Imitation of Life

Artist David Boone captures moments in time and place with his storytelling carvings

By Dorissa Bolinski

Stretching Cat

Dramatic woodgrain adds appeal to this elegant feline figure

By Bartłomiej Kaczmarek

Decorative Plate

Patience and attention to detail can yield a museum-worthy chip-carved piece

By Marty Leenhouts

Rock and Roll Gnome

Round out a block of wood to discover the character living within

By Manuel De Santis

Pumpkin Candlestick

Practice achieving symmetry in this spooky decoration

By Tony Tanev

Little Pumpkin

Carve one or a handful of these friendly-faced trinkets

By Kevin Johnson

Hipster Frankenstein

This cool ghoul is always on the guest list for the best Halloween parties

By Dwayne Gosnell

Angry Viking

Plunder a block of basswood and get started on a hilarious carve

By Chris Hammack

Cottonwood Bark House

Create a whimsical dwelling with unique features and texture

By Ales Janosik

Hardwood Mouse

Transform colorful scraps into a cute little rodent on a bed of leaves

By Paul Purnell

Goofy Gargoyle

Carve a glaring roof-sitter who’s more friend than foe

By Rich Wetherbee

Pumpkin Patch Scarecrow

Easy painting technique highlights the wood on this friendly piece

By Jim Willis

Oktoberfest Celebration

Everything is going “accordion” to plan with this charming music maker

By W. Todd Martin

Two-in-One Measuring Spoon

Get cooking with a useful carving for the kitchen

By Emmet Van Driesche

3. Rough out the boots. Use the knife to make V cuts on the boot line. Carve in at a slight angle from above and below this line to create a V-shaped cut. Extend these cuts a little to the left and right sides of the block.

4. Rough out the scarf. Cut in the bottom of the scarf. Following the same instructions as in Step 2, use the knife to make V cuts on the lower scarf line. Two cuts, one angling down and in and the other up and in, form the V shape that meets at the lower scarf line.

5. Set up the arms. Use a 1/4″ (6mm) 90° V-tool to establish the arm blocks. Starting at the boot line, lay the V-tool on its side and follow the arm lines up to the scarf. As you approach the scarf, raise the V-tool out of the wood to prevent running the tool into the scarf.

6. Roughly shape the body. Use the knife to roughly shape the upper body and back. Make cuts that angle up and in toward the scarf all around the body.

7. Carve the boots and the tail of the scarf. Draw the tail of the scarf on the chest. As with the arms, lay the 1/4″ (6mm) 90° V-tool on its side and carve up the scarf lines. Use the knife to separate the boots with a V cut. Then cut back in to the boot line at a slight angle to shape the boots.

8. Taper the hat and scarf. Narrow both areas with the knife so they’re slightly less wide than the body.

9. Shape the arms. Continue to shape the upper body and draw the arm shapes on. Following the pattern, use the knife to cut in the arms and mittens. Cut a separation between the coat sleeve and the mittens, bringing the mitten slightly under the end of the sleeve. Make a three-sided triangular chip cut at the crook of each elbow for depth.

10. Carve the coat and boots. Draw a line for the bottom of the coat. Using the knife, stop-cut the line. Shape the back of boots, carving from the bottom of the boots up and in to the stop cut. In front, shape the top of the boot by cutting straight back toward the leg. Round over the bottom edge of the coat. Draw a line for the sole of the boot, and then cut the line with a 1/16″ (2mm) 90° V-tool. Use a 1/16″ (2mm) micro gouge to cut in a Vibram sole for the boot.

11. Carve the hat and scarf. Use the knife to make soft V cuts in the scarf to shape and add form. Draw a small opening for the eyes. Stop-cut the line and the scarf line just below it, and then slowly shave wood out from between the cuts. Draw a line at the top of the hat. Make V cuts separating the pom-pom from the hat.

12. Finish the hat. Use the knife to create hat texture. Carve facets using a sweeping or rolling motion with the knife blade all around the hat. Use the 1/16″ (2mm) 90° V-tool to create the texture for the pom-pom. Draw a series of swirling lines meeting at the top. Then carve in the lines with the V-tool.

13. Add final details. Use the knife to undercut the arms, scarf, and pom-pom. A thin sliver of wood is removed from all these areas to add the appearance of depth and roundness. Cut along the edge of the feature, and then cut at a tiny angle just above or below the first cut to remove the sliver of wood.

