Whittling Workbook: 14 Simple Projects to Carve

by James Miller

The ultimate beginner-friendly project guide to whittling flat-plane carvings with a modern twist! Whittling Workbook is perfect for anyone seeking a range of easy wood carvings they can accomplish with just one knife – including roughing out. All you need is a block of wood and one knife to achieve any of the 15 wood carving projects featured within these pages! From a simple strawberry, whimsical wand, and magical mermaid to a sea captain, Martian, pig, and so much more, each project includes detailed step-by-step instructions to walk you through the entire process from start to finish. Also included are insightful overviews on basic carving cuts, painting and finishing techniques, safety notes, and how to join a carving community. Author James Miller is a recent college graduate and a protégé of decorated Scandinavian-style carver, Harley Refsal. James has been a regular contributor to Woodcarving Illustrated since 2010 and published his first book, Whittling Flat-Plane Animals, in 2020.

• ISBN13: 9781497102705
• Publish Date: 24 May 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 112
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Whittling Workbook: 14 Simple Projects to Carve is a beginner friendly whittling guide with tutorials by James Ray Miller. Released 26th April 2022 by Fox Chapel, it's 112 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a sensible, accessible, and well written practical guide to whittling. The introduction covers the basics, types of wood, grain, tools and supplies, safety guidelines, and the skills which build up successively. The first section of the book also contains tips on painting, finishing, and finding a woodcarving community to network and share the joy of the hobby with.

The second half of the book contains the projects, arranged roughly in order of difficulty. All the pattern templates are included (in both vertical and horizontal rough outlines). All of the tutorials are accompanied by copious color photos which are clear and easy to understand. Carving action shots are taken without tools or hands obscuring the relevant areas (which I can imagine was not a trivial task). They include a finished project photo, tools and supplies in a bullet list in a highlighted text box, followed by step-by-step concise instructions for completing the objects. The projects are all appealingly folksy and whimsical.

I liked the casual style of the writing; the author's very encouraging and it's a friendly book. It reads like a one-on-one workshop with an experienced instructor.

Four and a half stars. This would be a superlative choice for public and school library acquisition, scouting, activity, and makers' groups, and for the home hobbyist.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.