Patterns & Projects Archives - Woodcarving Illustrated

Pear-Shaped Santa

kelly — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 19:35:00 +0000

Turned blank allows you to carve without worrying about symmetry and proportions

By Roger Beane

Pear-shaped wood turnings allow you to skip the roughing out phase and jump right to carving the details. Plus, the shape offers infinite design possibilities.

I bought two of these turnings at a carving show and carved them both while there. Before the show ended, I’d bought all of the pears the vendor had at his table, and then ordered more to be delivered to me later. The shape is so versatile that you’ll never run out of uses for it. Before you begin carving, check out how to have an easy cleanup with just freezer paper and a few pieces of tape.

Getting Started

Trace or sketch the pattern onto the pear. Carve along the pencil lines with a 1/4″ (6mm) V-tool and make stop cuts in the V-grooves with a knife.

Prepping and Carving

I adapt my typical face-carving techniques to the shape of this blank. Remember that the highest point of the face is the tip of the nose, the deepest part of the face is the eye sockets, and the narrowest part of the face is at the temples.

I add the wrinkles using V-tools and use 5/32″ (4mm) and 3/16″ (5mm) #11 gouges to add the hair and beard texture. When texturing the hair, make sure there are no straight lines. Carve a series of lazy S’s and C’s. Vary the depth of your cuts and do not leave any flat spaces.

Painting and Finishing

Wash your carving with Simple Green and water. Remove the excess water with a soft cloth or paper towels and immediately start painting (while the carving is still wet). Dilute the acrylic paint with water to create a wash. Refer to the Painting Notes for the colors I used.

While the paint dries, squeeze a 2″ (5.1cm)-long strip of burnt sienna oil paint into a pint jar full of mineral spirits to dissolve the paint. Then, add the pint of dissolved paint to a quart of boiled linseed oil. Mix thoroughly and after the paint is dry, dip your carving into the mixture and remove. Let it sit for five minutes, and then wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Dispose of the oil-soaked paper towels carefully; they can spontaneously combust. Allow the carving to dry thoroughly. Then, add the accent colors.

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

About the Author

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).

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Woodcarving Illustrated Winter Issue, Issue #113

kelly — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 19:42:11 +0000

The Winter 2025 issue of Woodcarving Illustrated includes a variety of projects, patterns, and features, as well as interesting techniques. This issue is a part of the regular magazine subscription. It is also available from your favorite retailer or from Fox Chapel Publishing, foxchapelpublishing.com or 1-800-457-9112.

Scroll down for a sneak peek!

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In This Issue

Techniques

Santa’s List

Discover a unique painting technique that provides a stunning depth of color

By Kevin Applegate

Cottonwood Bark Santa

Embrace the uniqueness of this free-form wood and use its flaws to your advantage

By Bob Hershey

Projects

	White Christmas Bear This friendly guy is ready to spread some cheer during the holidays By Dale Green
	Lumberjack Santa Carve an undercover Claus who’s hunting for the perfect Christmas tree By Jonathan Creason
	Arctic Fox Practice carving movement with this frosty creature on the run By Wouter de Bruijn
	Happy Christmas Tree Get into the holiday spirit with a cheerful carving that looks like a cartoon character By Gerard Canavan
	Bottle Buddy Santa Create a gift that keeps on giving with a jolly bottle opener By Dwayne Gosnell
	Santa Pyrography A few basic woodburning nibs create a jolly and easy holiday wall hanging By Minisa Robinson
	Christmas Elf Showcase the hard workers of the North Pole as they prepare for Santa’s big night By Matt Kincade

Patterns

	Caricature Candy Cane Big posable hands and friendly expressions make these ornaments irresistible By Pete Zanauskas
	Elf Boot Ornament These festive little ornaments make a charming jingle jangle By Wade Huggins
	Festive Rolling Pins Cook up a chip-carved holiday cookie press By Jan Jenson
	Chip-Carved Ornaments A layer of acrylic paint accentuates a festive design By Charlene Lynum
	Old Fashioned Ornaments Imitate the look of retro glass decorations with this fun project By Jim Hiser
	Two-in-One Knife Box Keep carving tools safe and ready to go with this compact geometric case By Marty Leenhouts

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Woodcarving Illustrated Fall Issue, Issue #112

kelly — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 15:27:15 +0000

The Fall 2025 issue of Woodcarving Illustrated includes a variety of projects, patterns, and features, as well as interesting techniques. This issue is a part of the regular magazine subscription. It is also available from your favorite retailer or from Fox Chapel Publishing, foxchapelpublishing.com or 1-800-457-9112.

