In this 112-page paperback book from flat-plane carver James Ray Miller,  you will find patterns and instructions for carving and painting these delightful whittling projects beginning with starter projects such as a camping and fork spreader or a fresh-picked strawberry and progressing in techniques with the stylized sunflower or curious Martian.

James begins with a “Beginner’s Toolkit” section of basic instructions that will make carving these basswood projects a breeze: types of wood, sharpening your knife, pattern alignment, and cutting techniques.

Beginner’s Toolkit

The “Beginner’s Toolkit” covers wood and tools for roughing out each projects, plus tips for using just one knife. Detailed instructions and photos in “Basic Cuts,” illustrate common carving terms such as stop cut, v-shaped cut, slicing cut, and sweeping cut.

Inside the Beginner’s Toolkit:

• What Is Whittling?
• Safety
• Types of Wood
• Tools
• General Overview of the Carving Process
• Design
• Roughing Out
• Basic Cuts
• Painting Techniques
• Finishing Techniques
• Carving Community

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Projects & Full-Size Wood Carving Patterns

• Camping Fork & Spreader
• Fresh-Picked Strawberry
• Egg-in-Cage
• Gentle Hedgehog
• Friendly Dinosaur
• Wizard’s Apprentice Wand
• Sleepy Owl
• Stylized Sunflower
• Sausage Pig
• Curious Martian
• Cozy Grandpa & Grandma
• Sven the Sailor
• Peppy Princess
• Enchanted Prince

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About the Book

Your ultimate beginner-friendly project guide to whittling flat-plane carvings—with a modern twist!

• 14 step-by-step projects for animals, people, aliens, wands, and other subjects that require minimal painting
• Made for beginners, this flat-plane whittling project guide only requires one knife to complete the projects
• Helpful guidance on whittling basics, making cuts, safety, painting and finishing, and how to find and join a carving community
• Author James Ray Miller is a protégé of decorated Scandinavian-style carver, Harley Refsal and a regular contributor to Woodcarving Illustrated

Whittling Workbook is perfect for anyone seeking a range of easy wood carvings they can accomplish with just one knife — including the roughing out stage!

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About the Author

“Carve whatever makes you happy. If you start a project but find that it no longer interests you, try to think of ways to tweak the pattern to turn it into something you are more passionate about. This is the key to a prolific carving career,” James wrote.

James 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 fb.com/jrm.woodcarving.

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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.

Carving the Heart

Use a 3/8″ (10mm)-dia. drill bit to drill a 5/8″ (16mm)-deep hole in the bottom of the blank. Then, transfer the pattern to the wood and use a scroll or coping saw to cut the outline.

Use the tip of a bench knife to make stop cuts along the lines that separate the hearts, both front and back. Notice that the bottom heart is both larger and thicker than the two hearts above it. Starting with the smallest heart, use the bench knife to round and shape the edges of the heart and then carve away wood along the sides down to the stop cut. Repeat for the middle and then bottom hearts.

Finishing the Stopper

You can sand the hearts if you like, but I prefer to see the texture of the carving marks—it adds a dimension and depth to the painted project.

Wipe the carving with a soft rag, and then use red acrylic to paint it. After the stopper has dried, use a stiff paintbrush and metallic gold paint to dry-brush the hearts, highlighting the carving marks. When the gold paint is dry, spray the carving with matte finish.

Put a few drops of cyanoacrylate (CA) glue into the hole in the carving and insert a dowel. Measure the cork against the dowel, mark the length, and cut off the excess dowel. Put CA glue in the cork and insert the dowel.

MATERIALS

• Basswood, 1″ (2.5cm) thick: 3″ x 4″ (7.6cm x 10.2cm)

• Hardwood dowel, 3/8″ (10mm)-dia. or size to fit hole in cork: 3″ (7.6cm) long

• Pencil

• Sandpaper (optional)

• Soft rag

• Acrylic paints: red, metallic gold

• Spray finish: matte

• Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue

• Pre-drilled cork stopper (available at craft and woodcarving stores)

TOOLS:

• Scroll or coping saw

• Drill with bits: 3/8″ (10mm)-dia or size to fit hole in cork

• Bench knife

• Paintbrushes

Greg Young is a chaplain with the FBI and a psychological debriefer and trainer for two Wisconsin police departments. He teaches courses around the country on crisis response and intervention, and responds to disasters locally and nationally. Teaching and practicing woodcarving is, in part, what Greg does to take care of himself.

Getting Started

Prepare your soap and center your template. Hold it steady on the soap bar as you outline. Mark out the rough details of the pattern. You will add the eyes, beak, scarf, and stocking cap details near the end of project.

Step 1

Rough out the penguin’s body. Make a stop cut along the outer lines of the pattern, applying gentle pressure to prevent chipout. Be sure your stop cuts are completely vertical! Then cut away excess soap.

