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

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

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

Imitation of Life

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

By Dorissa Bolinski

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

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

Two-in-One Measuring Spoon

Get cooking with a useful carving for the kitchen

By Emmet Van Driesche

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

Carving it Up in Colorado

Woodchips fly at the annual Carvin’ the Rockies show

By Dorissa Bolinski

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

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

Carved Christmas Wreath

Strategic layering and undercutting lend depth to a festive decoration

By Mary May

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

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.

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

Family heirlooms aren’t Richard’s only source for materials; often, the perfect pieces turn up in unlikely places. “I find things everywhere, from beaches and antique shops to my own firewood pile,” he said.

In 1992, Richard volunteered to help carve architectural embellishments for a new community center in his hometown of Shawnigan Lake, a village on Vancouver Island, B.C. Even though he had no previous carving experience, Richard was all too eager to be taken under the wing of the late George Norris, who specialized in traditional European chip carving. “George organized the project for the center, and I was so lucky to learn woodcarving from a master carver like him,” he said.

Richard soon became hooked on woodcarving and started making designs of his own. One day, a finished bird sculpture developed a deep split after being left out in the sun. Instead of discarding it, Richard covered the crack with metal feathers. “It was a happy accident in hindsight,” he said.

Richard adds intricate chip carving designs to his projects.

Once his metal-and-wood hybrid bird materialized, Richard’s imagination took flight. He began modifying other elements by experimenting with chip carving, stains, and inks. Richard also tried to challenge himself by creating designs based on the forests and animals that surround his island home, sometimes adding exaggerated features like teeth, colorful eyes, and mythical armor.

Richard uses whatever he can get his hands on to turn the ideas in his head into reality. “With each bit of scrap metal and wood, I get to craft new artifacts from old ones and pay tribute to the creatures that inspired them,” he said.

To see more of Richard’s work, visit @bastard_file on Instagram.

Salmon made out of yellow cedar and repurposed metal bits.

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.