How to Carve a Great Santa E-Book

• Herausgeber: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Seitenzahl: 176

Beschreibung

Celebrate the season with Santa! Whether you're a beginner or you've been carving for years, How to Carve a Great Santa will have you celebrating the holiday season with your very own handcrafted Santa! Featuring 30 festive projects, 26 of which have never been see before, and full-size carving patterns of St. Nick, this exciting edition includes a slew of new techniques and tips, and more to make this favorite Christmas book even better than before! A fun history of Santa Claus is also included, along with an inspiring gallery of carvings depicting his different images throughout the world. This jolly collection features Santa carvings and patterns from acclaimed artists such as David Sabol, Bob Kozakiewicz, Tom Hindes, Dave Stetson, Don Swartz, bruce Ankeny, Cindi Joslyn, Carolea Hower, Chris Hammack, and many more!

Leseprobe

© 2023 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

How to Carve a Great Santa is an original work, first published in 2023 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. Portions of this book have been reproduced from Santa Showcase, published in 2007 by Fox Chapel Publishing. The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the authors. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

Print ISBN 978-1-4971-0414-3eISBN 978-1-6374-1286-2

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023910410

Photo Credits: Mike Mihalo

Shutterstock photos: used throughout: Semiletava Hanna (white tree and snowflake stencil), viterk3ds (gold background); Alamy stock photos: imageBROKER (here), Science History Images (here).

To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to find a retailer near you, call toll-free 800-457-9112 or visit us at www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

For a printable PDF of the patterns used in this book, please contact Fox Chapel Publishing at [email protected], with 9781497104143 How to Carve a Great Santa in the subject line

Introduction

Whether you are a seasoned woodworker or picking up a knife for the first time, this book has a variety of Santa projects for carvers of all skill levels! We’ve included thirty project favorites from past Woodcarving Illustrated magazines, ranging from a beginner-friendly St. Nick ornament that only takes fifteen minutes to a dancing Kris Kringle that really moves. The Santas in this book feature various wood art techniques, ranging from woodburning, painting, caricature carving, whittling, and more!

Whichever Santa you carve first, we know you’ll create a holiday decoration to cherish for years to come.

Happy carving!

The Woodcarving Illustrated Team

Contents

History of Santa

Santa Gallery

Techniques

Customizing Santa

Three Techniques to Highlight Your Carving

Painting Santa Ornaments

Projects

Carving a 15-Minute Santa

Peekaboo Santa Ornaments

Carving an Arizona Stick Santa

Chimney Santa

Super Simple Santa

Personalized Ribbon Ornament

Whistle a Holiday Tune

Cookie Thief Santa

The Spirit of Christmas

Braided Beard Santa

Quick and Easy Santa Ornaments

Carving a Realistic Santa

Bright Bulb Santa

Carving Santa and Rudolph

Santa Spoons

Cottonwood Bark Santa Claus

Fireman Santa

Workshop Santa

Frostbite Santa

Casual Claus

Santa’s Little Helpers

Scottish St. Nick

Saucer Sled Santa

Build a Dancing Santa

Father Christmas

Lantern Santa

Chicken Santa

Pear-Shaped Santa

About the Authors

History of Santa

Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra, is commonly credited as the inspiration for the modern day Santa Claus. Orphaned at a young age, Nicholas devoted his life to the Christian Church. The earliest documentation of his generous acts occurred in the third century AD. At this time, it was still customary for fathers to offer a dowry for their daughters to their prospective husbands. According to legend, one man was too poor to offer dowries for his three daughters, who, without husbands, would be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, a bag of gold was thrown down the chimney on three separate occasions. According to the legend, the gold fell into stockings that were hanging near the fire to dry and so the custom of children hanging their stockings by the hearth on Christmas began.

There are several other stories of how Nicholas helped children, which eventually led to him being named a saint by the church. To this day, he is venerated as the patron saint of children. Most Olde World-style Santa carvings, which tend to depict Santa in flowing, vaguely ecclesiastical robes, are based on Saint Nicholas.

Santa, circa 1895.

Over time, the tradition spread across Europe, and most Catholics celebrated the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6, which is still the main gift-giving day in Europe.

As the Protestants broke away from the Catholic Church, they tried to stop celebrating the festivals associated with St. Nicholas. But the common people loved St. Nick, and it was difficult to stamp out the celebrations.

Since many of the first settlers to the United States were Protestants, the gift-giving traditions of Christmas were not as common. But there were still some regions that kept up the traditions. The German immigrants in Pennsylvania celebrated the feast of St. Nicholas, and there are accounts of St. Nicholas visiting the Dutch in New York.

The jolly elf image for St. Nicholas, which the Dutch called Sinterklaas, or Santa Claus, got a boost in 1823 when the poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” was written. This poem, also known as “The Night Before Christmas,” became popular and provided a detailed description of Santa Claus and his sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. The ninth, Rudolph, was introduced in 1939 by the Montgomery Ward Company.

The most popular image of Santa Claus was drawn by Thomas Nast, a political cartoonist for Harper’s Weekly. This drawing was loosely based on the popular poem and several other descriptions of the holiday figure. Nast also came up with the concept of Santa’s workshop being populated by elves.

Santa Claus, drawn by Thomas Nast of Harper’s Weekly.

Santa Claus in Camp, Harper’s Weekly, circa 1863.

Nast’s drawing, while black and white, could be considered the inspiration for the classic Coca-Cola Santa, the bearded fellow dressed all in red. This Santa was unveiled in a series of advertisements in 1931.

