Top Wood Carving Blogs

Here is the full list of the best wood carving blogs. I have found all of the best wood carving blogs on the internet. You can see the full list of top blogs in this category. If you have any suggestions about sites that should be on this list, feel free to inform me.

1.Wood Carvings by Mark Sheridan

Website: tributesinwood.com

About: Spending most of his time to carving details, Mark has years of experience in this field

On this site, you can find many detailed carvings, with info for each one of them, including the size and the materials and techniques used for its creation. Some of them are so good that they received many awards.

Mark started his career in this field of carving wildfowl, songbirds and bark carvings. However, after a while, he decided to try out caricature carving, and according to his photo gallery, that seems to be a nice choice.  He became addicted to this quickly, and now spends the majority of his time making caricatures.

His caricatures are mostly inspired by people and situations in 30’s and 40’s and he puts hours of effort, adding detail to detail until he creates the perfect carving. Check out his photo gallery to see Mark’s creations and feel free to share your carving ideas with him.

 

2. My Chip Carving

Website: mychipcarving.com

About: Anyone can teach chip carving, all that is required is to follow instructions from an experienced and extremely skilful teacher

Marty is a trained teacher and has been teaching students of middle and high school for more than 30 years. Impressive, right?

Well, Marty decided to try something else – rather than limiting to a classroom full of students, he wanted to share his knowledge with people from all around the world. In order to help others to learn chip carving, he started making videos and believe it or not, he has succeeded in teaching thousands of people.

My Chip Carving offers several different programs that will help you to develop great skills and even turn you into a certified instructor. Depending on what you need, you can choose between the different memberships.

You can read the blog for carving tricks, take a look at the videos available, or directly choose a membership and start learning. Chip carving has never been easier, especially when you have a teacher with years of experience, just like Marty is.

 

3. Carve easier, faster and better

Website: ezcarving.com

About: Helping individuals to become better at carving, and make the process more enjoyable with the EZboards

EZcarving is a sister company of My Chip Carving, which means they have the same owner – the skilled carving expert, Marty. His videos have helped many people worldwide, and as a proof for that is the fact that his videos have been watched more than 1.5 million times.

But, why would you use EZcarving? The answer is simple – because of the EZboard.

An EZboard is a special board designed for newbies. it comes in different thicknesses and can be custom cut depending on your needs. This board is better to start with as it will accept different types of finishes giving you a variety of options.

People often don’t go to EZboards as they want to try with basswood or butternut like the traditional carving is done. However, for starters, the EZboard is a must have. Marty has been carving for more than 30 years and would recommends this board, so I suggest you follow his instructions in order to improve your skills.

 

4. Spoon Carving First Steps

Website: spooncarvingfirststeps.com

About: Learn axe and knife skills and spoon carving techniques quickly by taking one of the courses from a guy with extraordinary skills

Jon, the guy behind this blog has been working with wood all his life. Over the years he had become great when working in construction, but carving spoons and drinking vessels seems like was the real thing for him.

If you are willing to learn how to remove waste wood, how to shape and design wood, visiting Jon’s blog is the right thing to do. There are some skills that are obligatory to have and if you want to deal with wood, there are some basic ones that you must acquire.

If you have little or no experience in using tools, you can learn with Jon. Of course, you can’t carve spoon without the proper knowledge of how tools are used. Based on your knowledge, you can choose one of his courses and learn how to carve a spoon.

Jon also creates carvings for his customer. Luckily, his other hobby is photography, so you will be able to see some great photos of his creations and step by step tutorials as well.

 

5. Ninth Wave Designs, The Creative Work of Lisa Laughy

Website: ninthwavedesigns.com

About: Woodcarver with many years of experience in carving and a strong background in designing and illustrating

Lisa spent many years drawing and painting, creating unique work that was sort of a preparation for what was about to come. Many years of 2D artwork, lead Lisa to try something new and after a short period of time, she became obsessed with carving.

For shaping the objects, she uses traditional tools, so all of her carvings are made by hand. The final product doesn’t require any type of sanding, even though the surface may be a bit rough.

She gets her ideas mostly from the past, looking for symbols and myths and of course, filtering them through her own personality, adding something specific from her life. Those carvings include guardians and shields, made with traditional crafting methods. The main idea behind all of her creations is to keep the tradition alive, by taking something from the past and filling it with our lives.

You can either check her gallery for ideas or directly purchase an item – whatever your choice is, Lisa’s blog is definitively worth a visit.

 

6. Tharp Carving Studio

Website: tharpcarvingstudio.com

About: Learn to carve in a friendly environment, working in a group with people of all ages

To learn a new set of skills you need much time and patience, and of course, a great teacher. Fortunately, Sheri’s classes are made in a way that offers support for people of all ages and knowledge levels.

The wood carving classes will make you feel like you are on a family dinner, not on a wood carving class. The group may combine members of all ages and skills, so it is not rare to notice a kid working with an eighty years old person.

