Wood carving a Hobby for yourself

 

Surely we all have seen western movies and our hero is carving wood, shaping it into something awesome like a Horse or a Gun, and wonder if we could do it too, well, you don't need expensive tools for this, you can carve yourself a hobby by simply using a utility knife from your household arsenal.

Wood carving is one of the oldest crafts in the world and you can make decorative objects as well as useful ones. It has become a very popular and lucrative hobby that can be very fulfilling and provide you with several hours of recreation.

As mentioned before, this can be a very lucrative hobby, it may be a hobby for you to carve wood, but for others is a hobby to collect wood carve items. It can be very satisfactory for you creating different things out wood. 

Wood carving is a hobby that can be relaxing and fun, and here you will find a few tips and techniques you can apply using your utility knife as a woodcarving tool.

As you are a beginner, you may want to use the same woods for Whittling, Basswood, balsa, Pine, and Butternut.

Choosing a pattern is step one, then transfer it onto the piece of wood, you can use carbon paper for transferring. Then cut out your image.

 

Cut around the outline of your pattern preventing any unwanted chipping. Cut the wood all around your pattern and pop your pattern of the rest of the wood.

 

With your blade at a shallow angle cut the rest of the wood around your pattern, then continue carving in the middle section of your pattern to create more details.

Once you've defined all the shapes in your pattern add the final touches of details, adding these details creates an illusion of depth and texture.

 

You should round your edges where it's necessary, to create smooth transitions between sharp outlines. To create depth cut circular gouges by holding your utility knife at a shallow angle and pivoting around the tip. At first, it'll look messy, but you can smooth out the details, once you are finished.

To finish up the details once you are satisfied with your carving use a Wood Stain to accentuate your carving. By the end of it, you'll have an amazing piece and you did it with just a utility knife.

As a hobby woodcarving can be very relaxing. You'll be creating artwork that will endure through time and be treasured by generations.

Woodcarving can appear intimidating at first for beginner hobbyists, but make yourself familiar with all the process by gathering as much information as you can, remember that knowledge is power.

This can be a very pricey hobby is you are not careful, start out small, with small pieces of woods, there is no need to go big so soon, you are just starting out, testing the waters, so small pieces are more than enough for you. 
 

 

Start off by making gifts for family and friends, and you could end up turning your hobby into a lucrative career. 


 

Related hobbies: Sculpting, Woodworking ,  Whitlling

​

                                                          

​