Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Nature/Ecology    4. Diamonds   

Reviews (3)

HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ONE
Having worked with gourds for quite a number of years now, I have of course collected quite a number of books on the subject.This work is certainly at the top of the list as to being useful.Most aspect of the art of carving gourds can be found in this wonderfully illustrated volume.Some of the subjects covered are fretwork, engraving, linear carving, chip carving, using gouges, relief carving, inlay techniques, deep relief or sculptural carving, supply sources and the use of high-speed grinder burrs and tips.There are hundreds of high quality color photographs.This work if of great value if for no other reason that it is a great sorce for new ideas.The text is well done and where applicable, step by step instructions are quite easy to follow.Recommend this one highly.

Adorável
Sorry, I don't write in English... I'm disease yes...
Excellent book!
I have been working with gourds for almost a year and have several books on gourds, but this book tops them all.This is a beautifully done book with excellent pictures and good instructions on carving gourds.What I like the most is how challenging and inspiring this book is.After looking through it once, I have so many ideas about how I can improve my designs and techniques, even though it will take me years to achieve the same level of quality.I definitely recommend this book to those who want to take their craft to the next level! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Gourd craft    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Crafts & Hobbies / Carving    7. RELIGION - RELIGION GEN TRD PB   

Reviews (3)

Hoped for more
Although it does cover the subject and offer examples for inspiration, it does so in very broad strokes. I had hoped for mre istruction and less inspiration.

Informative, Instructive, Well written, Great pictures
I used this book as a basis for all my carvings, This book actually started me in the buisness of woodcarving and I created my first Walkingstick from the instructions therein.

The best carving instruction I have ever received.
Two years ago I purchased this book and a set of six tools. My goal was to create a hobby that was rewarding and relaxing. I can truthfully say that I have never been more satisfied with any purchase. I have found a world of enjoyment from the simple act of cutting wood. In three days, I will exhibit in my first show, The Tupelo Gum Tree Festival, Tupelo, MS. I have never been more relaxed and proud of anything I have done before. Thank you Tom Wolfe! Dennis Renfro ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (Tom James)    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Carving    4. Crafts & Hobbies    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Sculpture    7. Staffs (Sticks, canes, etc.)    8. Themes, motives    9. Wolfe, Tom    10. Wood-carving    11. Carving & carvings    12. Woodworking   

Reviews (3)

Good starter book
I am a carver -- mantle pieces and such -- and bought the book for a young man who wanted to try his hand at carving. It covers all the basics and even has some great patterns.

I feel better now
I have wanted to carve wood for some time, but had no idea how to go about learning. Most of the books I've looked at were either too technical or too advanced for me.Finally, this book has given me the confidence to begin. The discussions are well written at a level that's good for a beginner like me. I read the entire book in about 3 hours and am now going back and starting my first project. The projects look doable and I know what I'm supposed to be learning in each one. Unlike most books, this one doesn't assume a progression from project to project so that you have to do them all--whether they interest you or not. I like being able to focus on whittling or chip work and being able to put off other types until I have a reason to do them.

Good introduction to woodcarving
Just as the title says this is a good introductory text for the person interested in starting woodcarving. There is not a lot of in-depth information about each type of carving, but there is enough to get youstarted in the right direction.Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Wood-carving    6. Woodwork - General    7. Art techniques & materials    8. Carving & carvings    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    10. Woodworking   

Reviews (2)

It has hooks
My husband has had the desire forever and I found a class to get him started.This is the first book he brought home from the shop.I read it today and found the illustrations worthy of framing alone.There is one very detailed how to example that takes many baby steps where you gain further skills in multiple cuts and design.VERY IMPRESSIVE.
Great photos and artist's reviews!
This is one of the best sources for a variety of new ideas that I've come across in a while. I carve and sell quite a few woodspirit walking sticks and the excellent color photos of the many professional artists profiled inspired many of my own original ideas. Great selection for any serious woodcarver's library! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Woodwork - General    6. Carving & carvings    7. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    8. Woodworking   

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Chain saws    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Wood-carving    7. Woodwork - General    8. Woodwork Arts And Crafts    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    10. Handicrafts   

Reviews (3)

Extreme pumpkin carving
Very inspiring! Great step-by-step photos to get you started. The photos make it look so easy I can't wait to try it!
Super carving book
This is the best book I've seen on carving pumpkin.There are patterns for everything from scary to comical faces.Carving is done only with knives or for those carvers with tools, good directions are available for a really terrific creation.I would not recommend unsupervised children doing this kind of carving, however.The tools must be very sharp.