Each one starts with the same project, and based on his/her progress, they may proceed to other projects of their preference.

You can check the student gallery, to see the actual results of people that started to carve, or the artist gallery for some ideas. In case you like what you see, you can enroll yourself in one of the woodcarving classes based on your skills level.

 

7. Cassidie Alder Carving

Website: traditional-woodcarving.co.uk

About: A passionate wood carver that uses traditional techniques to create unique pieces of artwork

It is not so common to find a wood carver that is specialized in different types of carving projects, from gilding and modeling up to letter cutting, but luckily, the carver that owns this site is one of them.

Years of training was the reason why Cassidie succeeded in becoming a carver that could work in many different decorative styles and create great designs. Machines have improved a lot over the years, but the true love for carving lies in the idea that robots will never be able to create what a human can do with his hands.

The materials that each wood carver is working with, come from a living, breathing being, which is why you need to appreciate and respect the nature. Every piece of wood speaks a different story and it is the duty of the woodcarver to find the best usage of it.

On this blog, you will be able to see many different designs and post, so if you fancy wood carving, it is definitively worth a visit.

 

8. Sylva Spoon

Website: sylvaspoon.com

About: Using traditional tools and only local wood from sustainable sources, to create useful products for every household

Each carving must look good on the eye, but also needs to be useful, otherwise, why would you decide to put it in your home? Using urban woods, the guy behind Sylva Spoon, Tom, does exactly this – he creates products that are a combination of beauty and functionality.

His specialties are wooden vessels and utensils, that are made using only hand tools – knife and axe. These are one of the oldest tools that people used even centuries ago.

The trees are living creatures, so it is irrational to cut them just to make a carving. However, because of storm damage or other reasons at some point, they will be felled. Rather than burning them, Tom takes them and makes useful objects that will last for many years.

On Sylva Spoon, you can purchase some of Tom’s carvings, or information about next events, as a chance to learn how to carve a spoon.  If you are too lazy for that, you can just visit the blog section as you will find very interesting stuff there.

 

9. Astrid de Groot, Spoon Carving, Bowl Turning

Website: astriddegrootspooncarving.com

About: Durable and practical spoons, made using traditional tools and techniques, from broken or fallen wood

Astrid likes walks in the woodland and often takes a folding saw. If you don’t think as a wood carver, you won’t realize why someone would need a saw while walking.

Well, wood carvers see things that the “normal” person wouldn’t see, like a broken branch that could be turned into a nice and practical object. Broken branches, fallen trees – all of these can be used to create a useful product while keeping the wood green at the same time.

Taking a walk in the woods can be relaxing, plus, you may find new ideas for future work as well. Using fallen or damaged wood, Astrid manages to design practical spoons that are great for your kitchen, or as a gift for a birthday or wedding.

To check the spoons, you can visit the store section on her site – there are many different types of spoons and other great stuff for your kitchen that you might consider buying.

 

10. Jar of Wood, Hand Carved Spoons

Website: jarofwood.com

About: The beauty of making art with just a knife and a piece of wood

Years ago, Rita was amazed by the things that can be made out of wood. That inspired her to try and do the same, and it turned out to be very successful at it.

She loves carved spoons, so as you may guess it, that was her first attempt. Unlike other carvers that focus on caricatures, Rita wanted to start with the basics. She started with a pocket knife from her husband, and developed great skills, becoming a professional spoon carver with many spoons made.

She learned many carving techniques, and discovered a carving community that helped her to learn, but also share her ideas and knowledge.

You can check the gallery section to see her designs and read about different spoon gatherings. Plus, there is a great collection of spoon links that will be very helpful for everyone that is new to wood carving. You can read about her experience, and even ask to purchase a spoon.

 

11. Greg Guedel Studio

Website: gregguedel.com

About: A simple birthday gift was enough for Greg to fell in love with wood carving

A birthday present can completely change your life and your career. If you don’t believe in this, Greg’s story will convince you that it is true.

He got a set of carving tools and that was the moment he fell in love with wood carving. Vintage Americana, different antique toys and so on – he gathered inspiration from many things and used an amazing technique to design his creations.

He uses salvaged wood or recycled materials and unlike other carvers, he paints the pieces in different colors. After that, he let them sit for a while so the time can do its thing. The final result? Vintage product with a modern appeal.

Some works may be completed in 2 days, while some may last for weeks and even months. Each product is handcrafted and has many details, which is why it takes that much time. You can visit the shop section to take a look at Greg’s creations or go a step further and purchase something for your home.

 

12. David Frisk

Website: davidfrisk.com

About: A skillful wood carver with more than 40 years of experience, with designs recognized all over the world

It is very rare to find a wood carver that is still using old-school techniques, working with just a few tools. Luckily, David is one of those carvers that uses very old working techniques, including contemporary glues and dry hardwood.

