags

TOOLS

• Knives: carving, detail

• Gouges: assorted small

• Saws: band or scroll

• Pencil

• Paintbrushes: assorted

Creating a Simple Carving Station

Easily secure your project for two-handed carving

By Alec LaCasse

The Carver Behind Buffalo Fluffalo

Meet Erin Kraan, the woodcarver who illustrated a bestselling children’s book

By the Staff of Woodcarving Illustrated

The Blind Woodsman

For John Furniss, woodworking is more than just a hobby—it’s a lifeline

By Kaylee Schofield

Uncle Ham the Patriotic Piggy

Spangle this simple caricature with stars and stripes to celebrate the 4th

By Pete Zanauskas

Stylized Badger

Two-toned paint blending brings out the beast in this little den dweller

By Wouter de Bruijn

Celtic Knot Gourd

Metallic pigment over dark paint creates an illusion of antiquity for this folkloric vessel

By Jenn Avery

Soup Spoon

Satisfy your craving for the perfect carving challenge

By Emmet Van Driesche

Squirrel Monkey

Carve, sand, and paint a whimsical creature straight out of the jungle

By Steve Tomashek

Uncle Sam Bottle Stopper

Welcome the summer holidays to your table with this expressive American standby

By W. Todd Martin

Tater’s Last Pitch

Hit it out of the park with this expressive, active, and highly detailed ballplayer

By Wayne Laramore

Floral Plates

Up your chip carving game with these breezy botanical designs

By Charlene Lynum

Little Dustpan Caricature

Practice adding funny details and expressions with this easy project

By Ken Kuhar

Blue-Footed Booby

This comical, dancing marine bird is sure to elicit some grins

By Tom Mellott

Angling for Fun

Reel in the perfect catch with this happy caricature fisherman

By Jim Hiser

Chip Carved Soap Dispenser

Disguise a plain, utilitarian item with an attractive outer casing

By Marty Leenhouts

Chillin’ Penguin!

Carve an unlikely beachgoer with a host of fun accessories

By Eric Owens

Barn and Silo Pyrography

Woodburn a cozy yet challenging farm scene full of shadows and textures

By Carol Wallace

Carving a Sailboat in Shallow Relief

Practice adding depth, texture, and character to a simple nautical scene

By Dustin Strenke

Nautical Birch Box

A secret lies beneath the waves of this charming sea-themed cannister

By L. P. Parslow

Getting Started

Brace your middle finger on the side of the basswood block to sketch a centerline all the way around the top, front, bottom, and back faces. Then sketch on the main details from the front view pattern: the overall shape and the positioning of the face and feet.

Step 1

Slice around the front view. Start by slicing to the sides of the head. Position your knife near the top of the wings and slice upward. Continue this on both sides, angling each cut until all waste around the front view pattern is gone. Repeat toward the bottom.

Step 2

Slice around the side view. Sketch the side view pattern onto the wood. To help keep things even, sketch this pattern on the opposite side as well, making sure to make it face the same way. Then, similar to the previous step, slice all the way around it. Stop-cut above the feet and to separate the beak from the body to form V-shaped cuts across these areas.

Step 3

Round off the corners. Using slices as bold as you are comfortable with, remove the corners all the way around the owl. You will have to slice up from about halfway to round the head and down from a similar point to round the bottom half.

Step 4

Separate the feet from the body. Deepen the separation between feet and body and round the corners of this protruding shelf with stop cuts that angle slightly downward toward each end. At this point, you can still leave the feet thicker than they will be at the end for added strength during the carving process.

Step 5

Define the face. Use the tip of your knife to incise a curved line from the corners of where the eyes will be down to the tip of the beak on both sides. Then remove some wood underneath those incisions by slicing upward to meet them. If the face appears completely flat from the side, round its edges a bit.

Step 6

Bring out the beak. Make a series of small stop cuts to separate the beak from the surrounding feathers. After this step, the outline of the beak will appear diamond-shaped.

Step 7

Separate the feet from each other. Stop-cut between the feet, slicing across the grain and removing the V-shaped section that results. Then take off the inner corners of the feet with another two pairs of stop cuts.

Step 8

Suggest the wings. Slice straight into the wood from the side of the owl with nearly the full edge of your knife. Then remove a V-shaped section of wood between the wing and belly by slicing in to meet that cut from the belly. Repeat on the other side.

Step 9

Cut between the ear tufts. Make two stop cuts on top of the head to denote the inward faces of the ear tufts. Then slice across the end grain to remove the wood between them.