Something for both beginners and advanced carvers...
I had a tough time deciding on how many stars for this book.I really like the book but I was just a teensy bit disapointed.My reasons may be a little bit unfair but I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.
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Subjects:  1. Arts And Crafts    2. Carving    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. General    6. Halloween decorations    7. Hobbies/Crafts    8. Jack-o-lanterns    9. Seasonal    10. Carving & carvings    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Carving   

Reviews (1)

Extremely useful book
I found this book to be better than any other carving book I have purchased. The painting guides are accurate and detailed, the patterns are realistic and proportionate, and each species has several different head poses included. I use this book while carving and painting more than all of my others combined. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Decoys (Hunting)    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Painting    7. Technique    8. Wood-carving    9. Woodwork - Decoys    10. Woodwork - General    11. Woodwork Arts And Crafts    12. Carving & carvings    13. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (3)

Woodcarving
This is an excellent book that covers the fundamentals of carving plus adds great advice on what tools to purchase.Asked if I would buy this book again, my answer would be yes!I messed up on the rating of this book and I give it five (5) stars.Sorry!
Best Beginner's Book
To an experienced woodcarver this book may seem unfocused and thinly spread, but for the beginner it does exactly what it should do.The book begins with a good grounding in the tools of the craft and how to care for and sharpen each type.After that it gives you a sampler of carving styles with at least one project for each.It's guaranteed there is at least one or two chapters the reader will not care for.Even this is useful since the reader avoids launching into the craft with a project they really have little enthusiasm for, and then lose interest in wood carving all together. This book should be required reading before the beginner spends a single dime on tools, equipment, or wood.If it's not 'the' best beginner's book, it's in the top five.

A good technical guide to woodcarving
A good general book on woodcarving. This book could be better if it didn't try to be all things for all people. There are better books for beginners out there for the money and more advanced carvers probably need to buy abook concentrating on their type of carving. I found it to be a little onthe technical side and would have preferred a few more patterns for eachtype of carving. Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Sculpture    6. Wood carving    7. Wood-carving    8. Woodwork - General    9. Woodwork Arts And Crafts    10. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    11. Woodworking   

Reviews (4)

Great Book!
This book helped a lot!Very easy to understand. Had some great tips!

Greatfun at the beach.......
On a recient trip to S. Padre Island my wife made arrangements with sandyfeet for a 1 hour private lesson for us and our 2 grandchildren, ages 10 and 12. It was the best one hour I have spent on the beach since I got married!When we returned home, we bought this book for ourselves and several for presents for others in our family.Quite simply, this is every thing you need to know about building sandcastles!!And the next 2 days we spent 3 hours as a family building the best castles we ever had.A must buy if you are at all interested in the subject.

Instructive and fun
One benefit to buying a book for a friend's birthday present is that you get to read the book before you wrap it for the party. This friend spends a week at a beach house every summer, so it seemed as though a build-a-sandcastle manual would be just the ticket. After looking through this book, I'm positive that I made the perfect purchase.
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Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Carving    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. General    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Sand craft    8. Sand sculpture    9. Sandcastles    10. Sculpture    11. Crafts & Hobbies / General   

Reviews (3)

Relief Carving Tips
I feel this book is well worth its cost.As an inexperienced carver I was looking for some detailed hints that would improve my work.Mr. Schroeder has some valuable advice that we should all implement when creating a masterpiece.This book is geared to the relief carver.

Do really want to know how to make great reliefs?
This book is exactly what its title says. If you are new to relief carving, you might think that realistic relief carving involves simply in the carving half round. But this approach will not be satisfactory. This book shows to how even very shallow relief can be amazingly realistic if proper perspective is used. The book has several simple projects in the beginning to help you master the basic principles. Then you can carve a very nice nautical scene which is detailed step by step with ample photos. He uses both standard wood carver's hand tools such as gouges and also power tools including a router and a dremel. I rated this a 5 because of the efective way the content is organized and the detail provided.

