Chris Pye's Woodcarving Course & Reference Manual: A Beginner's Guide to Traditional Techniques (Fox Chapel Publishing) Relief Carving and In-the-Round Step-by-Step (Woodcarving Illustrated Books)

A comprehensive guide akin to having a one-on-one course with a master carver! Learn step-by-step: Clear instructions and color photos take you through every step of the carving process, from grips to simple exercises to practice projects for carving in the round Workbench, tools, & wood: Learn the details of what to look for in a workbench and its accessories; what tools are available, what they each can do, and which ones you need to get started; and how to choose the best woods to carve Commission & sharpen: Learn how to commission your carving tools from gouges to bevels-simply being sharp is not the whole story Exacting cuts: Learn how to safely make precise cuts with your tools using different grips and angles, including running cut, stabbing cut, stop cut, sweep cut, slicing cut, and more Practice exercises: Learn how to execute a variety of techniques by applying what you've learned to various practicing activities designed to get you comfortable with using your new woodcarving tools correctly Relief and in-the-round projects: Step-by-step, you'll learn how to carve in low relief, high relief, and pierced relief, as well as a wren and a baseball cap in-the-round The first step into a new craft can be overwhelming: Where to start? What tools to buy? What projects to begin with? Thanks to author and internationally acclaimed woodcarver Chris Pye, this guide is filled with everything a beginning woodcarver needs to know. Chris Pye's Woodcarving Course & Reference Manual is akin to having a one-on-one course with a master carver. You'll learn what to look for in a workbench, the importance of commissioning your carving tools-there's more to it than just sharpening!-and how to make exacting cuts and execute a variety of techniques.