Scroll down for a sneak peek!

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In This Issue

Feature

Imitation of Life

Artist David Boone captures moments in time and place with his storytelling carvings

By Dorissa Bolinski

Patterns

	Stretching Cat Dramatic woodgrain adds appeal to this elegant feline figure By Bartłomiej Kaczmarek
	Decorative Plate Patience and attention to detail can yield a museum-worthy chip-carved piece By Marty Leenhouts
	Rock and Roll Gnome Round out a block of wood to discover the character living within By Manuel De Santis
	Pumpkin Candlestick Practice achieving symmetry in this spooky decoration By Tony Tanev
	Little Pumpkin Carve one or a handful of these friendly-faced trinkets By Kevin Johnson

Projects

	Hipster Frankenstein This cool ghoul is always on the guest list for the best Halloween parties By Dwayne Gosnell
	Angry Viking Plunder a block of basswood and get started on a hilarious carve By Chris Hammack
	Cottonwood Bark House Create a whimsical dwelling with unique features and texture By Ales Janosik
	Hardwood Mouse Transform colorful scraps into a cute little rodent on a bed of leaves By Paul Purnell
	Goofy Gargoyle Carve a glaring roof-sitter who’s more friend than foe By Rich Wetherbee
	Pumpkin Patch Scarecrow Easy painting technique highlights the wood on this friendly piece By Jim Willis
	Oktoberfest Celebration Everything is going “accordion” to plan with this charming music maker By W. Todd Martin

Technique

Two-in-One Measuring Spoon

Get cooking with a useful carving for the kitchen

By Emmet Van Driesche

Web Extras

Free Project – Want more Halloween projects? Carve Floyd Rhadigan’s “Jack o’Phantom.”

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Carving Folk-Art Birds

kelly — Tue, 13 May 2025 18:11:00 +0000

Highlight the tool marks with a little paint to simulate feathers on these simple designs

By Don Dearolf

Carve these simple designs with just a few tools. The pattern is generic enough that you can easily adapt the design to your favorite bird with only a few knife cuts and some paint. Before making your first cut, check out our exclusive article on adding cushions to your gouge handles.

Carving the Birds

Transfer the pattern to the blank and cut the two profiles with a band saw. Leave the wood thick around the beak. Then, carefully round the sharp corners with a knife. Thin the edges of the tail, but leave the middle thicker to create an oval shape when looking at the end. Carve the eye channels. Then, carve the beak. Burn the outlines of the eyes, around the base of the beak, and the mouth lines. Drill a small hole in the bottom and insert a toothpick (to mount the bird to the base, and to hold the bird while painting).

Painting the Birds

Finish the project with thinned acrylic paints. Apply thin washes of color and build up the color in layers. Use Payne’s grey for the dark parts of the back, burnt umber for the brown areas, and raw sienna for the breast. Then, when the paint is dry, apply a heavily thinned coat of burnt umber to tie everything together.

Paint each eye with full-strength Mars black and allow it to dry. Then add a dot of full-strength burnt umber in the bottom front corner and a titanium white highlight dot in the upper back corner of each eye. When the eyes are fully dry, dry-brush titanium white over the whole piece to highlight the tool marks.

Making the Base

Slice a small section of a tree limb across the grain. Drill a hole matching the diameter of the toothpick in the center of the slice. Apply a clear finish to the base. When it is dry, glue a toothpick into the bottom of the bird and the hole in the base.

Materials

• Basswood, 1 1/4″ (3.2cm) thick: 2 1/2″ x 3″ (6.4cm x 7.6cm)

• Tree limb slice, 3/4″ (1.9cm) thick: 2″ (5.1cm)-dia.

• Toothpick

• Acrylic paints, such as Liquitex: burnt umber, Mars black, Payne’s grey, raw sienna, titanium white

• Clear finish (for base)

• Glue

Tools

• Carving knife

• Small gouge

• Woodburner with nibs: assorted

• Paintbrushes: assorted

• Drill with bit: 1/16″ (2mm)-dia.

