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

FEATURES 2008 Santa Carving Contest Prize-winning entries and highlights from this year's contest Woodcarving that Gets Noticed By Rex Branson Team mascots on a large scale promote woodcarving and community pride. Preserving a Historic Art Form By Christle A. Johnson Bob Johnson shares his passion for carving fish decoys with students Carved Nativities By Kurt Eberling and Helli Mayr Exploring the tradition of Krippel Schaun in Tirol, Austria First Cuts Gary Batte, Steve Prescott, Joe Schumacher, and Desiree Hajny share their first carvings PROJECTS Saw Whet Owl By Gordon and Marsha Stiller Chip Carve a Star Tree Topper By Roger Strautman Carve through bleached wood to highlight chip cavities Happy Christmas Gnome By Ross Oar Easy beginner character can be carved as Santa's helper or a garden gnome Whimsical Santa Holds your Christmas Stocking By Shawn Cipa Delightful folk-art style carving is a functional addition to your holiday décor Power Carving a Dove Ornament By Hugh Parks Classic symbol of peace makes a beautiful Christmas ornament Carving in High Relief By Chris Pye Produce a dramatic effect by lowering the background and undercutting the subject Santa Brings Home the Christmas Tree By Mark Akers Charming details highlight this action pose Carving Candy Cane Ornaments By Hershal Borders Practice basic carving and painting skills with easy Christmas ornaments Hershal Borders bonus cane gallery Carving a Snowman Collector's Plate By Robert Biermann Learn the basics of intaglio carving with this cheerful winter relief scene Carving a Traditional Lovespoon By David Western Classic heart design is a great project for novice carvers Gilding a House Sign By Francis S. Lestingi Learn gold-leafing techniques with a handcarved plaque DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Letter From Our Mailbag News & Notes Tips & Techniques Reader Gallery Product Review Relief Column Calendar of Events Coming Features Advertising Directory & Classifieds Teacher’s Corner Woodchips

FEATURES Best of Show Award-winning carvings from the nation's top woodcarving shows Sharing the Joy of Carving Wood By Dave Brock Build self confidence and provide a life-long hobby by teaching kids to carve First Cuts Mark Gargac and Fred Wilbur provide valuable tips for carvers and share their first carvings Exploring the Culture of Maori Woodcarving By Mike Davies New Zealand natives use woodcarving to document their history and honor their ancestors PROJECTS Making a Tramp Art Frame By Jim Sebring Easy chip cuts and simple joints make this frame an ideal project for novice carvers Hand Carve a Realistic Wolf By Dee Gipson Woodburn detailed fur texture on this classic predator Power Carve an Eagle Pin By Al Groncki Miniature project hones your carving and burning techniques Create a Nostalgic Whirligig By Vernon DePauw Simple carved features, spinning arms, and a rustic finish make this project a winner Carving a Wren in the Round By Chris Pye Work with the grain and supporting wood to add strength to fragile areas Making a Gargoyle Cane By Shawn Cipa Construction techniques for carving a functional cane Carving a Watchful Dragon By Floyd Rhadigan This fun shelf sitter is the perfect guardian for your bookshelf TECHNIQUES How to Select the Right Power Carving Equipment By Chuck Solomon and Dave Hamilton An overview of the types of tools and different models Carving Realistic Wrinkles and Folds By Mary-Ann Jack-Bleach and Fred Zavadil Create accurate details by studying how clothing relates to anatomy Creating a Simple Armature By Marv Kaisersatt Design your own carving with the aid of armatures and clay models DEPARTMENTS Editor's Column From Our Mailbag News and Notes Tips and Techniques Reader Gallery Product Review Relief Column Calendar of Events Coming Features Ad Directory & Classifieds Woodchips