Paint Notes

Hat: purple

Pom-pom: antique gold

Eyes: oyster white, denim blue, charcoal

Scarf: antique gold

Scarf trim: Sharpie® ultra fine, purple

Jacket: purple

V on jacket: oyster white

V outline: Sharpie® ultra fine, purple

Mittens: antique gold

Boots: oyster white

Vibram soles: antique gold

MATERIALS

• Basswood, 1″ (2.5cm) square: 2″ (5.1cm) long

• Graphite paper

• Pencil

• Boiled linseed oil

• Mineral spirits

• Delta Ceramcoat® All-Purpose Sealer

• FolkArt® Antiquing Medium Plaid 811

• Acrylic paints: antique gold, charcoal, denum blue, oyster white, purple

• Howard Feed-N-Wax®

• Paper towels

• Soft cotton rag

TOOLS

• Carving knife

• Micro gouge: 1/16″ (2mm)

• V-tools: 1/16″ (2mm) micro, 1/4″ (6mm) 90°

• Paintbrushes

• Purple ultra fine Sharpie®

Karen Scalin has been carving for more than 25 years. She lives in a suburb of Chicago. See more of her work on Etsy at WoodCarvedMinisByKLS.

Carve the scarecrow first and then drill a 1/8″-dia. hole for the stem. Carve the stem from a piece of scrap wood and glue it into the hole.

Thin the paints to the consistency of a stain. For darker paint colors, apply two coats of paint. Let the paint dry and then use undiluted black for the pumpkin’s face. You can add a plaid pattern to the shirt using an ultra-fine black Sharpie. After the paint dries, apply wax with a toothbrush. Allow the wax to dry for 30 minutes and then buff it with a shoe brush.

MATERIALS:

• Basswood, 3/4″ (19mm) thick: 3″ x 3-1/2″ (7.6cm x 8.9cm)

• Scrap of basswood (pumpkin stem)

• Acrylic paints, such as Apple Barrel: black, brown, cardinal crimson, harvest orange, woodland green; FolkArt: midnight; Ceramcoat: straw

• Wax, such as Minwax dark special

TOOLS:

• Bench knife

• Drill with 1/8″ (3mm)-dia. bit

• Toothbrush

• Shoe brush

• #2 Paintbrush: round

Gerald Smith has been carving since he was a boy.  In the early 1970s, Gerald moved to Colorado Springs, Colo., where he got involved with the Wood Carver’s Museum and started carving more actively. A friend gave Gerald’s business the name of “Santa’s Whiskers” because of Gerald’s beard and the Santas he carves. 

Getting Started

Roughly sketch the pattern onto the wood with the grain running vertically. You can use a saw to cut out around the top pumpkin stem.

TIP: Clean Eraser

Hi-polymer erasers do not leave colored eraser marks on carvings. They are typically white in color.

Step 1

Round each pumpkin. Cut the corners down first, and then round the pumpkins using a rough out knife. Carve the slightly lopsided shape of a pumpkin and not a perfect circle.

Step 2

Draw the faces. Use a pencil to draw faces on the pumpkins. Make sure you are happy with your faces before carving them. If you need to make corrections and erase pencil marks, use a Hi-polymer eraser.

Step 3

Carve the pumpkin stem. Carve the basic shape of the pumpkin stem. Once you have the basic shape of the stem, draw a circle where you want the stem to stop.

Step 4

Carve the pumpkin faces. Start cutting out the pumpkin faces with a detail knife. Take your time and be precise with your cuts. I like to do a chip-style cut for the eyes and noses. For the bottom pumpkin, use a V-gouge for his smile.

Step 5

Mark the pumpkin seams. Make sure you stagger the seams as you go from pumpkin to pumpkin.

Step 6

Cut the pumpkin seams. Use the V-gouge to create crisp, deep shadow areas to the desired depth you want. Make sure you stop at the bottom of the stem on the top pumpkin. Use the detail knife to round the sides of the seams for a more organic look. Do a chip-style cut with your detail knife wherever the seams meet a pumpkin. Make the cuts so the pumpkins look like they are sitting on each other. Turn the carving upside down as needed to make these cuts easier.

Step 7

Finish the pumpkin stem. Use the detail knife to separate the stem from the top pumpkin. Use the lead image as a reference on how to place your cuts. Finish carving the stem details. Look over the carving and clean up your cuts. Remove any pencil marks.

