Featured in this issue: Learn to sharpen like a pro! Pocket knife whittling project How-to photo tips: Shoot your carvings with professional results Quick and easy power carved leaf earrings Chip carving with Wayne Barton - Woodcarver of the Year Hand-carved wizard staff

Featured in this issue: Easy-to-carve marching soldiers Carved ornaments 7 santa projects Step-by-step celtic carved box 50+ winning santas Chainsaw sculptures from the masters 5 smart solutions for carving challenges

FEATURES Preserving the Past By Bob Duncan The rise, fall, and rebirth of carved carousel horses Sculpting in Wood With Betty Sager Talented artist pays tribute to loved ones First Cuts A carver’s journey to becoming a member of the Caricature Carvers of America PROJECTS Carving Wooden Eggs With Linda Tudor The Grand Old Flag Egg Carving Habitat Mushroom By Kenny Vermillion Add realism to your wildlife carvings or carve this mushroom as a stand alone piece Mississippi Alligator By Gordon and Marsha Stiller Stylized Grizzly Bear By Kelly Winn Simple lines capture the essence of the animal without hours of detailing Personalized Love Spoon By Jim Gledhill Pattern template makes production carving easy Realistic Sanderling Painting Templates By Del Herbert These easy templates create a flawless finish Elf Country Stylized Mask By Mary Cook, Carved by Lou Cacioppo Combine realistic facial features with stylized techniques for a striking display Duck Tonight By Arnold Smith Facial expressions and body language let you tell a story with your carving Portable Carving Station By James M. Haumesser A sturdy, shop-made workbench that folds up when not in use Teapot Clock By Barry McKenzie Charming clock with chip-carved details is perfect for the kitchen TECHNIQUES Tool Control By Chris Pye Proper techniques for safe and efficient use All About Buying Wood By Roger Schroeder A handy reference guide and inside tips from 30 years of buying carving wood DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Letter From Our Mailbag News & Notes Tips & Techniques Reader Gallery New Products Relief Column Calendar of Events Coming Features Advertising Directory & Classifieds Teacher’s Corner

Features Woodcarver of the Year By Bob Duncan Wood Carving Illustrated honors Marvin Kaisersatt Anthony Hillman’s Passion for Carving Waterfowl By Bob Duncan Turning your interests into a career can be very rewarding The Work of Frank Feather By Shawn Meyers Traveling carver leaves a lasting and valuable legacy Projects Maple Leaf Pin By Kenny Vermillion Power carve this charming seasonal brooch Brown Pelican By Gordon and Marsha Stiller It’s Me, Frank By Vicki Bishop Monster caricature is a treat to carve Carving a Hen Wood Duck By Tom Matus Basic tools and techniques for an authentic antique-style hunting decoy Relief-Carved Horse Portrait By Dean Troutman Classic portrait makes a bold statement Patchwork Clock By Cyndi Joslyn Easy-to-carve clock is a great beginner project Chip-Carved Wedding Plate By Barry McKenzie Decorative, personalized plate makes a beautiful wedding gift Halloween Witch By Anthony Costanza Create this folk-style carving using only a hobby knife Carve a Hobo By Jim and Margie Maxwell A few tools, some paint, plus a little time gives you this American icon Techniques Tools of the Trade By Chris Pye An introduction to the tools used in traditional woodcarving. Departments Editor’s Column Author Spotlight Letters to the Editor Info Exchange Bragging Page News & Notes New Products Scroll Saw Basics Wood Review

Featured in this issue: 10 tips for realistic birds of prey Carving classic bookends Wood engraving Ozark Caricature Creating Natural Habitat Painting your chip carvings

The 20th anniversary issue of the world's best how-to magazine for woodcarvers is packed with carving patterns, how-to tips, and step-by-step projects for all skill levels. We offer plenty of Christmas carving ideas for holiday gifts and decorations, from Larry Green’s delightful caricature tree ornaments to an exquisite relief-carved snowman from Lora S. Irish. Our jolly assortment of Santa projects includes Dylan Goodson’s realistic St. Nick, plus a new chance to carve our very first Santa from Woodcarving Illustrated issue #1. Carolea Hower creates smiling Santas from ordinary wooden spoons, and Randy True shows how to transform ordinary golf tees into tiny Santa ornaments! You’ll also find many great projects unrelated to Christmas that will make terrific gifts. “Game of Thrones” fans will enjoy Tamera Seevers’ dragon wand, Tom Dean shows you how to use power tools to carve heirloom-quality bracelets, and Karen Hundt-Brown uses a woodburner to turn gourds into functional lamps.

FEATURES Celebrating 15 Years of Craftsmanship in Wood GM's Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild By John Jacobus Carving out a career in the design world--1950's style Recreating a Masterpiece By Jeff Jones Turn-of-the-century table inspires a life-long love of carving, three generations later The Netsuke Carvings of Cornel Schneider Detailed carvings demonstrate a love of nature Antler Sculpture by Bill Matz Fascinating medium proceduces unique carvings PROJECTS Carved Garden Chair By Jan Oegema Customize this sturdy chair with your own relief carved designs Chip Carved Landscape By Barry McKenzie Free-form chip carving enhances natural wood grain Realistic Rabbit By Leah Wachter Texturing techniques bring this adorable rabbit to life Carving the Ball and Claw By Mike Burton Sequential carving helps you duplicate this traditional furniture element Native American Bust By Mark Gargac Portraying character with distinctive facial features Hand Carved Classics By Kivel Weaver Practice your knife carving with chain links and a ball-in-cage Cottonwood Bark Viking By Rick Jensen Rugged features make this warrior the perfect subject for bark carving Carving Habitat: Twig By Kenny Vermillion Power carve highly detailed branches tailored to showcase Relief Carve a Whimsical House By Jim Cline Power tools speed up the carving process and add unique texture TECHNIQUES The Design Process By Marv Kaisersatt Taking a caricature from concept to completion Setting Up Shop By Chris Pye A carver needs more than sharp tools; the workspace, bench, and lighting are equally important DEPARTMENTS Editor's Letter From Our Mailbag News & Notes Tips & Techniques Reader Gallery New Products Judge's Critique Relief Column Calendar of Events Coming Features Advertising Directory & Classifieds Teacher's Corner

Featured in this issue: Bald eagle carving project Carve a custom duck call Carving wood spirits in live trees Classic spoon rack Never-fail sharpener

Featured in this issue: Special woodburning issue Carve and detail a feather pin Using wood inlays for color and contrast Carve and assemble a mechanical cork stopper

In this Issue: FEATURES: The Whittling Whimsy of Walt Garrison by Kathleen Ryan Gifts for Carvers Tom Wolfe: Woodcarver of the Year by Bob Duncan PROJECTS: Carving a Pierced Relief Tree by MaAnna Stephenson Making a Carved Jack-O-Lantern by Sandy Smith Carving an Oak Leaf Bowl by Chris Pye Carving a Private Investigator by Dennis Thornton Carving a Woodspirit in Cottonwood Bark by Edward Otto Power Carve a Canvasback Duck by Chuck Solomon and Dave Hamilton Handcarving a Realistic Squirrel by Leah Goddard Relief Carve an Autumn Scene by Bob Biermann Making Maple Leaf Pins by John Hoesman Miniature Scarecrow Ornament by Gerald Smith Shelf Sitter Elf by Floyd Rhadigan TECHNIQUES: Embellishing with Basswood Inlays by David Stewart Sawing Carving Blanks by Jim Willis DEPARTMENTS: Editor's Letter From Our Mailbag News and Notes Tips and Techniques Reader Gallery Calendar of Events Coming Features Ad Directory Woodchips