Carving Wooden Santas Elves Gnomes

Woodcarving Illustrated Books presents its latest how-to guide for carving the jolly man in red and his crew of friends - elves, gnomes, reindeer and much more! With more than 20 delightful patterns from accomplished carver Ross Oar, you'll craft the adventurous Luge-Riding and Sky-Diving Santas, a Cowboy Santa, the classic Sledding Santa, European-inspired Olde World Santa and more.

15 different patterns for well-dressed elves and gnomes of all shapes and sizes--drawn up with the beginner in mind, but with plenty of potential for the experienced carvers creativity to build on. Al also provides some helpful general advice about technique, finer details, and painting; his reference charts are handy for any carving.

A woodcarving book devoted solely to magical little creatures! Learn to Carve Gnomes, Trolls, and Mythical Creatures boasts a menagerie of 15 step-by-step woodcarving projects, from a mushroom house, unicorn, and gnome to a wizard, dragon, elf, and more. Beginners and pros alike will get a kick out of these charming designs, all featuring charismatic personality.

FEATURES 2008 Santa Carving Contest Prize-winning entries and highlights from this year's contest Woodcarving that Gets Noticed By Rex Branson Team mascots on a large scale promote woodcarving and community pride. Preserving a Historic Art Form By Christle A. Johnson Bob Johnson shares his passion for carving fish decoys with students Carved Nativities By Kurt Eberling and Helli Mayr Exploring the tradition of Krippel Schaun in Tirol, Austria First Cuts Gary Batte, Steve Prescott, Joe Schumacher, and Desiree Hajny share their first carvings PROJECTS Saw Whet Owl By Gordon and Marsha Stiller Chip Carve a Star Tree Topper By Roger Strautman Carve through bleached wood to highlight chip cavities Happy Christmas Gnome By Ross Oar Easy beginner character can be carved as Santa's helper or a garden gnome Whimsical Santa Holds your Christmas Stocking By Shawn Cipa Delightful folk-art style carving is a functional addition to your holiday décor Power Carving a Dove Ornament By Hugh Parks Classic symbol of peace makes a beautiful Christmas ornament Carving in High Relief By Chris Pye Produce a dramatic effect by lowering the background and undercutting the subject Santa Brings Home the Christmas Tree By Mark Akers Charming details highlight this action pose Carving Candy Cane Ornaments By Hershal Borders Practice basic carving and painting skills with easy Christmas ornaments Hershal Borders bonus cane gallery Carving a Snowman Collector's Plate By Robert Biermann Learn the basics of intaglio carving with this cheerful winter relief scene Carving a Traditional Lovespoon By David Western Classic heart design is a great project for novice carvers Gilding a House Sign By Francis S. Lestingi Learn gold-leafing techniques with a handcarved plaque DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Letter From Our Mailbag News & Notes Tips & Techniques Reader Gallery Product Review Relief Column Calendar of Events Coming Features Advertising Directory & Classifieds Teacher’s Corner Woodchips

This compilation of favorite Christmas carving projects from "Woodcarving Illustrated" includes 36 projects ranging from ornaments to decorations and gifts.

FEATURES Against the Grain By Mindy Kinsey Book and exhibition showcase unusual designs in wood Carving in Kenya By Bob Duncan African artist creates a successful business teaching others to carve Miniature Marvels By Kathleen Ryan Dalton Ghetti carves intricate designs in pencil graphite Roughouts & Kits By Bob Duncan Get to the fun part faster by starting with a pre-cut blank PROJECTS Carving a Snowman By Lori Dickie Turn a generic basswood shape into a charming snowman Making a Mouse in a Stocking Ornament By Leah Goddard Cute ornament shows off your attention to detail and realistic carving skills Playful Reindeer Ornament By Floyd Rhadigan Carve this quick and easy ornament for everyone on your list Folk-Art Napkin Rings By Jeff Pretz Carve and paint these colorful pieces in an afternoon Simple Folk-Art Santa By Mike Deiter Make a unique band-saw blank and complete the carving in a weekend Carving a Zebra By Moses Kirimi Kenyan carver created a stylized zebra Tramp Art Christmas Tree By Andy DiPace Simple seasonal design is quick and easy to carve Relief Carving a Traditional Ornament By Glenn Stewart Versatile design can be a pin or an ornament Whittling a Santa By Gayle Ihlenfeldt Use just knife to carve most of this holiday favorite Carving a Double Ball-in-Cage By Joseph A. Savarese Use hand tools to create a whimsical but exacting project Carving a Baby Shoe By Howard Hawrey Commemorate a birth or first Christmas with a unique version of a traditional gift Carving a Realistic Raccoon By Desiree Hajny Create a realistic piece by carving, woodburning, and painting

