In this book, you'll learn the specialized technique of carving figures in tree bark. Included is a complete guide to the various species of cottonwood bark and the best tools to use. A step-by-step wood carving project of a magical tree house is included, along with a beautiful gallery including wood spirits, animals, whimsical tree houses, and much more.

Carving Woodspirits: The Basics is A Complete Step-By-Step Guide for Carving Faces in Wood. In this book you will learn basic woodcarving fundamentals including, tool selection, safety, best woods to carve, how to sharpen carving tools, how to apply finish to a project, and how to make basic woodcarving cuts. The main body of the book covers in great detail how to carve a woodspirit face. Beginner carvers will appreciate that only 3 commonly used tools are required to complete the project. The concepts and techniques learned in Carving Woodspirits: The Basics can easily be applied to other face carving projects. Authors Susan Hendrix and PJ Peery have been teaching woodcarvers for over 20 years and have a wealth of knowledge to share. Tips, tricks, and techniques from these many years of experience are clearly explained to help shorted the learning curve and will provide a foundation for newer carvers. This truly is the best first book and best first project for a woodcarver.

Noted carvers and authors Carole Jean Boyd and Jack A. Williams bring you the ultimate resource for unlocking the whimsical characters and wood spirits from within one of nature's most unique woods: cypress knees.

Fan-carving is the process of slicing wood into thin blades (feathers) and then twisting and interlocking them to create a 3-dimensional design from one piece of wood. Fans and birds are the most popular items made. Legends and customs associated with the fan bird are of a religious and spiritual nature. With the help of European museums, the Nyes have traced the history and migration of this Old World folk art from the ancient Russian region, through Europe, to North America. Preserving this folk art is the purpose of this book. It contains easy to follow step-by-step instructions on how to make fans and birds. Full color photos accompany each step. Also included are six full-scale templates: a fan, plus five birds. This book contains a comprehensive chart of twelve species of wood, each evaluated for its performance. Fan-carving is an entry level project to woodcarving. Within three hours a novice can create a very respectable bird. The story about fan-carving is as interesting as making a bird.

With its graceful silhouette and distinctive white bark, the birch tree has been important to people wherever it has grown. This book covers all aspects of the North's most versatile tree—from its biology and ecology to its different uses, craft applications, and legends. Some of the lore revealed includes birch's role as a Welsh token of love and its mysterious connection with witches' brooms. In addition to learning about how the wood is used in baskets, shoes, and wood coverings, readers can also make more than 15 craft projects from instructions in the book, including folded bark baskets, carved ornaments, and turned wooden bowls.

The native American face has long fascinated artists in every medium. In this new book, Terry Kramer offers the wood carver a method for creating realistic native American faces in wood. Each step is illustrated in full color and clearly described. A gallery of faces is included.

In the face of loss--past, present, and future--C.D. Wright's final work demonstrates the power of words to conserve, preserve, and witness.

Carving Woodspirits: Beyond the Basics takes a woodcarver beyond basic face carving instructions. This step-by-step tutorial guides the carver through carving a detailed woodspirit face on a walking stick.