Painting and Finishing

Brush walnut oil onto the carving. After a few minutes, wipe off any extra oil with a paper towel. Do not brush oil onto the bottom of the carving. This helps prevent the oil from getting on anything you set the carving on. Allow the carving to dry for a day. Note: Always dispose of oil-soaked rags according to the manufacturer’s instructions, as they can spontaneously combust.

Paint the pumpkins with burnt orange, using a 4:1 water-to-paint ratio. Paint the pumpkin faces with lamp black. Paint the stem burnt umber, using a 4:1 water-to-paint ratio. Then double the water in the burnt umber and blend the stem into the pumpkin. Use titanium white to paint the eyes. When the eyes are dry, use the watered-down burnt orange and lightly paint over the faces. This gives them a nice orange hue. Dip a stiff-bristled brush in the lamp black. With your thumb on the bristles, spray black paint droplets on your carving. Try this technique first on a piece of paper to practice. Let the carving dry for a day, and then spray with a clear matte finishing spray.

MATERIALS

• Basswood, 1 ½” (3.8cm) square: 6 ¾” (17.1cm) high

• Pencil

• Hi-polymer eraser

• Oil: walnut

• Paper towels

• Acrylic paints, such as DecoArt®: burnt orange, lamp black; such as Folk Art®: burnt umber, titanium white

• Finish, such as Krylon® Flat Crystal Clear

TOOLS

• Scroll saw (optional)

• Knives: rough out, detail

• V-gouge: ¼” (6mm)

• Paintbrushes: assorted

Kevin Johnson lives in York, Pa., with his wife Jen and their two children. He has been carving for nine years and is a member of the Conewago Carvers
in East Berlin, Pa. See more of Kevin’s work on Instagram @carvingcreationden and on Etsy @CarvingCreationDen.

Getting Started

Prep the blanks. I carved this caricature in three separate pieces—the torso, the legs, and the treat bag—to make it easier to sculpt. Transfer the patterns to the blanks. Prior to cutting the torso, drill a 1” (2.5cm)-dia. flat-bottom hole 1-5/8” (4.1cm) deep to form the cavity for the leg section. Note: I used a Forstner bit, but a spade bit would do just as well. Cut the torso on a band saw; cut the other two pieces on a scroll saw. Save the offcuts, as you’ll use them to make the treats later.

Carving

Round over the head and corners of the torso area with the rough out knife. Use a pencil or pen to mark the main sheet folds and the location of the treat bag. Using the gouges and V-tool of your choice, create the fabric folds, keeping them random as they would be in reality. Keep in mind that the bottom of the sheet is not level, and some of the inside of the sheet will be exposed in the finished project. Using the knife and a gouge of your choice, create the indentation for the treat bag, and rough out the bulges for the hands holding it.

With the knife, thin down the edges of the sheet to create the look of delicacy. Add the eyeholes in the sheet; I used a drill to make two 1/4” (6mm) holes around 1/8” (3mm) deep. Refine the sheet’s shape; when you’re happy with the overall look, sand the surface to 220-grit.

Painting and Finishing

I painted the pieces before gluing them together, but you could also glue and then paint. For the sheet section, paint the black eyes first. Once dry, paint the sheet white, inside and out. With a toothpick, add a drop of white paint in the center of each eye. Paint the treat bag with coffee latte, and paint the candy with your preferred colors. Then paint the leg section; I painted the sneakers with gray storm, using antique white for the trim and laces. I painted the socks with yellow ochre and forest green stripes, and the shorts with denim blue. Once all the paint is dry, glue and clamp the pieces together (including the candy in the bag) and finish with a few coats of a clear spray lacquer.

