Getting Started

While a birch burl can be difficult to carve, it would be the most durable and crack-resistant material for a cup. Because burls are hard to find, I carve my cups from regular birch. Softer varieties of maple, as well as alder, willow, or even tulip poplar, will also work. Make sure that the piece you choose is from one side of the center of a log. Do not have any pith (the very center of the tree) in the blank, or the cup will crack. Orient the blank so the bottom of the cup is toward the center of the log. I usually use green wood for this and keep the blank in a plastic bag between carving sessions to keep it from drying out until I finish carving. Then, I keep the cup in a paper bag to allow it to dry slowly. Using this technique, I have never had a cup crack.

Trace the pattern onto the blank and rough out the cup. I roughed out this blank on a band saw, but I have also roughed out several with an axe and bush saw. Then, draw a centerline on the blank. Sketch the inside hollow of the cup. Note that this project can be carved with a pocketknife, but using additional tools (if available) makes it easier.

Roughing Out The Shape

Step 1 

Hollow the inside of the cup. You can use a variety of tools to hollow the inside of the cup. While a pocketknife will work, a bent knife is easier. To speed up the hollowing, use a drill with a Forstner bit or use a variety of straight and bent gouges.

Shape the outside of the cup. Sketch the shape onto the outside and remove the excess wood with a knife or gouge. I turn the cup over and carve down against a firm solid surface (not your leg).

Refining the Project

Step 3

Refine the cup. Smooth the inside of the rim with a knife to make it comfortable for your lips. Then, smooth and flatten the bottom to make sure the cup doesn’t tip when you set it down.

Rough out the handle. Sketch the handle shape onto the blank. Then, rough it out with a knife.

Refine the handle. Carve a small groove on the top of the handle for your thumb. Test the grip to make sure it’s comfortable as you hold it, and adjust it as needed.

Finish carving the rim. Smooth the underside of the lip, and angle it slightly to create a comfortable surface for your lower lip. Then, round the top to make it comfortable for your top lip.

Add the details. I carved a small groove around the bottom to dress up the cup a bit. I also drilled a hole in the handle for a hanging cord. But you could also let the wood dry thoroughly (as described above), and then make it an ongoing project to decorate the cup on the trail. Just be sure to sign and date it!

Finishing the Wooden Cup

I’ve finished several wooden utensils and cups by boiling them in beeswax (outside on a camp stove). None of the objects I have treated this way have ever cracked, even when used with extremely hot fluids. You could also saturate the cup with flax seed oil, mineral oil, or walnut oil, which are all food-grade oils and will not turn rancid like many vegetable oils.
For decorative cups, use your choice of finish.

MATERIALS

• Birch, 2 1/2″ (64mm) thick: 3 1/2″ x 6″ (8.9cm x 15.2cm)

• Finish, such as beeswax, flax seed oil, mineral oil, or walnut oil

TOOLS

• Band saw or axe and bush saw

• Drill with Forstner bit (optional)

• Knives: carving, hooked

• Gouges (optional): assorted deep and shallow, short bent

• Camp stove (optional)

Rick Wiebe lives in Westbank, B.C., Canada, with his wife of 45 years. He spends the colder months in the warmer parts of the U.S. He has been carving for 60 years and has spread his enthusiasm to children and adults in classes and demonstrations in many venues. He is the author of Adventures in Fan Carving and Whittling Flutes and Whistles, as well as several magazine articles. 

Josh Landry North Anson, Maine

Josh Landry has always enjoyed the challenge of turning blank tree trunks and stumps into long-lasting statues. So, when Stephen and Tabitha King—the king and queen of horror writing—called upon him to turn their ash tree into a one-of-a-kind design, Josh eagerly fired up his chainsaw. In a month’s time, Josh carved a 15-foot statue featuring an assortment of books, owls, cats, ravens, and dragons—all centered on an elaborate bookcase with human legs. “The art of chainsaw carving is truly my calling,” he said. “I get better with each carving and faster the more time I spend behind the saw.” See more of Josh’s work on Instagram @josh.landry or visit joshlandry.com.

Alasdair Craig Sussex, England

When John Troake discovered his beloved 100-year-old copper beech tree had to be cut down due to a bacterial infection, he knew he wanted to do something special with the trunk. That’s when he brought in Alasdair Craig of Sussex Chainsaw to transform it into a work of art. “When you are carving trees, you never know what you might find inside—whether it’s rotten parts, or something unexpected that has grown in the trunk,” he said. Once he opened up the tree, Alasdair worked with John to design a traditional green man with an owl perched at the top to match the nature-themed sculptures that appear all over Sussex. The green man faces the street, so the rest of the community can enjoy his presence, too. See more of Alasdair’s tree carvings @sussexchainsaw on Instagram or visit sussexchainsaw.com. 