About the Author

Don Dearolf painted for several years before taking up carving in 1994 after his brother Dave took him to the Lancaster County Woodcarvers Show. Don loved to carve and share patterns, blanks, and rough outs with others.

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Woodcarving Illustrated Summer Issue, Issue #111

kelly — Wed, 07 May 2025 15:09:08 +0000

The Summer 2025 issue of Woodcarving Illustrated includes a variety of projects, patterns, and features, as well as interesting techniques. This issue is a part of the regular magazine subscription. It is also available from your favorite retailer or from Fox Chapel Publishing, foxchapelpublishing.com or 1-800-457-9112.

Scroll down for a sneak peek!

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In This Issue

Feature

Think Sharp

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

Patterns

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

Projects

	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

Technique

Mustache Man

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

By Dave Dion

Web Extras

Upcoming Events – Find information on future carving shows in our Calendar of Events section.

Free Projects – Check out our online collection of carving projects and patterns under the Free Articles section.

Club Information – Discover what carving clubs are active in your area on our website.

Get the Latest Issue!

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Chip Carving a Flower

kelly — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:31:19 +0000

Break out of the mold with this organic ornament

By Wayne Barton

Chip-carve ornaments are usually based on geometric figures. However, I decided to branch out and make an ornament with a more positive image and organic style. You can display the ornament alone, attach it to the top of a box, or even carve several to decorate a mantel or door frame. In addition to this chip-carved ornament, try your hand at making your own carving knife handle with a block of wood and a few materials and tools.

Carving the Flower

Transfer the pattern to the wood with graphite paper. I always advise transferring the pattern with graphite paper rather than gluing the pattern. This way you can see if you are removing or cracking away wood that isn’t supposed to be removed.

As you carve the flower, hold the blade at approximately a 65° angle to the wood. When making tight or small curved cuts, raise the angled blade up so it’s more on its tip, reducing the amount of metal in the wood. Don’t cut deeper than necessary to remove the chips. Keep the “vein” lines narrow so they don’t overpower the carving. If desired, add a scalloped border on the back side of the ornament.

Finishing the Flower

Spray both sides of the ornament with three coats of polyurethane, such as Minwax. If desired, paint the outer edge and add a message on the back. Apply a light brown finishing wax, such as Briwax, to both sides of the ornament to emphasize the carved areas while preserving a natural appearance.

MATERIALS

• Wood, such as basswood, 3/8″ (10mm) thick: 5″ square (12.7cm)

• Graphite transfer paper

• Spray polyurethane, such as Minwax

• Paint

• Colored wax, such as Briwax: light brown

TOOLS

• Chip-carving knives

About the Author

Wayne Barton Wayne is the founder of The Alpine School of Woodcarving, Ltd. He has written several books and teaches seminars around the country. For more information, visit his website at www.chipcarving.com.

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Woodcarving Illustrated Spring Issue, Issue #110

kelly — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:06:51 +0000

The Spring 2025 issue of Woodcarving Illustrated includes a variety of projects, patterns, and features, as well as interesting techniques. This issue is a part of the regular magazine subscription. It is also available from your favorite retailer or from Fox Chapel Publishing, foxchapelpublishing.com or 1-800-457-9112.

Scroll down for a sneak peek!

In This Issue

Feature

Tree Charmer

Carole Jean Boyd combines multiple styles in her imaginative carvings

By Dorissa Bolinski

Patterns

Comfort Hearts

Carve a pocket full of cheer with these sweet Valentines

By Charlene Lynum

Chip-Carved Cross

Intricate cuts create a reverent masterpiece

By Marty Leenhouts

Projects

	Folk Art Robin The early bird gets the worm with this Americana-inspired piece By Brooks Wilson
	Bad Hair Day Spring weather came in like a lion for this guy’s hilarious hair By Kevin Applegate
	Valentine Gnomes Enhance the charm of this cute couple with folksy painting By Roxana Cristean
	Goofy Golf Balls Hit a hole in one practicing expressions with these fun carves By Tony Harris
	Hidden Greenman A mysterious woodland character lurks in found wood By Alec LaCasse
	First Date Create a sense of movement with posture in this wistful character By Jerry McNulty
	Flat-Plane Viking Carve a sea-faring caricature with just a few tools By James Ray Miller
	Climbing Squirrel Add interest to your yard with a beginner-friendly chainsaw carving By Pawel Drozd
	Whimsical Mushroom Hone your symmetry skills with this one-knife project By Nikki Reese
	Swizzle Stick This comical wizard could use a little magic By Chris Hammack
	Sleek Bunny Hop to it with a smooth rabbit carving By Tom Mellott
	Chickadee in Acorn Nest Bring the outdoors in with a flock of tiny bird carvings By Steve Tomashek

