Fan-carving is the process of slicing wood into thin blades (feathers) and then twisting and interlocking them to create a 3-dimensional design from one piece of wood. Fans and birds are the most popular items made. Legends and customs associated with the fan bird are of a religious and spiritual nature. With the help of European museums, the Nyes have traced the history and migration of this Old World folk art from the ancient Russian region, through Europe, to North America. Preserving this folk art is the purpose of this book. It contains easy to follow step-by-step instructions on how to make fans and birds. Full color photos accompany each step. Also included are six full-scale templates: a fan, plus five birds. This book contains a comprehensive chart of twelve species of wood, each evaluated for its performance. Fan-carving is an entry level project to woodcarving. Within three hours a novice can create a very respectable bird. The story about fan-carving is as interesting as making a bird.

Take an exciting journey into printing with custom-carved stamps! In this complete stamp-carving workshop, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer covers every aspect of creating and using rubber stamps, including carving linear and curved designs, alphabets, complex and repeating geometrical shapes, and image transfers. After carving your own unique stamps, you'll also learn: • How to combine and layer stamps into original designs. • How to design stamps that work together as well as individually. • How to create stamps that combine with or enhance other stamps (hand carved or commercial). • And how to create complex, layered effects that resemble screen printing. This book also includes simple projects that explore various applications for stamping, including printing on different surfaces such as fabric, leather, paper, and canvas. Find your "authentic" design voice and get carving today!

Artists around the world have lately been turning to their bookshelves for more than just a good read, opting to cut, paint, carve, stitch or otherwise transform the printed page into whole new beautiful, thought-provoking works of art. Art Made from Books is the definitive guide to this compelling art form, showcasing groundbreaking work by today's most showstopping practitioners. From Su Blackwell's whimsical pop-up landscapes to the stacked-book sculptures of Kylie Stillman, each portfolio celebrates the incredible creative diversity of the medium. A preface by pioneering artist Brian Dettmer and an introduction by design critic Alyson Kuhn round out the collection.

A whole clan of colorful characters comes to life in this collection of rustic carving patterns. The carving lessons demonstrate how to use the quick and easy clean-cut method to impart warmth and personality to each of the ten Ozark folk style caricatures—from Ma and Pa to Ol' Blue the coon hound. Very few tools are required and technical notes advise artisans on how best to experiment with tool sharpening. Stains and paints are also addressed, including an easy formula for wood stain that can be mixed in a blender. There are even a few down-home tales along the way, bringing a little bit of country into the woodshop.

· A must-have compilation of original chip carving projects from the archives of Woodcarving Illustrated · Includes 48 projects of useful and attractive chip carved designs that are perfect for year-round everyday life, such as barrettes, beard combs, calendars, coasters, Christmas decorations, and more · Projects feature detailed step-by-step instructions with coordinating photography, supplies and tools lists, full-size patterns, and expert tips · Written by several contributors to Woodcarving Illustrated, industry-leading artists, and bestselling authors, such as Wayne Barton, Marty Leenhouts, Charlene Lynum, Vernon DePauw, and many others

In this book, Harley shows you how to carve and paint engaging folk-art caricatures in the classic Scandinavian style.Carving Flat-Plane Style Caricatures presents more than 50 imaginative figure patterns for you to carve--from lumberjacks and golfers to trolls and elves.

Profusely illustrated guide to carving realistic and stylized birds: fantail birds, comic caricatures, bird totems, fetishes, dance masks, many more. Over 300 drawings and photos. Tips on tools, woods, pitfalls, finishing techniques.