Vicki Nicholson Perth, Australia

Whether they’re suffering from storm damage or invasive insects, Vicki Nicholson has made it her mission to rescue trees in distress. Once she was contacted by the owners of a Marri tree damaged by black ants, Vicki decided to carve a wood spirit into the trunk with her Arbortech® grinder. Vicki slowly carved away the damaged wood, taking care not to go too deep into the tree. This allowed the tree, which she affectionately named Magnus, to continue to live and grow after the carving was done. “A live tree should be treated with love and care,” she said. “I believe he guided me along and I even talked to him while I was carving.” After 40 hours, Vicki detailed the piece with chisels, and then sealed him with a natural oil to prevent further damage from ants. Since then, Magnus has only prospered with the growth of new branches and luscious green leaves. See more of Vicki’s work on Facebook at Vicki Nicholson.

Chaz Chiafos Monticello, Ind.

Chaz Chiafos has always believed that storm-damaged trees can have a second life through carving. So, when his brother lost a cedar tree that to lightning, Chaz had the idea to turn it into a mailbox. “I decided to carve bears holding a honey pot because of the way the branches twisted after I cut off the damaged top of the tree,” he said. After nine hours, Chaz added the finishing touches to the carving with his chainsaw and Dremel®. Ever since, his brother’s grizzly mailbox has become an attraction in the neighborhood. To see more of Chaz’s chainsaw carvings, visit Indiana Carvings on Facebook.

Clint Henrik Mount Vernon, Iowa

Two years ago, Clint Henrik, owner of Carve R Way, was called upon by a local Iowa family to turn a dying tree into a wooden masterpiece. Clint designed a rough drawing of a floral collage based on the family’s interest in flowers and started up his chainsaw. Clint made sure not to rush his work, as this decorative piece will stand for years to come. “My tree carvings can take anywhere from an hour to days to complete depending on the size and shape of the tree,” he said. After carving the flower details, Clint sealed the entire carving with Cabot Australian Timber Oil® to protect it from the elements. See more of Clint’s work at carverway.com.

Simon O’Rourke Wrexham, Wales

Simon O’Rourke wanted to reach for the sky with his giant hand sculpture, entitled Giant Hand of Vyrnwy, carved out of what was formerly the tallest tree in Wales. After the tree suffered storm damage, Natural Resources Wales hired Simon to create the elaborate carving rather than have the tree chopped down. Over a six-day period, Simon used Stihl chainsaws and various grinders to shape and build the godlike hand. He also crafted additional pieces for the thumb and pinkie finger, as the tree wasn’t wide enough for the whole hand, and then sealed it with tung oil. Simon enjoyed using the tree’s natural shape and woodgrain to dictate the hand’s design, shape, and texture. “The wood will always be influenced by weather, which I consider to be part of the artwork,” he said. To see more of Simon’s work, visit @simonorourke on Instagram or treecarving.co.uk.

Fritz Hand Omaha, Neb. 

Fritz Hand is known around the Dundee area as the creator of the wood spirit in Ellyn Grant’s yard. The 100-year-old tree had become overgrown and potentially dangerous, so Fritz was enlisted to turn the remains into a work of art. Fritz had creative freedom over the design and decided to carve something that would highlight the tree’s history and personality—a wood spirit. “I like to visualize the tree’s trunk as a tapestry for my artwork before I actually begin carving,” he said. Fritz, with help from his father, carved the wood spirit at an angle to minimize weathering by rain. He also positioned it to catch the sunlight that floods into Ellyn’s yard. To see more of Fritz’s tree sculptures, visit Hand Drawn Art by Fritz on Facebook. 

Jennifer Ruse Madison, Wis. 

Jennifer Ruse often carves eagles and bears into trees but created something new for a client of hers: a fairy garden. From the trunk of a dead silver maple, Jennifer designed and carved an array of mushrooms and blooming flowers, and even a fairy house toward the bottom—all with a chainsaw. “I can always see something in the wood before I turn on my chainsaw,” she said. To be able to carve the details at the top of the tree trunk, Jennifer had to stand on a scaffold. She also constructed the garden to direct rainwater into a birdbath located next to the fairy house. See more of Jennifer’s tree sculptures on Facebook at Roadside Saw Works.

Carving a Hiker

I carved my hiker from one piece of wood. Add a separate, larger base if desired. I left the wood in the negative space between the body and hiking stick to strengthen the weak areas and protect the integrity of the carving. If you prefer, remove it after you carve the majority of the piece. My carving has hair covering the face so I didn’t have to carve eyes, which can be challenging. To make it even easier, cover the ears with hair as well.

