FEATURES

Overcoming Adversity
By Dr. Lawrence Varner
Decoy carver Karl Schmidt is a lesson in perseverance
An Introduction to Carving with Power

An Introduction to Carving with Power
By Chuck Solomon and Dave Hamilton

Releasing a Wood Spirit
by Mark Gargac
First Cuts

First Cuts
Gary Falin and Doug Raine provide valuable tips for carvers and share their first carvings.

Hate to Sharpen? Disposable Blade Carving Tools may be the Answer
By Bob Duncan
Inexpensive tools are great for detail work and small carvings

Projects

Carving a Troll
By Marna Holley
Disposable blades and doll hair make this project ideal for beginners

Painted Turtle
By Gordon and Marsha Stiller
Colorful reptile project provides an opportunity to experiment with contrasting textures

Build Your Own Carving Stand
By Jim Farley
Make your own custom version of a $500 stand for only $50

Carving a Musical Frog
By Everett Ellenwood
Quick and easy project is a fun musical instrument

Releasing a Wood Spirit
By Mark Gargac
Uncover the character hiding in found wood

Carving Custom Light-switch Covers
By Ben Mayfield
Add character to your home with relief- and chip-carved accents

Peek-A-Boo Jay
By Doug Brooks
Delightful critter splitter carving is sure to get a second look

Carving a Pierced Relief
By Chris Pye
Open Spaces add movement and drama to a relief carving

Creating Handcarved Magnets
By Fred Wilbur
Functional floral decorations are a lesson in traditional carving techniques

TECHNIQUES

Anatomy of Wood
By Everett Ellenwood
Improve your carving efficiency with an understanding of wood grain

Adding Subtle Color
By Lora S. Irish
Roughing and dry-brushing techniques add life to your carving without overpowering the wood

All About Punches
By Roger Schroeder
Add texture and designs to your carving with these simple tools

DEPARTMENTS
Editor's Column
From Our Mailbag
News and Notes
Tips and Techniques
Reader Gallery
Product Review
Relief Column
Calendar of Events
Coming Features
Ad Directory & Classifieds
Woodchips

Chuck Solomon is a terrestrial ecologist and works primarily with endangered species in the Central Valley of California. He has been teaching carving classes and participating in carving competitions for over 15 years. He has won more than 100 ribbons at shows in Colorado, California, Alaska and Canada, including Best of Show and Best of Division. Chuck has also judged several shows in Colorado. His work consists primarily of songbirds, waterfowl and mammals, both realistic and interpretive.

Chuck currently lives in the Sacramento, California, area where he works, carves, teaches classes and is an active member of the Capital Woodcarvers Association and California Carvers Guild.

Dave Hamilton is an ecologist by profession, working primarily in the area of wetland ecology. He has been carving and competing in shows for almost 20 years. While Dave enjoys carving a variety of bird species, he specializes in hummingbirds and in the wading birds common to the wetlands he works on professionally. He also enjoys carving stylized pieces and reproductions of antique decoys. Dave lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he carves, teaches classes, and is a member of the Northern Colorado Woodcarvers.

Bob Duncan is the Technical Editor of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts and Woodcarving Illustrated.

Gordon and Marsha Stiller have been in the pattern business for more than 24 years. To request a free catalog, contact them at 920-685-2938, or visit their website at www.stillerpatterns.com.

Everett Ellenwood has been a carving instructor for more than 25 years. He has made two best-selling videos, Beginning Woodcarving and Sharpening Simplified.

Chris Pye has been a professional woodcarver for than 25 years and is a member of the Master Carvers Association. His work is done mainly to commission, with clients including HRH the Prince of Wales. It ranges from architectural moldings to figure carving, furniture to lettering, bedheads and fireplaces. He has also written extensively about woodcarving for several magazines.

Frederick Wilbur, of Lovingston, VA, is the author of two books, Carving Classical Styles in Wood and Carving Architectural Details in Wood:The Classical Tradition. For more information, contact Frederick at 434-263-4827 or visit his website, www.frederickwilbur-woodcarver.com.

Lora Irish is an artist who runs an internet carving studio with her husband at www.carvingpatterns.com. She is a frequent contributor to Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts and Wood Carving Illustrated and the author of Great Book of Dragon Patterns, Great Book of Fairy Patterns, Great Book of Tattoo Designs, Great Book of Woodburning, and Wood Spirits and Green Men. She lives in Mt. Airy, Maryland.

Roger Schroeders success as a writer began when he gave up trying to write the great American novel. Instead, he turned to writing about his hobby: woodworking. Sharpening his skills and his photography and expanding his interests, he went on to author 16 books and nearly 200 magazine articles. Ranging in scope from woodcarving to house building, the books include such titles as How to Carve Wildfowl, Carving Signs, Making Toys, and Timber Frame Construction, which has over 77,000 copies in print. Founding editor of Wood Carving Illustrated, Roger is past president of the Long Island Woodcarvers Association and active in the Long Island Wood Workers club. He is a retired English teacher who specialized in teaching writing and research, Roger currently lectures on topics such as how to make wood into furniture, houses and sculpture. In the remaining time, he is an amateur cabinetmaker who enjoys constructing Victorian reproductions, and is an amateur carver who has won a number of blue ribbons for his natural wood sculptures.