Great book for beginners
I haven't yet purchased this book - but had a chance to take a good long look at it at bookstore.
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Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Woodwork - General    6. Woodwork Arts And Crafts    7. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    8. Handicrafts   

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Decoys (Hunting)    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Painting    7. Technique    8. Wood-carving    9. Woodwork - Decoys    10. Woodwork - General    11. Woodwork Arts And Crafts    12. Carving & carvings    13. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (1)

A "Must-Have" whittler's book.
I recently purchased this book after seeing Chris Lubkemann demonstrate his rooster carving techniques on the FYI channel. With the help of this book and a little previous wood working experience, I was able to whittle three roosters and a hen from branches collected in my own yard. This book is a tidy, complete, well-illustrated user's guide to whittling twigs and branches.He provides clear step-by-step instructions, and openly shares his opinions and experiences with various types of wood, knives, finishes, etc. As with all really good reference works, I find myself going back and forth between whittling and re-reading the book. I learn something new with each closer look at these pages. Lubkemann's rocking chair philosophy explores what an average person can accomplish with a twenty-dollar pocket knife and a few branches that are absolutely free. I applaud not only his uncluttered approach to this noble craft, but his genuine desire to pass it along to anyone who is interested. An aside: this book is an excellent gift idea for anyone interested in folk art, woodcraft, or chickens. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Twigs    6. Wood-carving    7. Woodwork - General    8. Carpentry    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (2)

5 STARS Excellent Instructional book!!!! A+++++++++++++++
This book is everything you need to start carving melons!!!! It even tells you where to find inexpensive tools to use to carve your melons. If you can carve pumpkins then with the help of this book and its 30+ patterns then you can most certainly create stunning watermelon carvings!!!
Amazing Stuff!!!
You need this book if... 1) You carve pumpkins for Halloween, and get depressed when the season is over. 2) You need some really cool summer/wedding/seasonal/4th of July/anytime decorations. 3) You need a new hobby - this one is addictive. 4) You are a sculptor or a wanna be sculptor and need a new medium.
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Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Methods - Garnishing    4. Cooking-Methods - Garnishing    5. Crafts & Hobbies / Carving   

Reviews (3)

It's ok
I'm a brand new whittler and this guy is a tad dry for me.Or perhaps a little intimidating.All the wood carving stuff is beside my point.Good stuff; I just don't love this book.

Very helpful
This book is great for a beginner to learn all the basics of whittling. i was making a wooden chain in no time at all and im ready to go on to the more challenging projects.

The Great American Whittling Book!
Written in the thirties this is the whittler's magnum opus. Classic whittling tricks and projects, soap carving, etc. Get this book, a pocket knife and a chunck of white pine. Find a shady tree or a park bench andwhittle away. Want to make a pair of operational box jointed woodenpliers?, a ball in a cage?, a wooden chain? Tangerman will walk you throughthe process step by step. It is easier than it looks. I have a wooden chainwith a ball in a cage hanging in the shop for people to casually discover.When they do my stock goes up three or four points right away. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Sculpture    6. Soap sculpture    7. Technique    8. Wood carving    9. Wood-carving    10. Woodwork - General    11. Carving & carvings    12. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (1)

A top notch carving book
This is one of the best "how to" carving books I've come across in quite a long time.The projects are wonderful ( those cute, crooked little houses in cottonwood bark) and the authors have gone out of their way to make the directions clear and the photographs fit the explanations--or vice versa.There are even instructions for repairing blow outs, a not uncommon problem with bark carving cross grain.Woodcarver/Reviewer ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Woodwork - General    6. Woodwork Arts And Crafts    7. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    8. Woodworking   

Reviews (6)

Detailed & Absolutely Useful!
I have been a pyrographer for over 6 years now, & am so delighted to have found this book! The techniques are well explained, the photos are detailed, the instructions go from an easy project to difficult, all taught beautifully. Complete is a very accurate description of this artists offerings.

