If wood carving is something you have contemplated trying, WOODCARVING BASICS offers a professional guide that addresses wood and tool selection as well as the techniques associated with regular knife carving and relief and chip carving.

From roughing out the design to finishing work, the illustrations and instructions the author provides will guide you through the work from start to finish.  For those interested in carving decoys, woodburning, bark carving, or sign carving, there are chapters devoted to each of these subjects.

From experience I can say the best way to learn about carving is to sign-up for a class or join a local wood carving club. This book is a good reference and explains the tools needed and some techniques but you really need hands-on instruction from someone who knows what he or she is doing!

Also pay close attention to the section on tool sharpening because the first thing you will learn is that woodcarving is all about using sharp tools - very sharp tools!

          A companion 2-DVD set of this book is also available. The color presentation runs 252 minutes and costs $29.95.