Technique

Cup and Saucer

Add depth to shallow relief carvings

By Mary May

Web Extras

Free Project – Carve an infinity cross from Dennis Drazkowski and Pat Moore.

E-Newsletter – Subscribe to our online newsletter, Strop Talk, to get more carving projects!

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Carve & Burn Bird Ornaments

kelly — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:01:00 +0000

Add life to a tree or window with these bright avian adornments

By Michele Parsons

I love to give inspirational gifts around the holidays, as days grow shorter and people start to pine after warmth and sunlight—and what better to deliver inspiration than a few friendly birds? These ornaments can be carved, burned, and finished quickly; they’re also fun and satisfying to make.

I used slices of wood with natural bark edges that you can find at most craft stores for a rustic feel. You could also cut circles from thin basswood or any other wood you prefer. For a different look, enlarge the pattern and make a wall hanging. Before diving in, learn how to keep your woodburner clean in our exclusive article.

Prepping and Carving

Size the pattern to fit your wood. Use graphite paper to transfer the bird-and-branches pattern to the blank. Make stop cuts around all of the lines, and then carve the background down around them with a micromotor with an assortment of small bits or a set of small hand gouges. Then sand around the birds and branches. Focus on making the background smooth for the lettering. Use graphite paper to transfer the lettering to the background. Burn the letters using a small writing nib and, if desired, outline them with a skew nib. Burn the details on the birds and branches. Erase any remaining graphite.

Painting and Finishing

I add color using slightly thinned acrylic paint. Avoid painting over the burned areas because the pigment in the paint covers the burned texture. Finish with a few coats of semi-gloss spray lacquer.

MATERIALS

• Wood, such as basswood or birch ornament rounds

• Graphite transfer paper

• White rubber eraser

• Acrylic paints: assorted

•Finish, such as spray lacquer: semi-gloss

TOOLS

• Micromotor with small bits or small hand gouges

• Woodburner with nibs: small writer, skew

About the Author

Michele Parsons lives in N.C. near the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she draws inspiration. She earned a fine arts degree from Western Carolina University and spent her professional life as a graphic designer, art director, and executive director in the creation of educational materials. Michele is a frequent contributor to Pyrography magazine and has taught pyrography for nearly 20 years. She is also a regular instructor at the International Woodcarving Congress, Southeastern Woodcarving School, and John C. Campbell Folk School. To see more of her work, visit parsonswoodartistry.com.

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Woodcarving Illustrated Winter Issue, Issue #109

kelly — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:09:28 +0000

The Winter 2024 issue of Woodcarving Illustrated includes a variety of projects, patterns, and features, as well as interesting techniques. This issue is a part of the regular magazine subscription. It is also available from your favorite retailer or from Fox Chapel Publishing, foxchapelpublishing.com or 1-800-457-9112.

Scroll down for a sneak peek!

In This Issue

Feature

Carving it Up in Colorado

Woodchips fly at the annual Carvin’ the Rockies show

By Dorissa Bolinski

Projects

	Santa’s Journey Home Stars light the way for a weary St. Nick whose work is done By Dale Green
	Black-capped Chickadee A found branch adds a touch of the natural world to a minimalist carving By Wouter de Bruijn
	The Gift Bearer Welcome a friendly mouse to your house for the holidays By Matt Kincade
	Christmas Pickle Ornament Have a chuckle searching the tree for this hiding prankster By Jonathan Creason
	Stumbling Santa A sense of movement highlights this animated clumsy Santa By Robert Rangel
	Winter Barn Scene Carve and paint a rustic winter landscape that’s easier than it looks By Robert Stadtlander
	Candle Choir Add expressive character with easy shading and highlighting techniques By Betty Padden
	Undercover Santa This jolly guy has a green thumb and a lesson to teach By Russell Scott

