Woodcarving Magic

If you thought carving a linked chain or a ball-in-cage was a challenge, get ready for some mind-altering woodcarving projects! Learn how to uncover the structure of space by looking inside a piece of wood and carving away anything that doesn't match your vision.

Inside this issue of Woodcarving Illustrated, you'll find: Features: *Rising from the Ashes *Motivated to Create *The Work of Rob Lucero Projects: *Carving Scenic Stamps *Carving Interlocking Hearts *Tequila Worm Bottle Stopper *Power Carving a Life-Size Whistling Swan *Carving a Cascading Ribbon Heart Pendant *Carving and Painting a Folk Art Rooster *Carving a Caricature Elephant *Creating a Pierced Relief Carving *Chip Carved Crosses *Folding Carving Bench Techniques: *Holding Your Work *Making Custom Colors

TECHNIQUES Carving and Printing a Christmas Card By Dan Clarke Use traditional woodblock printing to turn your carving into a card Easy Dogs for Beginning Carvers By Mary Duke Guldan Use craft knives to carve these basic versions of man’s best friend Painting Your Carvings By Virginia Kodadek Learn techniques you can apply to any carving Convertible Shaving Horse By Laverne “Sid” Sidler Portable bench changes from shaving horse to carving bench PROJECTS Checking the List By Ellis Olson Use basic relief cuts and simple shaping to carve a folk art Santa Carving a Spiral Bulb Ornament By Lyle Morgan Any carver can make this complex-looking ornament Carving a Sleepy Wolf By Desiree Hajny Carve, burn, and paint to create a realistic wildlife sculpture Folk Art Angel By Gerald Smith Simple carving can be used as an ornament, pin, or pendant Joyful Santa Plaque By Bob Biermann Incised relief design celebrates the joy of the season Whittling Moravian Star Ornaments By Jody Sebring Use one knife and simple geometry to carve stars in various sizes Peaceful Village Wreath By Betty Padden Carve individual pieces and glue them together for a dramatic presentation Old World Father Christmas By Dave Francis Cozy-looking carving carries symbols of Christmas Segmented Snowman Ornament By Sandy Smith Simple joints help this snowman dance Carving a Holly Spoon By Glenn Stewart Simple painting highlights the attractive design Springerle Ornaments By John Niggemeyer Festive designs resemble traditional German Christmas cookies

Features: *Pat Scott Scores Big Former baseball player carves with Hall-of-Fame right hand *Carvers Unite to Honor Veterans Injured veterans are presented with handcarved eagle canes *Best of Show Impressive projects inspire woodcarvers everywhere Projects: *Great Horned Owl *Carving a Rabbit in Cottonwood Bark *Making Patriotic Pins *Carving a Folk-Art Chickadee *Recipe Chef *Chip Carved Photo Frame *Carve a Tower of Teetering Turtles *Making a Mechanical Bottle Stopper *Roly-Poly Hedgehog *Carving Tree Spirits in Found Wood Techniques: *Dealing with Tree-Killing Insects *Carving Eyes *Using a Contour Gauge *Making Controlled Cuts *Maintaining a Sharp Edge

In this issue: 7 Fun and festive santas you can carve Whittling ornaments Quick-carver stackable snowman Painting a duck decoy Super simple sharpning Cowboy bottlestopper