David is eco-friendly and most of his designs are inspired by nature. He combines functionality with beauty, and his designs can be found anywhere – from private homes to offices and restaurants. Not only in the US, but his art resides in other countries in the world as well. His designs look nice, but are also very durable and designed to last for many decades.

On his site, you will be able to see some of his work and check out all of the design options ranging from doors and furniture to built-ins. Apart from wood, he works with other materials like stone and metals and can create forms in different styles. Feel free to ask for anything, as this experienced carver is able to turn your desires into reality.

 

13. Carver Dale – Carving: My Passion

Website: carverdalecreations.com

About: Passionate wood carver with more than 40 years of experience, specialized in caricatures

While building a career in computer systems, Dale still managed to find time for his hobby. However, he took this very seriously and after years of serious work he became very good at it.

To become a master wood carver, you will need to practice a lot. Dale was aware of this, so he took many classes and specialized in human and caricature subjects. He is a member of several woodcarving clubs for sharing ideas and knowledge. He participated in several competitions which resulted in many awards that you can find his site.

On his blog, you can find many of his creations. Each one is unique, with small details on it and each one was made with his hands and a bunch of traditional tools. You can see all the tools he is using and an accurate explanation of the whole process. If you are looking for a step by step tutorial, this blog is the thing you need.

 

14. Cindy Chinn: Artist, Carver, Muralist, Creator

Website: cindychinn.com

About: Creative and skillful artist, with a full-time job designing artwork

Working as an artist gives you freedom in deciding what and when you will do.  Because of this, Cindy chose to work as an artist, which proved to be a great choice.

She is a multi-media artist, creating paintings, metal art, but also amazing carvings. Carving pencils is very complex task and requires using a microscope to add tiny details. Cindy is a real proof of how someone could become successful of course, with lots of practice – starting with no knowledge about pencil carving, she was recognized as an international renowned pencil carver.

You can find many images of pencil carving and the gallery of Cindy’s creations is huge. If you are new to carving, this blog is something you definitively need to visit. In the blog section, you can see the different artwork, not only carvings but also paintings and metal art. You can use this site to get ideas, but also purchase some of her artwork.

 

15. Bill Johnson – Carolina Mountain Reefs

Website: carolinamountainreefs.com

About: Well- trained artist, specialized in chip carving and very good at creating realistic objects

Wood carving has many different styles and each one of them is special for a reason. When Bill wanted to start with wood carving, his choice was chip carving.

Chip carving is an interesting, decorative form of the wood carving, that doesn’t require a huge investment in tools and you will need less time to master it. Because of these reasons, if you are new to wood carving, it should be one of the forms to start with.

For several years, he has been trained by great masters in wood carving, which lead to becoming a skillful carver as he is today. Additionally, Bill sculpts marine animals, but he considers the latter his canvas, making the forms as realistic as possible.

Every beginner could teach wood carving, by attending one of the classes organized by Bill. At his blog, you will be able to check the gallery and see his creations – maybe something will inspire you for your next carving. Plus, feel free to go to the store section and purchase some of the items available.

 

16. Wood Bee Carver, The Art of Wood Carving by Don Mertz

Website: woodbeecarver.com

About: Skillful carver with many years of experience, focused on whittle-carving

Wood carving is shaping a piece of wood with a sharp object, and it is known as one of the oldest forms of making art. On the other side, Don is an experienced woodcarver with years spent on whittle carving.

Whittle carving is a unique form of woodcarving that requires only a knife to shape the wood, which means you will need to forget about the other tools. Although this skill is often self-taught, you can learn it from Don if you attend some of his seminars. He also spends the time to encourage others to carve and experience the beautiful world of this discipline.

As a proof for his skills, he was honored with an election in the Caricature Carvers of America. On his blog, you can find great post ranging from the history of wood carving up to the influence that the Internet has on this discipline. Plus, you can check the dates of the carving shows and attend on one on which Don will participate.

 

17. Nic Westermann, Hand Forged Excellence

Website: nicwestermann.co.uk

About: Skillful and experienced carver, focused on decorative creations and toolmaking

Nic, the guy behind this blog has been carving for nearly 20 years and in the last 5 years, he put his effort into creating woodworking tools. Each tool is conducted in his house, in order to maintain the quality and consistency.

Apparently, his tools are great, otherwise, they wouldn’t be used by many woodcarvers from all over the world. Nic is not tied to the tradition and always tries to implement an innovation in the process of creating the tools. Apart from the look of the tool, its functionality is also important, so it isn’t easy to combine them both.

As a woodcarver, you should definitively try Nic’s tools and you won’t regret that. However, the process of buying them is not so easy, as it takes time to create each one. If you decide to buy one, you should put your name on the list of people that are waiting for their tool.

Plus, as a very helpful resource, you can find information on how to handle the tools in the blog section. All in all, if you are serious about carving, this blog is a must see.