Patterns

	Retro Christmas Ornament Carve a string of festive holiday lights that will never shatter or burn out By Brian K. Doty
	Chip Carved Dala Horse Frolicking folklore design makes a charming decoration By Charlene Lynum
	Christmas Mornin’ Bear This sleepy guy had a long night wrapping presents By Rich Wetherbee
	Steampunk Santa Stylish fantasy Santa is ready for a sci-fi adventure By Tony Harris
	Wine Rack Showcase a wine bottle and glasses with a chip-carved display By Marty Leenhouts
	Easy Christmas Tree Stuff some stockings with these tiny topiaries By David Young

Technique

Carved Christmas Wreath

Strategic layering and undercutting lend depth to a festive decoration

By Mary May

Carving Peace – Read how carving is helping some veterans deal with the wounds of war.

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Carving a Big Cat

kelly — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 14:38:00 +0000

Make a black panther or a jaguar using the same pattern

By Don Self

There’s no specific type of cat called the “black panther.” Instead, the name can refer to any single-color (melanistic) big cat. In Asia and Africa, they are leopards, while those in the Americas are jaguars. I have long been fascinated by the jaguar’s strength and beauty, as well as its place in Aztec culture, so I had a classic jungle cat in mind when I carved and painted my basswood jaguar. However, you can carve the cat from walnut or butternut and use either paint or natural finish to create a black panther. Before you start carving your big cat, make sure your tools are sharp by using a rotary strop to easily sharpen your carving tools.

Use the carving as a pin, neckerchief slide, magnet, or box decoration, or increase the size substantially to make a wall hanging.

Carving Tips

• Orient the grain roughly parallel to the line connecting the corner of the eye and the nose.
This provides strength to the delicate areas.

• Strop the knife just before you begin to carve the nose, eye, and ear. This ensures smooth cuts in these areas, which have difficult grain.

• While it’s possible to carve the entire project with a detail knife, the whisker pits and the outline of the eye highlight (inside the pupil) can be challenging to carve. Use a 1/16″ (2mm) veiner in those areas if needed.

Painting a Jaguar

Mix equal parts apricot, golden brown, and white to make gold paint. Dilute the paint 50 percent with water and paint the gold areas. Mix white paint 1:1 with water and paint the white areas. While the paint is still wet, use a circular motion to blend the two colors where they meet. You may need to dilute the paint further to make the colors easier to blend. Allow the piece to dry thoroughly before painting the rest of the carving.

Iris: Mix gold with a touch of nutmeg brown;
thin slightly with water

Nose: Mix gold with khaki; thin slightly with water.
Grade to black at edges.

Markings: Black; thin slightly with water

Ears: Black; thin heavily with water

Rosettes on sides and back of head: nutmeg brown;
thin heavily with water

Painting a Black Panther

Thin dark charcoal gray paint 1:1 with water. Paint the entire carving and let dry.

Iris: Mix gold with a touch of nutmeg brown;
thin slightly with water

Nose: Pinkish brown darkening to black

Markings: Black; thin slightly with water

Using a Natural Finish

I carved this panther from butternut, applied a walnut stain, and finished it with Danish oil. To make the eye stand out, paint the pupil black and add a white highlight dot.

MATERIALS

• Basswood or butternut, 7/8″ (2.2cm) thick: 3″ x 4″ (7.6cm x 10.2cm)

• Acrylic paint, such as Plaid Apple Barrel: black, white, khaki, apricot, golden brown, nutmeg brown, pink; black panther only: charcoal gray

• Danish oil (optional)

• Stain: walnut (optional)

TOOLS

• Detail knife with a 7/8″ (22mm)-long blade, such as a Notto

• Veiner: 1/16″ (2mm) such as Dockyard (optional)

•Paintbrush: #2 round, such as Loew-Cornell

About the Author

Don Self began whittling Boy Scout neckerchief slides in 1987. After retiring from a career in geology, Don returned to his native Alabama, where he joined the Tannehill Wood Carvers Club. He enjoys creating human and animal caricatures, and particularly relishes the challenge of converting an outrageous mental image into a 3-D wooden sculpture. Don typically works in basswood, painting each sculpture with acrylics, but he also enjoys working in butternut, cypress, and water oak, where the figure of the wood takes center stage.

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