Step 2

Carve the stocking cap. Beginning at the top, make a stop cut on the bottom of the stocking cap tassel. Holding your knife at a 45-degree angle, cut along the bottom of the stop cut. This creates a shadow. The broader the angle, the deeper the shadow will be, and the more dimension the carving will have. Cutting at a 65-degree angle also creates a good amount of depth and dimension.

Step 3

Shape the scarf. Make a stop cut, and then a rough-out cut going toward the stop cut. The second cut is very important because it differentiates the levels. I always have my go-by to help me stay on track with the design. As I carve, I rotate my soap—this gives me better control of my tool cuts.

Step 4

Round out the stocking cap. Carve the edge lines of the stocking cap into the sides of the soap. Check the backside of the soap to be sure everything lines up and has balance. Trim the stocking cap tassel back so it looks more centered atop the penguin’s head. Shape the tassel by rounding off any square edges from the rough-out cuts. Periodically, stop to review your carving. Here you see there are still a lot of square edges, so more finessing is needed.

Step 5

Carve the wings. Use the “push-thumb” technique on the penguin’s wing. This part of the carving is delicate because there is undercutting under the wing which takes away some of the foundation the wing stands on. Then cut the wing sides back.

Step 6

Add stocking cap, scarf, and facial details. Use a small gouge to texture the tassel. With the detail knife, detail the rim of the stocking hat and scarf lines. Smooth the penguin’s face with the knife, gently scraping the surface. Shape the beak with light stop cuts. You may have to redo the stop cuts to create more depth where you feel it’s needed. Make sure to have your tools clean and sharp when carving facial details.

Step 7

Smooth over the entire carving. Smooth the soap surface with the wet-sanding technique. Let dry.

Step 8

Carve out the penguin’s home. Center the penguin on top of the second bar and outline around the bottom. Then make a stop cut along the outline and use your chisel to chisel out soap to make a hole for him to fit snugly in.

MATERIALS

• Ivory soap, 2 each 

• Water

• Acrylic paints: assorted

TOOLS

• Knife: detail

• Marking tool of choice

• Gouge: small

• Chisel of choice

• Paintbrushes: assorted

Janet Bolyard has been woodcarving since age 18 and has turned her hobby into a profession. She works from her studio in Gilbert, Ariz., creating a wide selection of carvings. She is an instructor at the Southwest School of Woodworking in Phoenix and teaches around the country. Find more of Janet’s work at janetleecarving.com.

Getting Started

Sketch the side and front view patterns onto an appropriately sized block of wood—the front view goes on the 3 1/4″ by 6 3/4″ (8.3 by 17.2cm) face and the side view goes on the3″ by 6 3/4″ (7.6 by 17.1cm) face. Using a band saw or coping saw, rough out the front view, leaving little tabs of wood between cuts so that wood does not fall off at this point. Saw between the ears, and then all the way around the perimeter of the side view pattern. Remove all waste wood.

   Even though bears might seem big and scary, this one is actually relatively simple to carve. There are few defining shapes and lines, but that means that each line carries additional weight in making the bear look awesome. Notice how the front paws are angled opposite to the lines formed by where the legs meet the body. This is just a small trick to add visual interest.

Carving the Bear

Using a knife, remove wood from under the muzzle and narrow the face toward the muzzle with flat planes. NOTE: Always wear a carving glove and thumb guard. The photos were taken without them to clearly show hand and knife positions.Carve a deep stop cut into the back of each leg, and then carve down and up to it until you reach your desired depth. Round the legs up to a large and bold V-shaped junction and the belly into this junction slightly on both sides. Then round the legs downward into the feet and meet this cut from the top of the feet.

With the entire edge of your knife, cut long, V-shaped channels around the arms. Slice wood away from the sides of the chest, and then use the top half of the knife to further shape the arms and chest, cutting up toward the neck as you hold the figure upside down. Join two bold, slanted stop cuts in the middle of the chest to add a scruffy roll of fur under the chin, and then carve up to those stop cuts. Add additional lines to the backs of the legs.

Scoop out the eye sockets by cutting in from the muzzle and twisting your wrist to guide the knife out before cutting through the eye sockets. Carve between the ears. Carve out simple, triangular chips from the ears, carve a horizontal line for the mouth, and add a few nostril incisions. Carve the eyes and separate the claws.

Painting & Finishing

Paint the bear. Start with a base coat of thinned brown oxide and follow that with your preferred accents. Add the final white eye dot with the tip of a toothpick. Let dry and spray with your finish of choice. 