Step 10

Shape the sides of the ear tufts. To complete the look of the ear tufts, make the sides of them concave. Slice in from the side of the top of the head and curve the knife back out of the wood to achieve this. Repeat on both sides. Perform similar cuts in front of the ear tufts to make them stand straight up.

 Step 11

Ruffle the belly feathers. Texture the belly with some small and systematic sweeping cuts. I orchestrated these cuts to all have about the same angle, slanted down toward the center, on both sides so that they are placed somewhat symmetrical overall. This angle also helps these cuts stay clean and not tear out the grain.

 Step 12

Add the finishing touches. Work around the owl and make final adjustments to remove unwanted bumps and ensure everything is in order. Some owls have a clear distinction between the head and the body, and I represented that here via a V-shaped cut that arcs under the face. Brush with an oil finish and let dry.

MATERIALS

• Basswood: 2-1/2″ (6.4cm) thick: 1-1/4″ (3.2cm) square

• Pencil

• Finish, such as Danish oil

TOOLS

• Whittling knife

• Paintbrush

James Ray Miller started carving at the age of 11 after being inspired by family members who dabbled in woodworking. A software developer by trade, James enjoys the creative challenge of simplifying and abstracting forms in unique ways. For more of his work, visit Facebook.com/jrm.woodcarving.

Magic Touch

Cecilia Schiller’s entertaining automata encourage interaction

By Dorissa Bolinski

Stylish Leprechaun Caricature

Practice adding accessories with this swaggering man-about-town

By Mehmet Berat Tas

Buckle Up!

Fun and wearable carving might encourage some fish stories

By Bob Kozakiewicz

Chip Carved Bracelet

Easy bangle makes an impressive statement piece

By Charlene Lynum

It’s Elementary!

Solve the riddle of capturing a caricature’s essence with this ode to Sherlock Holmes

By Kevin Applegate

Butterfly and Flower Pyrography

A clever coloring technique gives life to this organic wood burning

By Shannon Lyon

Desk Clock

Set aside some time to chip carve this striking office accessory

By Marty Leenhouts

Realistic Walleye

Whopping trophy is a fisherman’s dream

By Charles Weiss

Caricature-Chef Bottle Stopper

Add some joie de vivre to your dinners with this quick and fun carve

By W. Todd Martin

Interlocking Heart Relief

Surprise your one-and-only with a piece of Celtic-inspired wall art

By Lisa Laughy

Carving a Leaf Spoon

Finish this nature-inspired utensil with milk paint accents

By Elizabeth Weber

Stylized Shorebird

Smooth avian project puts the “sand” in “sanderling”

By Wouter de Bruijn

Power-Carved Bullfrog

Sculpt a full-size pond dweller so lifelike, you’ll expect him to ribbit

By B. David Duncan

Balancing Stones

Find your Zen with this easy branch whittling project

By L. P. Parslow

My Cat Pearl

This cute calico caricature is ready to pounce

By Floyd Rhadigan

Flying Dragon

Flat-plane carving style lends a scaly look to this beast of lore

By Dave Atkin

Easy Gnome

Build your confidence with a simple face you don’t have to paint

By Birce Keser

Soap Rabbit

Quickly carve a nest of bunnies to brighten any bathroom

By Makiko Sone

Power-Carved Eagle Log

Different colors of wood from the same log make this bird of prey soar

By Jordy Johnson

Making a Hook Knife

Treat your spoon projects to a handmade tool that’s inexpensive to construct

By Doug Stowe

Alphabetical Arboretum Woodcut

From A to Z, these leaves make an attractive handmade print

By Beth Lewis

Painting

This Santa has a very simple palette. The cheek color is enhanced using powdered pastels lightly applied with a soft-bristle brush. Don’t flip the brush or it will contaminate the surrounding mustache.

FACE: medium flesh with shading flesh applied in the shadowed areas. Santa red is washed over the cheeks.

EYES: uniform blue, lamp black pupil with white highlight.

BEARD & HAIR: antique white with snow white drybrushed across higher ridges.

UNDERGARMENT & BANDS: Paynes grey with lamp black band.

COAT: Napa red with lamp black shading.

FUR TRIM: buttermilk with white drybrushed across high spots.

BELT & MITTENS: lamp black with copper accent lines.

FINISH: If you use any powdered pastels for cheek colors, blow any loose powder off before sealing with acrylic matte spray. This piece is antiqued using Indian Sand Trewax Floor Paste Wax applied with an old soft toothbrush. Immediately use Clear Trewax Paste Wax to pull off the excess Indian Sand. You may work back and forth using the two waxes, until you are satisfied with the effect. Allow the wax to set about three minutes; then buff with a soft brush or an old soft tee shirt.

