Learn to carve roses, hibiscuses, and morning glories that are strikingly true to life! This beginning-to-advanced-level carving book offers three projects designed to teach the carving skills needed to recreate any flower, using a rotary carving tool for most operations. Each project incorporates new skills and techniques that are structured to guide you through the basics of flower carving. The author, an award-winning woodcarver, offers step-by-step instructions for carving and texturing a lifelike flower, along with full-size patterns and excellent painting guidelines. Beautiful close-up reference photographs of real flowers reveal subtle variations in bloom, petals, and leaf groupings. This book includes a detailed examination of all the power tools needed to create realistic carvings, including bits and burs, flexible shaft machines, handpieces, and dust collectors.

Includes how-to information.

FEATURES Stunning Soap Carving By Kathleen Ryan Experts turn simple soap into works of art Carving and Turning: Lathes By Bob Duncan Make your own carving blanks while learning a new hobby PATTERNS Fantastic Wizard By Shawn Cipa Stylized design is easy to carve and customize Celtic Twist Green Man By Lora S. Irish Combine Celtic knotwork with a traditional green man for a modern relief carving Want-A-Be By Dennis and Susan Thornton A fun caricature of a mule who wants to be so much more PROJECTS Turning Over a New Leaf By Keoma McCaffrey Upcycle a vintage wooden bowl with power-carved leaves Little Stinker By Bob Hershey Amusing skunk caricature is easy to customize Chip-Carved Bread Board By Wayne Barton Customize the design to make a personalized kitchen decoration Floral Love Spoon By Barry Onslow Combine power carving with hand tools to make this attractive project Scrambled Eggs By John Reichling Transform turned eggs into whimsical fish Carving a Northern Cardinal By Terry Everitt Use disposable blades to carve this colorful songbird Carving a Native American By Stu Martin Realistic Western icon is simple but powerful Power Carving a Morning Glory By Wanda Marsh Use a delicate touch to carve this stunning flower TECHNIQUES Carving a Soap Flower By Sue Wagner Soft and lacking grain, a bar of soap is easy to carve Learn to Paint: Spring Tulips By Betty Padden Practice painting with this new series; start by learning about acrylic paints, brushes, and blending

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

The Spring 2018 issue of the world's best how-to magazine for woodcarvers is packed with patterns, techniques, tips, and projects for all skill levels. Bob Hershey shares his step-by-step instructions for creating realistic fur texture on a caricature bunny, while Dylan Goodson shows you how to carve an amazingly lifelike rendition of the human hand. Russell Scott’s charming “Holding Tightly” project makes an easy-carve gift for your Valentine sweetheart. Kathleen Ryan describes the fascinating 700-year history of hand carved cookie molds, setting the stage for Keoma McCaffrey’s delicious cookie mold carving project. With its simple body shape and feather structure, Randy Conner’s Carolina wren makes a perfect first power carving subject. And if you are just starting out in woodcarving, don’t miss Bob Duncan’s snap guide to all the tools you need to get started.