FEATURES Against the Grain By Mindy Kinsey Book and exhibition showcase unusual designs in wood Carving in Kenya By Bob Duncan African artist creates a successful business teaching others to carve Miniature Marvels By Kathleen Ryan Dalton Ghetti carves intricate designs in pencil graphite Roughouts & Kits By Bob Duncan Get to the fun part faster by starting with a pre-cut blank PROJECTS Carving a Snowman By Lori Dickie Turn a generic basswood shape into a charming snowman Making a Mouse in a Stocking Ornament By Leah Goddard Cute ornament shows off your attention to detail and realistic carving skills Playful Reindeer Ornament By Floyd Rhadigan Carve this quick and easy ornament for everyone on your list Folk-Art Napkin Rings By Jeff Pretz Carve and paint these colorful pieces in an afternoon Simple Folk-Art Santa By Mike Deiter Make a unique band-saw blank and complete the carving in a weekend Carving a Zebra By Moses Kirimi Kenyan carver created a stylized zebra Tramp Art Christmas Tree By Andy DiPace Simple seasonal design is quick and easy to carve Relief Carving a Traditional Ornament By Glenn Stewart Versatile design can be a pin or an ornament Whittling a Santa By Gayle Ihlenfeldt Use just knife to carve most of this holiday favorite Carving a Double Ball-in-Cage By Joseph A. Savarese Use hand tools to create a whimsical but exacting project Carving a Baby Shoe By Howard Hawrey Commemorate a birth or first Christmas with a unique version of a traditional gift Carving a Realistic Raccoon By Desiree Hajny Create a realistic piece by carving, woodburning, and painting

FEATURES A Monumental Miniature By Kathleen Ryan Animated carving depicts folk life in Slovakia A Bird in the Hand By Kathleen Ryan Woodcarving offers comfort to those in need Award-winning Carvings: Woodcarving Illustrated’s Best Carving Design Contest By Bob Duncan Contestants show a broad range of creativity and superior craftsmanship PROJECTS Making a Comfort Bird By Frank Foust Smooth lines and a polished finish make these little birds a joy to hold Creating a Chip Carved Christmas Tree By Bruce Nicholas Highlight this festive plaque with color and delicate stab cuts Carving a Spiral Beard Santa Ornament By Dave Francis Unique ornament will be a family favorite Whittling Snowman Earrings By Claude Freaner Fun gift is easy to carve Carving St Nicholas By Harold Enlow Master the techniques to carve this classic Christmas icon Sculpting Stylized Evergreen Trees By Dennis Carlson Graceful spiral is easy to carve and makes a striking display Build a Dancing Santa By Shawn Cipa Turn the handle to make the carved Santa move and groove Relief Carving an Angel By Maureen Hockley Beautiful wall hanging displays delicate features and graceful fabric folds Carving a Low-Relief Santa By Bob Biermann Creating the illusion of depth with careful carving and painted shadows Making a Nostalgic Christmas Pull Toy By Tina Toney As the toy moves, wooden ball rotates to display the relief-carved scene TECHNIQUES Using Compasses, Calipers, and Dividers By Bob Duncan Transfer measurement and maintain proportions with these simple tools Customized Greeting Plaque By Deborah Pompano Add a border or message to personalize your design

FEATURES Chris Pye Named WCI Woodcarver of the Year By Bob Duncan British master carver honored for his contributions to art Teaching Kids to Carve By Kathleen Ryan Jim Calder's sweet potato faces make carving easy First Cuts Artists chronicle their journeys from beginner to accomplished carver PROJECTS Creating a Deep-relief Mantel By Jerry Mifflin Power carve individual panels for a full-size mantel Carving a Hillbilly Chess Set By Mitchell Cartledge Stage your own backwoods battle with patterns for a complete chess set Carving in Low Relief By Chris Pye Learn to create the illusion of a 3-D carving in thin wood Quilt Patterns Inspire Chip-carved Coasters By Barry McKenzie Classic geometric designs embellish this useful caddy Quick-carve Halloween Cat By Cyndi Joslyn Colorful pumpkins and whimsical cat make a great beginner’s project TECHNIQUES Carving a New Life for Old Furniture By Dennis Zongker Traditional relief carving adds value to flea market finds Align the Grain for Impressive Carvings By Everett Ellenwood Grain direction strengthens and accents a carving Just Carve Triangles By Jim Calder Jim Calder's simple method makes it easy to share the basics of carving Carving a House Sign By Francis S. Lestingi Learn letter-carving and gilding techniques with a traditional residential plaque Showcasing Your Work By Mary-Ann Jack-Bleach Simple methods to create a professional portfolio DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Letter From Our Mailbag Tips & Techniques Reader Gallery New Products Relief Column Book Review Calendar of Events Coming Features Advertising Directory & Classifieds Teacher’s Corner Woodchips