FEATURES Strategy with a Theme Jim Arnold's clever chess set designs Hobo Nickels By Bob Shamey Modern carvers recreate unique American folk art For more information on this unique art form visit www.hobonickels.org First Cuts Bruce Henn, Dennis Thornton, Harley Schmitgen, and Jack Price share their carving stories Carving on Turning Modern woodturning masters embellish their work with carving Woodland Treasures Jewelry By Kathleen Ryan The artistic carvings of Geoff King Awakening a Passion The work of professional Austrian carver Helli Mayr Electronic Saloon Clock By Jack A. Boggio Detailed caricature scene is brought to life with recorded voices and chiming gun shots PROJECTS Checkmate By Barry McKenzie Novel chip-carved chess set is sure to become a family heirloom Serpentine Walking Stick By David Stehly Staff and realistic snake are carved from a single piece of wood Rugged Bear Bench By Jeffrey Cooper Rustic carving highlights sturdy children's furniture Color Guard By Mary-Ann Jack-Bleach Suggest form and flow with a basic relief carving honoring the armed forces Goat of Many Colors By Larry Koosed Charming folk-art design is easy to carve Carving a Knotwork Brooch By Geoff King Basic techniques for carving wooden jewelry 5-Minute Wizard By Tom Hindes Beginner project is a quick and easy introduction to woodcarving TECHNIQUES Basic Relief Techniques By Chris Pye Learn the fundamentals of carving in low relief Paint Primer By Vicki Rhodes Essential knowledge for a professional finish DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Letter From Our Mailbag News & Notes Tips & Techniques Reader Gallery New Products Relief Column Calendar of Events Coming Features Advertising Directory & Classifieds Teacher’s Corner - Sharpening V-tools Woodchips - New Department

FEATURES The Work of Joe Wannamaker By Bob Duncan Late teacher shared his passion with a generation of carvers Best of Show Award-winning carvings from across the country First Cuts A carver’s journey to becoming a member of the Caricature Carvers of America On The Wild Side With Jeffrey Cooper By Kathleen Ryan Quality craftsmanship and wildlife carvings combine for delightfully whimsical furniture PROJECTS Classic Ball in Cage By Addison "Dusty" Dussinger This old-time whittling project is fun to carve and a real attention-getter Making Free-form, Custom Wooden Boxes By Mike Burton This lesson in joinery and "feeling" the wood produces boxes that are a joy to hold and touch Elegant Oak Leaf Mantel Clock By Wayne Barton Create a treasured family heirloom with easy, positive image chip-carving techniques Custom Presentation Plaque By Floyd L. Truitt Change the relief-carved elements for a personalized award Stylish Birdhouse By Barry McKenzie Relief-carved shingles and graceful designs adorn this essential songbird house Kolrosing: Norwegian Line Carving By Judy Ritger Easy-to-learn carving technique produces beautiful decorative designs TECHNIQUES Line Carving: Three Simple Styles By Chris Pye Master the basics of drawing with a veiner Express Yourself! By Jim Farr Photography by Roger Schroeder Convey emotions with exaggerated facial expressions Realistic Skin Tones By Lora S. Irish Simple mixtures and techniques to create a variety of flesh colors Cut Your Own Carving Blanks By Mark Duginski Simple technique reduces the time you spend roughing out a carving All About Files, Rasps, & Rifflers By Roger Schroeder These versatile tools have a wide range of carving uses Woodburning Eyes By Carole Jean Boyd Foolproof method makes it easy DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Letter From Our Mailbag News & Notes Tips & Techniques Reader Gallery New Products Relief Column Calendar of Events Coming Features Advertising Directory & Classifieds Teacher’s Corner - Brush Cleaning

The Winter 2018 issue of the world's best how-to magazine for woodcarvers is packed with patterns, techniques, tips and projects for all skill levels. This holiday-themed issue dishes up a whole sleighful of Santas to keep you busy making gifts, decorations, and ornaments during the months leading up to Christmas. Beginners will enjoy making Roger Beane’s ingeniously simple Pear-Shaped Santa, and classicists will love Dwayne Gosnell’s Jolly Old Soul, while those looking for something different will appreciate Dave Francis’s Peppermint-Stick St. Nick. We devote eight pages of detailed instructions (along with 34 photographs) to help you bring Wayne Shinlever’s Dancing Santa to life. There are ornaments in abundance, along with other memorable pieces like Peter Zanauskas’s delightful Ball-in-Cage Snowman and Chuck MacKnee’s striking Circle of Love Nativity. Topping it all off is an amazing photographic tour of Betty Padden’s Carved Christmas Spectacular, an entire elfin village doing double duty as a tree stand.

Whether you're a woodcarver expanding your talents, a seasoned carver refining your skills, or a beginner newly introduced to this fulfilling craft, this is the only carving book you need. Brimming with expert instruction and 8 attractive step-by-step woodcarving projects, you'll learn all the classic carving styles and techniques along with the fundamentals of wood and tool selection, sharpening, creating a workspace, and finishing your completed work. Also included is a complete chapter on power carving.