MATERIALS

• Basswood, 3″ (7.6cm) thick: x 3-1/2″  x 7-1/2″ (8.9 x 19.1cm)
• Acrylic paints, such as DecoArt Americana: antique white, buttermilk, lamp black, medium flesh, Napa red, Payne’s gray, Santa red, shading flesh, snow white, uniform blue
• Acrylic sealer, such as DecoArt Americana: matte
• Trewax Floor Paste Wax: Indian sand/mahogany
• Trewax Paste Wax: clear

TOOLS

• Carving tools of choice
• Soft brush
• Clean cloth

Tina has been woodcarving since 1981 when she took a personal enrichment class through her local community college. Tina has authored several books including Creative Christmas Carving and Easy Weekend Carving Projects.

Mounting a Carving Directly

To attach a large carving to the arm, use a carver’s screw. Drill a pilot hole into the bottom of the blank and thread the carver’s screw into the hole. Carver’s screws are available from most carving supply stores.

For small carvings, you can use a common hanger bolt in lieu of a carver’s screw. Hanger bolts, which have a machine-thread bolt on one end and a lag screw on the other end, are often sold in the plumbing area of hardware stores. I suggest a 5/16″-dia. by
4″-long (8mm by 102mm) hanger bolt.

To attach the hanger bolt to the blank, drill a 3/16″ (5mm)-dia. pilot hole in the bottom of the carving, and thread the lag part of the bolt into the hole. The hanger bolt should protrude at least 2-3/8″ (60mm) so you can attach the piece to the carving arm.

Twist a carver’s screw or hanger bolt into the bottom of the carving.

Using a Mounting Block or Plug

It can be difficult to use a carver’s screw with some projects, such as relief carvings or figures without bases. To mount carvings like this, I use a carriage bolt attached to a temporary mounting block.

To mount a relief carving, choose a piece of 3/4″ (19mm)-thick wood that is large enough to insert at least four wood screws into the relief carving. Position the screws in areas that will not protrude into the finished carving. Drill and countersink the holes for the screws in the bottom of the mounting block. Drill and counter-bore the hole for the carriage bolt in the center of the top of the mounting block. Drive the carriage bolt through the hole and then screw the mounting block to the relief carving.

For an in-the-round carving that doesn’t have a base, such as a human or animal figure, choose a 3/4″ (19mm)-thick piece of wood big enough for the figure to stand on. Determine where the feet will be located and drill and countersink holes positioned so the screws will go into the feet and legs.

Drill a hole for the carriage bolt in the center of the mounting block. To ensure the carriage bolt sits below the surface of the mounting block, counter-bore a shallow hole the same size as the head of the carriage bolt in the top of the mounting block and drive the carriage bolt down through the hole. Use wood screws to attach the carving to the mounting block.

For hollow items, like cane heads, make a plug that fits into the blank. Drill a pilot hole in the plug and insert the lag end of a hanger bolt into the hole. Use wood screws to attach the plug to the blank. When the carving is finished, back out the wood screws to free the carving from the plug.

Use a mounting block to attach a relief carving to a carving arm.

Use a mounting block for an in-the-round carving that does not have  a base.

When you can’t drill into the blank, create a plug. 

Choosing a Handle

Once you have attached a carver’s screw or bolt to the blank or mounting block, you can use either a commercial or a shop-made handle to mount the blank to the carving arm.

To use a commercial handle, place a 5/16″ (8mm)-dia. fender washer onto the carver’s screw or bolt and then add a 5/16″-16 five-star knob.

To make a handle, sketch the shape as pictured. Drill a 1/2″ (13mm)- dia. by 5/8″ (16mm) deep hole in the inner curve and then drill a 5/16″ (8mm) hole all the way through. Cut around the perimeter of the handle. Install a 5/16″-16 threaded insert into the larger hole. Thread a fender washer onto the carver’s screw or bolt and loosely twist on your shop-made handle.

Buy a handle or make your own. 

Using a Carving Arm

Keep the handle loose enough that you can slide the bolt through the slot in the carving arm. Make sure the fender washer is against the handle and tighten until the carving is held securely.

To rotate the carving as you work, simply loosen the handle or knob. Be sure to re-tighten the handle before working again.

Use a handle to attach the mounting block to the carving arm.

LaVerne “Sid” Sidler was a woodworker for more than 50 years and an award-winning woodcarver for over 40 years.