In this article, we'll cover what tools you need to start relief carving. So you've decided you want to try relief carving. (Carving in relief is a type of wood carving where the artist essentially creates a picture “drawn” into the wood with carving tools until it stands out from the background. If you aren't familiar with the term, we suggest you check out this article here.) Maybe you saw and were inspired by epic relief carvings, like this one by Randy 'Madcarver' Stoner: Or this one, by beginner Jason Taveras: Regardless of the reason, you've chosen a great new hobby. Relief carving is a fantastic creative outlet, with limitless possibility. Many woodcarvers also describe it as a relaxing...
"I'm using all of my Schaaf Tools Sets, and I'm using them daily"- Madcarver The Gambler is Madcarver's current work, and as you know, Randy loves to tell a story with his carvings. Although the carving is still in it's roughing phase, already we can start to see a story coming together. The main character in this fantasy is a rogue gambler, wearing a cloak and flinging dice into the air. He leans over a barrel, protecting a stack of coins... In this wood carving video, Randy 'Madcarver' Stoner pulls a few chisels out of the three, signature Schaaf Tools woodcarving sets to demonstrate how he would use each profile on a personal project that's currently sitting on his workbench. The Carving Chisels Highlighted:From the 12-piece Foundation Set -...
Author: Dan Schumacher As a former sales and operations training consultant, my mindset has always been grounded in safety training. When I followed one of my passions into wood carving, I was very excited to invest in my first set of tools; a spoon carving gouge and a straight knife. Both were exceptionally sharp right out of the package. Upon carving my first project, I realized I hadn’t planned very well. Although the carving workpiece was secured, the tool skipped off the workpiece and my other hand just happened to be in the same direction as the knife (ouch)! On reflection, I realized I didn’t do my homework and discovered I was without the necessary safety accessories to compliment my...
Author Josiah Waters “My interest in carving started while watching a local whittler carve wooden shoes outside of my elementary school. Since then, I have been fascinated by the art, and I spent many hours carving ‘pointy sticks’ with my pocket knife. Over the years, I transitioned to tools dedicated to woodcarving, and my projects slowly began to look like the works of art that I had envisioned." Perhaps it was because I only had access to my trusty pocket knife and a few tools from my local craft store, but when I first started carving, I was as traditional as they come. All power tools constituted cheating, and I wasn’t going to be party to that. So, I...
Recently I spoke with a novice carver who was having trouble knowing where to get started. She had a million questions, but no idea where to look. Who to trust. Of course, the internet is an incredible resource. But its also an overwhelming resource because of the sheer number of voices and opinions vying for your attention. Who is right? Who should I listen to? This person wished there was someone they could turn to for definitive answers to her questions . Unfortunately, that's not possible or even realistic. Every carver has their own way of doing things. These aren't math problems. There isn't one right answer. And that's where a lot of the anxiety about getting started stems...