Finishing the Project

Use a woodburner to separate the areas to be painted. This prevents paint from bleeding from one area to another. I use acrylic paints thinned with water to allow the wood grain to show through. I use between 7 and 10 drops of water per drop of paint. You can adjust the intensity of the color by adding more or less water to the wash. I added the lines on the jacket for interest, using an ultra fine point Sharpie® marker. Paint the hiker using colors that have meaning to you or draw a logo on the hat or shirt to show your team spirit. 

Allow the paint to thoroughly dry. Then spray the carving with two light coats of Minwax® clear satin polyurethane. This finish helps protect the carving from oils transferred through handling and keeps the colors vibrant.

Paint Notes

Hat: tangelo orange (1) mixed with a drop of tomato red (1)

Bedroll: deep midnight blue (1) 

Exposed skin: mixture of flesh (2), medium flesh (2), and dark flesh (2)

Jacket: tomato red (1)

Backpack: lime green (2) 

Shorts: mink tan (1)

Walking stick: burnt sienna (1) 

Boots: burnt umber (1)

Boot tread and hair: soft black (1)

Drybrush texture: buttermilk (1)

1 DecoArt Americana®

2 Delta Ceramcoat®

Materials

• Basswood, 7/8″ (2.2cm) thick: 3 1/4″ x 7 1/4″ (8.3cm x 18.4cm)

• Acrylic paints, such as DecoArt Americana®: burnt umber, tomato red, deep midnight blue, mink tan, burnt sienna, tangelo orange, soft black, buttermilk; such as Delta Ceramcoat®: flesh, medium flesh, dark flesh, lime green

• Marker: ultra fine-point Sharpie®

• Finish, such as Minwax® clear satin polyurethane

Tools

• Knife: 1 1/2″ (38mm)-long blade

• #5 fishtail gouge: 1/2″ (13mm)

• #5 gouge: 1/4″ (6mm)

• #9 gouge: 5/16″ (8mm)

• V-tool, bent: 1/4″ (6mm) 45°

• Woodburner with nib: spade

• Paintbrushes

Getting Started

Sketch the side and front view patterns onto an appropriately sized block of wood—the front view goes on the 3 1/4″ by 6 3/4″ (8.3 by 17.2cm) face and the side view goes on the3″ by 6 3/4″ (7.6 by 17.1cm) face. Using a band saw or coping saw, rough out the front view, leaving little tabs of wood between cuts so that wood does not fall off at this point. Saw between the ears, and then all the way around the perimeter of the side view pattern. Remove all waste wood.

   Even though bears might seem big and scary, this one is actually relatively simple to carve. There are few defining shapes and lines, but that means that each line carries additional weight in making the bear look awesome. Notice how the front paws are angled opposite to the lines formed by where the legs meet the body. This is just a small trick to add visual interest.

Carving the Bear

Using a knife, remove wood from under the muzzle and narrow the face toward the muzzle with flat planes. NOTE: Always wear a carving glove and thumb guard. The photos were taken without them to clearly show hand and knife positions.Carve a deep stop cut into the back of each leg, and then carve down and up to it until you reach your desired depth. Round the legs up to a large and bold V-shaped junction and the belly into this junction slightly on both sides. Then round the legs downward into the feet and meet this cut from the top of the feet.

With the entire edge of your knife, cut long, V-shaped channels around the arms. Slice wood away from the sides of the chest, and then use the top half of the knife to further shape the arms and chest, cutting up toward the neck as you hold the figure upside down. Join two bold, slanted stop cuts in the middle of the chest to add a scruffy roll of fur under the chin, and then carve up to those stop cuts. Add additional lines to the backs of the legs.

Scoop out the eye sockets by cutting in from the muzzle and twisting your wrist to guide the knife out before cutting through the eye sockets. Carve between the ears. Carve out simple, triangular chips from the ears, carve a horizontal line for the mouth, and add a few nostril incisions. Carve the eyes and separate the claws.

Painting & Finishing

Paint the bear. Start with a base coat of thinned brown oxide and follow that with your preferred accents. Add the final white eye dot with the tip of a toothpick. Let dry and spray with your finish of choice. 

Paint Notes

Base coat: brown oxide, black

Iris: melted chocolate

Rest of eyes: black

Eye reflection: white

Muzzle: country tan

Body: burnt umber, toffee (toffee is drybrushed on)

MATERIALS

•Basswood, 3″ (7.6cm) thick:
 3 1/4″ x 6 3/4″ (8.3 x 17.1cm) 

•Acrylic paints, such as Apple Barrel®: black, brown     oxide, burnt umber, country tan, melted chocolate,     toffee, white

•Finish, such as Danish oil, boiled linseed oil (BLO),     or Howard Feed-N-Wax®

• Cloths

• Toothpick

TOOLS

• Band saw or coping saw

• Pencil

•Carving knife

• Paintbrushes (assorted)