IF NOT THE BEST BOOK ON THIS SUBECT ON THE MARKET, THEN IT'S CLOSE!
I really cannot recommend this one highly enough.I have been involed in this art form for well over thirty years now and this is by far one of the best works on the subject.I did find, after reading it, that you can indeed "teach a old dog new tricks!"For the beginner, I do not feel you could find a better guide on the market.For the "old hand" this work is just crammed with good ideas to get the creative juices flowing.I have collected books of this type for a long time now and have qutie a collection, some good, some bad and some great.This one falls in the last category mentioned.You will want to purchase this one if you are like me, as you will be continually referring to it.Highly recommend.

Pyrography Workbook By Sue Walters
By far the best book I have found for pyrography. I have been doing pyrography for 5 years and have done over 100 pictures. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Woodwork - General    6. Woodwork Arts And Crafts    7. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    8. Handicrafts    9. Woodworking   

Reviews (5)

Not for the novice, but well presented
I am on the finishing details of the featured santa project in this book, so I write from first-hand experience.This book describes (with both photos and captions) techniques to do highly detailed and stylized Santacarvings. You definitely need more than a benchknife and a v-tool to dothese projects.Nevertheless, the progression of steps in the project islogically laid out, and if you have some carving experience under yourbelt, you'll do all right.One criticism I have is that most of thesequence photos on the project are in color.For me, color is actuallydistracting -- clear B&W photos reveal much more the sense of depth ina carving. There is a very good color gallery of other Santas, however,that should inspire.Painting technique is a bit complex, but yieldsdistinctive results.One final thought...Bolinger's preface story aboutleaving his software executive job to carve full-time can be a strongtemptation for a lot of us who like to work with wood!

Not for the novice, but well presented
I am on the finishing details of the featured santa project in this book, so I write from first-hand experience.This book describes (with both photos and captions) techniques to do highly detailed and stylized Santacarvings. You definitely need more than a benchknife and a v-tool to dothese projects.Nevertheless, the progression of steps in the project islogically laid out, and if you have some carving experience under yourbelt, you'll do all right.One criticism I have is that most of thesequence photos on the project are in color.For me, color is actuallydistracting -- clear B&W photos reveal much more the sense of depth ina carving. There is a very good color gallery of other Santas, however,that should inspire.Painting technique is a bit complex, but yieldsdistinctive results.One final thought...Bolinger's preface story aboutleaving his software executive job to carve full-time can be a strongtemptation for a lot of us who like to work with wood!

Not for the novice, but well presented
I am on the finishing details of the featured santa project in this book, so I write from first-hand experience.This book describes (with both photos and captions) techniques to do highly detailed and stylized Santacarvings. You definitely need more than a benchknife and a v-tool to dothese projects.Nevertheless, the progression of steps in the project islogically laid out, and if you have some carving experience under yourbelt, you'll do all right.One criticism I have is that most of thesequence photos on the project are in color.For me, color is actuallydistracting -- clear B&W photos reveal much more the sense of depth ina carving. There is a very good color gallery of other Santas, however,that should inspire.Painting technique is a bit complex, but yieldsdistinctive results.One final thought...Bolinger's preface story aboutleaving his software executive job to carve full-time can be a strongtemptation for a lot of us who like to work with wood! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Painting    6. Santa Claus    7. Technique    8. Wood-carved figurines    9. Wood-carving    10. Carving & carvings   

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Decorating    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Seasonal    7. Crafts & Hobbies / Seasonal    8. MUSIC & DANCE - INSTRMTS/INSTRCT TPB    9. Sale Books   

Reviews (1)

Bought the book and carved one
THe book is excellent.It gives a very nice detailed accounting of how to carve a mallard duck detail, soup to nuts.The illustrations are beautiful, the text generally excellent.Covers wood selection, tools, details of carving (down to the shape of the nostrils on the bill and the overlap of the feathers), painting (which takes the bird from a fine shape to the gorgeous bird on the cover).
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Subjects:  1. Birds in art    2. Carving    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Decoys (Hunting)    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Painting    8. Technique    9. Wood-carving    10. Woodwork - Decoys    11. Woodwork - General    12. Woodwork Arts And Crafts    13. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    14. Handicrafts