Paint Notes

Base coat: brown oxide, black

Iris: melted chocolate

Rest of eyes: black

Eye reflection: white

Muzzle: country tan

Body: burnt umber, toffee (toffee is drybrushed on)

MATERIALS

•Basswood, 3″ (7.6cm) thick:
 3 1/4″ x 6 3/4″ (8.3 x 17.1cm) 

•Acrylic paints, such as Apple Barrel®: black, brown     oxide, burnt umber, country tan, melted chocolate,     toffee, white

•Finish, such as Danish oil, boiled linseed oil (BLO),     or Howard Feed-N-Wax®

• Cloths

• Toothpick

TOOLS

• Band saw or coping saw

• Pencil

•Carving knife

• Paintbrushes (assorted)

Basic Knife Cuts

Learn the four type of cuts to take on any future project

By the Staff of Woodcarving Illustrated

Whittling Safety

Heed these simple rules to prevent injuries

By the Staff of Woodcarving Illustrated

Knife Selection

Follow these tips when selecting a folding knife

By the Staff of Woodcarving Illustrated

The Basics of Sharpening

Properly prepare your knife for safe and enjoyable whittling

By the Staff of Woodcarving Illustrated

Comfortable Carving

Practice these simple stretches to enjoy carving for long periods of time

By Don Swartz

Teaching Kids to Whittle

Simple suggestions make it fun and easy

By Mindy Kinsey

“It Floats” Sailboat

Soap whittling offers smooth sailing and good, clean fun for beginners

By Janet Bolyard

Product Review: BeaverCraft Carving Kit for Beginners

Introduce someone you love to the craft with this all-in-one box of cheer

By James Miller 

Avocado Pit Owl

Instead of ditching your food waste, why not turn it into a unique piece of jewelry?

By Anna Prikazchikova

Trick-or-Treater Caricature

Transform a basswood turning into an adorable work of art

By Lori Dickie

Balancing Birds

Defy gravity with this aerodynamic design 

By Chris Lubkemann

Sitting Squirrel

Carve a cute backyard critter in just eight short steps

By Gene Messer

Flat-Plane Cat

Customize this flat-plane feline in dozens of ways, so everyone gets the purr-fect gift

By Tom Hindes

Tiny Unicorn

Complete this petite project in just seven steps

By Lieve Roelants

Laid-Back Lumberjack

Spend your next camping trip making a character who loves wood as much as you do

By Peter Jofs

Bird in a Cage

A few simple cuts turn a classic design into a showstopper

By Daniel Breeding

Simple Tomte

No need to fret over eyes or hands on this beginner-friendly carve

By John Overby

Chubby Stylized Seal

This nautical creature is all smiles—and once you carve him, you will be, too

By James Miller

Snowman Ornament

This cute caricature will make you want to deck the halls all year long

By Sara Barraclough

Alaskan Fisherman

Beat the heat with this beginner-friendly project

By Nikki Reese

Feather Pendant

Charm your favorite avian enthusiast with a piece of stunningly detailed jewelry

By Giles Newman

Matchbox Lake Scene

Float into vacationland with this tiny (but oh-so-detailed) diorama

By Steve Tomashek

Carving a Human Figure

Learn to add movement and personality to caricatures with just a few cuts 

By Dave Stetson

Celtic Knife

Use simple techniques to create an elaborate knotwork pattern

By Bob Kozakiewicz

Little Vampire

Sink your teeth into this adorable carve

By Alex Joiner

Getting Started

Carving

Adding Details

Painting and Finishing

Use a woodburner to add details to the face, hat, pumpkin shirt, and shoes. Add paint. I used an assortment of acrylic paints (see Paint Guide and Paint Notes below). Paint the child’s face and hands with warm beige, or any color you desire. Once dry, paint the child’s eyes, eyebrows, and smile black. Add freckle’s around the child’s nose with red iron oxide. Then paint the cheeks with a mix of warm beige and red iron oxide. Paint the hair with bright red, or your desired shade. Paint the hat and shirt pumpkin. Then paint the jack-o’-lantern’s face with black. Paint the hat leaves and stem hunter green. Then paint the tops of the shoes with bright red and the soles with white. Allow the paint to dry fully. Once dry, apply finish. I used two coats of matte varnish.

Materials

Tools

• Carving knife
• Woodburner with nib: writing
• Paintbrushes: assorted
• Awl

SPECIAL SOURCES

Turned basswood blanks are available from:

•Stadtlander Woodcarving Supplies,
1-330-931-7847, stadtlandercarvings.com (item 5646)

•The Woodcraft Shop, 1-800-397-2278, thewoodcraftshop.com (item 554731)

Lori Dickie lives on a small farm in Michigan with her husband Steve. She has been carving for 20 years and displays her work at local shows. Find her on Etsy at lmdickie1.

Materials

• Basswood, 1 3/4″ (4.5cm) thick:
2 3/4″ (7cm) square
• Wood glue
• Acrylic paints, such as Ceramcoat:
black, black cherry, cardinal red, dark goldenrod, white
• Wire: 20 gauge
• Toothpick

Tools