FEATURES A Monumental Miniature By Kathleen Ryan Animated carving depicts folk life in Slovakia A Bird in the Hand By Kathleen Ryan Woodcarving offers comfort to those in need Award-winning Carvings: Woodcarving Illustrated’s Best Carving Design Contest By Bob Duncan Contestants show a broad range of creativity and superior craftsmanship PROJECTS Making a Comfort Bird By Frank Foust Smooth lines and a polished finish make these little birds a joy to hold Creating a Chip Carved Christmas Tree By Bruce Nicholas Highlight this festive plaque with color and delicate stab cuts Carving a Spiral Beard Santa Ornament By Dave Francis Unique ornament will be a family favorite Whittling Snowman Earrings By Claude Freaner Fun gift is easy to carve Carving St Nicholas By Harold Enlow Master the techniques to carve this classic Christmas icon Sculpting Stylized Evergreen Trees By Dennis Carlson Graceful spiral is easy to carve and makes a striking display Build a Dancing Santa By Shawn Cipa Turn the handle to make the carved Santa move and groove Relief Carving an Angel By Maureen Hockley Beautiful wall hanging displays delicate features and graceful fabric folds Carving a Low-Relief Santa By Bob Biermann Creating the illusion of depth with careful carving and painted shadows Making a Nostalgic Christmas Pull Toy By Tina Toney As the toy moves, wooden ball rotates to display the relief-carved scene TECHNIQUES Using Compasses, Calipers, and Dividers By Bob Duncan Transfer measurement and maintain proportions with these simple tools Customized Greeting Plaque By Deborah Pompano Add a border or message to personalize your design

In this issue: 7 Fun and festive santas you can carve Whittling ornaments Quick-carver stackable snowman Painting a duck decoy Super simple sharpning Cowboy bottlestopper

TECHNIQUES Carving and Printing a Christmas Card By Dan Clarke Use traditional woodblock printing to turn your carving into a card Easy Dogs for Beginning Carvers By Mary Duke Guldan Use craft knives to carve these basic versions of man’s best friend Painting Your Carvings By Virginia Kodadek Learn techniques you can apply to any carving Convertible Shaving Horse By Laverne “Sid” Sidler Portable bench changes from shaving horse to carving bench PROJECTS Checking the List By Ellis Olson Use basic relief cuts and simple shaping to carve a folk art Santa Carving a Spiral Bulb Ornament By Lyle Morgan Any carver can make this complex-looking ornament Carving a Sleepy Wolf By Desiree Hajny Carve, burn, and paint to create a realistic wildlife sculpture Folk Art Angel By Gerald Smith Simple carving can be used as an ornament, pin, or pendant Joyful Santa Plaque By Bob Biermann Incised relief design celebrates the joy of the season Whittling Moravian Star Ornaments By Jody Sebring Use one knife and simple geometry to carve stars in various sizes Peaceful Village Wreath By Betty Padden Carve individual pieces and glue them together for a dramatic presentation Old World Father Christmas By Dave Francis Cozy-looking carving carries symbols of Christmas Segmented Snowman Ornament By Sandy Smith Simple joints help this snowman dance Carving a Holly Spoon By Glenn Stewart Simple painting highlights the attractive design Springerle Ornaments By John Niggemeyer Festive designs resemble traditional German Christmas cookies

Over the years, the story of the nativity has been depicted by thousands of artists, in ca variety of art forms. But, when one thinks of a nativity, visions of a hand-carved wooden set often come to mind. Now, carvers looking to create a family heirloom of their own will learn to carve a full 15-piece manger scene with award-winning artist, Shawn Cipa. First, you will learn to carve and paint the 3 central figures: Joseph, Mary and the Holy child through full-color, step-by-step carving demonstrations. Then, you will find front and side-view patterns for an additional 11 figures. Each project features full material lists and painting color schemes to help bring your carving to life. A construction pattern for a simple stable rounds out the scene. Inside You'll Find: Step-by-Step Carving Demonstrations -Joseph -Mary -Holy Child 11 Additional Patterns for: -2 Angels -3 Wisemen -Camel, Sheep, Ox, Donkey -Kneeling Shepherd -Shepherd and Lamb Plus, Pattern and instructions for a Simple Stable