Materials

• Basswood, 2-3/4” (7cm) square: ghost torso, 5” (12.7cm) long

• Basswood, 1-1/2” (3.8cm) thick: legs, 1-3/4” x 2-1/2” (4.5cm x 6.4cm)

• Basswood, 3/4” (1.9cm) thick: treat bag, 1” x 1-1/2” (2.5cm x 3.8cm)

• Pen or pencil

• Wood glue

• Acrylic paints, such as Americana: coffee bean, forest green, grey storm, spiced pumpkin; such as Ceramcoat: antique white, black, denim blue, tompte red, white; such as Folk Art: coffee latte, yellow ochre

• Clear spray lacquer: satin or semi-gloss

Tools

• Saws: band or scroll

• Drill press or hand drill

• Knives: rough out, detail

• Gouges: assorted

• #11 veiner: 1/4″ (6mm)

• V-tool: 70°

• Clamps

• Paintbrushes: assorted

Tom Mellott of Colorado Springs, Colo., remembers carving a hippo from Ivory soap as a Cub Scout in the late 1940s. He also carved neckerchief slides as a Boy Scout. After retiring from a career in engineering, Tom studied and worked part-time as a cooper (barrel maker) at a colonial village for 12 years. A past member of the Bloody Thumbs Carving Club in Roaring Springs, Pa., he’s currently a member of the Pikes Peak Whittlers and the First Lutheran Carving Club. Shoot him an email at malcath361@gmail.com.

Carving

I use a variety of hand tools to carve the wizard, ranging from large, flat gouges to tiny micro gouges. The carving will turn out better, and you will learn more, if you use the tools you are most comfortable carving with. To learn more about creating head and body proportions on human figures, check out The Rule of Three. 

To drill the hole in the hand for the scepter, it’s possible to use a drill and 1/8″ (3mm)-diameter bit, but I just use a 1/8″ (3mm) micro gouge. In the time it takes to find the drill and bit, I can drill through the hand with the gouge.

Painting

I usually mix my own colors; I can tell when someone has painted a carving using colors straight out of the bottle, and I think it looks a bit boring. For this piece, I use light washes of paint to build up the colors slowly. I tend to use the same color for a few elements in the same carving to help tie everything together.

For the exposed flesh, I mix naphthol red light with chromium oxide green. For the hat and robes, I mix naphthol red light with ultramarine blue. For the robe trim and cuffs, I mix naphthol red light with burnt umber. For the visible inside of the robe and for the scepter’s hat, I mix Payne’s gray with cadmium yellow light. For the scepter’s body and the spots on the robe, I use pale gold. When the gold is dry, add dots of titanium white. For the shoe, I use raw sienna. 

Paint the eye with full-strength mars black and allow it to dry. Paint a circle of full-strength chromium oxide green for the iris and allow that to dry. Paint the pupil with mars black, allowing a bit of the iris to remain visible. Add a titanium white highlight dot.

When the piece is fully dry, dry-brush titanium white over the whole piece to highlight the tool marks.

• Basswood, 2 3/4″ (7cm) thick: wizard, 2 3/4″ x 8 1/2″                   (7cm x 21.6cm)

• Basswood, 1/2″ (1.3cm) thick: scepter, 1/2″ x 4″                                (1.3cm x 10.2cm)

• Acrylic paints, such as Liquitex®: burnt umber, cadmium               yellow light, chromium oxide green, Mars black,                           naphthol red light, pale gold, Payne’s gray, raw sienna,               titanium white, ultramarine blue

• Knives: carving, detail

• #3 gouge: 3/4″ (19mm)

• #6 gouge: 1/2″ (13mm)

• V-tool: 1/4″ (6mm)

•Micro gouges: 1/8″ (3mm), 3/16″ (5mm)

• Drill with bit: 1/8″ (3mm)-diameter (optional)

• Paintbrushes: assorted

Don Dearolf painted for several years before taking up carving in 1994 after his brother Dave took him to the Lancaster County Woodcarvers Show. Don loves to carve and share patterns, blanks, and rough outs with others. Don lives in Lancaster, Pa., with his wife, Sue, and daughter, Kate.

For Diane

This piece is a tribute to a beloved sister-in-law, Diane Nelson, who died from breast cancer in 2019. She absolutely loved autumn and Halloween, and I carved a unique Santa for her every Christmas for her collection. She was an artist and art teacher, and I inherited a box of paints from her. I wanted to use them to make something special.

Getting Started

Transfer the pattern to the blank. Cut the profiles with a band saw, and then mark the major landmarks.

Carving

Use a rough out knife to block out the arms, cat, jack-o’-lantern, and foot. Knock off the sharp corners and round the features. Redraw the detail lines as you remove wood. Drill a 1/4″ (6mm)-dia. hole into the hand you will insert the staff before carving the knuckles. Use the knife to shape the cat. Separate the head from the hood, and then carve the nose and eye sockets. Carve the hair and adjust the beard and mustache to your desired length. Round the back of the hood. Draw the eyes, round out the eyeballs, and then create the forehead. Use the tip of the knife to carve the jack-o’-lantern’s face and ridges. Add creases and folds throughout the robe. Carve the staff and raven separately, and then attach the bird to the end of the staff with a toothpick and glue. Secure the staff in the hand with glue.

Painting and Finishing

Wash the carving in warm water with a soft brush and liquid dish soap, such as Dawn®. Let dry, and then seal the carving with a coat of semigloss clear polyurethane spray. I went for a traditional Halloween look (see Paint Notes below). The details on the coat are painted, but you could woodburn them, if desired. Apply three part nautral and one part dark of Watco® wax with a clean brush. Wipe off the wax immediately with a cotton cloth. 

Paint Notes

Face: warm beige (1), drybrushed with burnt orange (1)

Hands: warm beige (1)

Robe: black (4), cadmium yellow (3), pumpkin calabaza (2), titanium white (4)

Crow: black (4)

Cat: baby pink (1), black (4), light olive green (1), baby pink (1)

Eyes: black (4), titanium white (4), light olive green (1)

Hair, eyebrows, and beard: dolphin grey (3), drybrushed with light ivory (3) and titanium white (4)

Jack-o’-lantern: black (4), lantern orange (1), woodland green (1)

Staff and shoe: burnt umber (1)

1 – Americana®

2 – Anita’s

3 – Ceramcoat®

4 – Craft Smart®

• Basswood, 2 1/2″ (6.4cm) thick: Santa 2 3/4″ x  7″  (7cm x 17.8cm)

• Basswood, 5/8″ (1.6cm) thick: staff  3/8″ x 6 3/4″ (1cm x 17.1cm)

• Basswood, 1/2″ (1.3cm) thick: raven 3/4″ x 2 3/8″ (1.9cm x 6cm)

• Marker and pencil

• Glue: wood

• Toothpicks

• Cleaner and degreaser, such as Dawn®

• Cotton cloths

• Acrylic paints, such as Americana®: baby pink, burnt orange, burnt umber, lantern orange, light olive green, warm beige, woodland green; such as Anita’s: pumpkin calabaza; such as Ceramcoat®: cadmium yellow, dolphin grey, light ivory; such as Craft Smart®: black, titanium white

• Finish: semigloss clear polyurenthane spray, such as Deft®

• Antique wax finish, such as Watco®

• Band saw

• Knife: rough out

• Drill with bit: 1/4″ (6mm)-dia. 

• Paintbrushes: assorted

• Woodburner (optional)

Russell Scott of St. Paul, Minn., has been carving since 1999. He is the author of Carving Undercover Santas by Fox Chapel Publishing and teaches online and in person at carving shows and meetings. Check out his free instructional videos on YouTube at Scottcarvings. See more of his work on Etsy and purchase his roughouts at scottcarvings.com.

• Basswood 6″ (15.2cm) thick: 4″ X 4″ (10.2cm X 10.2cm) square
• Acrylic paints, such as Delta Creative Ceramcoat®: jubilee green, pumpkin orange
• Kelly’s Show Cream: dusky brown, neutral
• Clean rags
• Clear finish, such as Varathane® satin polyurethane spray

• #5 fishtail gouge: 1″ (25mm) 
• #5 gouge: 1 9/16″ (40mm)
• #8 gouge: 3/8″ (10mm)
•  V-tools: 3/16″ (5mm), 3/8″ (10mm) 60˚
• Toothbrush
• Paintbrushes: assorted

• Basswood, 2″ (5.1cm) thick:
3″ x 3  1/2″ (7.6cm x 8.9cm)

• Finish, such as Krylon 1311: matte spray

• Acrylic paint, such as DecoArt Americana: uniform blue; Jo Sonja: titanium white, burnt sienna, carbon black, cadmium orange

• Finishing wax, such as Watco:
natural & dark

• Paper towels

• Knives: bench, detail

• #7 gouge: 3/8″ (10mm)

• #9 gouges: 3/16″ (5mm), 1/4″ (6mm),
1/2″ (13mm), 3/4″ (19mm)

• Micro gouges: 5/32″ (4mm), 3/16″ (5mm)

• V-tools: 3/16″ (5mm), 1/4″ (6mm),
1/2″ (13mm)

• Paintbrushes