Santa is not the only mythical figure inspired by St. Nicholas. German children put a boot, called Nikolaus-Stiefel, outside their doors for St. Nicholas to fill with candy and small toys. In the United Kingdom, Father Christmas leaves something under the tree for the children. Scandinavian children send letters to Jultomten, who delivers toys in a sleigh pulled by goats. In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas dons a red bishop’s dress and brings gifts to every child that has been good in the past year. French children receive presents from Père Noël.

Père Noël, the French Father of Christmas. Carved by Art Shoemaker.

Not every Christmas gift giver is based on St. Nicholas, though. In Italy, a kindly witch called La Befana flies down chimneys to leave presents for children. In Russia, Babouschka, an elderly lady, knowingly gave the Wise Men the wrong directions, and later felt remorse. Now she leaves presents for all the children, hoping that one will be the infant Jesus, and she will be forgiven.

No matter what form he takes, or where the inspiration comes from, the figure associated with Christmas and gift giving is most often based on the qualities of generosity and selflessness. The physical appearance is open to interpretation by the individual artist, but the spirit of Santa Claus harkens back to the Bishop of Myra, who put the needs of others before his own.

La Befana, the lady gift giver of Italy. Carved by Art Shoemaker.

Santa Gallery

Cottonwood Bark Santa Claus (Issue #69). Carved by Rick Jensen.

Customize This Santa (Issue #73). Carved by Dale Green.

Santa Sampler Plate (Issue #73). Carved by John Niggemeyer.

Santa Spoons (Issue #81). Carved by Carolea Hower.

Peace Out Santa (Issue #77). Carved by Rick Stoddard.

Bright Bulb Santa (Issue #77). Carved by David Sharp.

Reversible Santa & Snowman Ornament (Issue #81). Carved by Glenn Stewart.

Curly Haired Kris Kringle (Issue #85). Carved by Mark Akers.

Santa Tee Ornament (Issue #81). Carved by Randy True.

Peppermint-Stick St. Nick (Issue #85). Carved by Dave Francis.

Jolly Old Soul (Issue #85). Carved by Dwayne Gosnell.

Scottish St. Nick (Issue #89). Carved by Don Swartz.

Frostbite Santa (Issue #93). Carved by Bob Kozakiewicz.

Chicken Santa (Issue #97). Carved by Lee Simpkins.

Kindly Santa Ornament (Issue #101). Carved by Tony Harris.

Patriotic Santa (Issue #91). Carved by Bob Kozakiewicz.

Floppy Hat Santa Ornament (Issue #101). Carved by Bob Kozakiewicz.

Card Holder Santa (Issue #73). Carved by Tom Borecki.

Customizing Santa

By Dale Green

Follow along with this example project to learn how to customize your carving. I'll walk you through the complete steps of carving and then you can see how to customize this Santa or others with woodburning and accessories.

Transfer the front- and side-view patterns (on here) to the blank.. Cut the outline of one view with a band saw. Tape the waste back into place and cut the second view. Then, draw the major landmarks for the hat, hands, robe, cape, and beard with a pencil or fine-point marker. Mark the areas where you need to remove excess wood.

Materials

• Basswood, 4" (10.2cm) thick: Santa, 6" x 10 ½" (15.2cm x 26.7cm)

• Basswood: assorted scraps for accessories

• Dowel, ¼" (6mm) dia.: 1" (25mm) long

• Dowel, ⅛" (3mm) dia.: assorted small pieces

• Dish soap, such as Simple Green® (clear), and water

• Danish oil, such as Watco®: natural

• Boiled linseed oil

• Oil paint: burnt umber

• Paper towels or soft cloth

• Matte spray finish, such as Krylon®

• Acrylic paints, such as Delta Ceramcoat®: black, black green, brown iron oxide, burnt sienna, burnt umber, cardinal red, charcoal, cherry red, dark blue, flesh tone, medium flesh, olive green, orange, oyster white, raw sienna, Seminole green, soft grey, titanium white, tompte red, yellow; Americana®: primary blue

• Wood glue

Tools

• Knives: carving, detail

• Micro gouges: ⅛" (3mm), 5/32" (4mm)

• #9 gouges: 3/16" (5mm), ¼" (6mm)

• #11 gouges: ⅛" (3mm), 3/16" (5mm)

• V-tool: ¼" (6mm)

• Woodburner with extra small skew tip

• Drill with bits: ⅛" (3mm), ¼" (6mm) dia.

• Denture brush

• Paintbrushes: assorted for painting, sponge for Danish oil, antiquing

Carving the Face

Remove the sharp corners of the blank. Make stop cuts and rough out the mittens and the cuffs. Use a knife or ¼" (6mm) V-tool to begin shaping the beard.

Remove the excess wood around the hat and tassel. Taper the hat. Add wrinkles to the hat where it folds to the side. Carve and shape the arms. Draw lines around the robe, cape, and hat to mark the fringe area.

Establish the centerline of the face. Using the knife, make a stop cut at the bottom of the nose. Use the ¼" (6mm) V-tool to carve the brim of the hat, allowing plenty of room for eye placement.

Cut the wings of the nose back at a slight angle. Use the knife. Draw the mustache and carve around it with the ¼" (6mm) V-tool. Establish the width of the face and create the hairline of the beard and hair using the same V-tool. Rough out the eye sockets with a 3/16" (5mm) #9 gouge. Draw a line under the mustache to establish the mouth.

Draw the wings of the nose on both sides. Make certain they are even before carving with the tip of your knife. Use a 3/16" (5mm) #11 gouge (veiner) to carve the bottom of the lip. Draw a line where the eyes will be located to ensure they are level and the same size.

Carve the eye mounds. To avoid flat-looking eyes, position a ⅛" (3mm) micro gouge at the top center of the eye line and carve in an arc to the tear duct at the inside corner of the eye. Position the gouge at the bottom center of the drawn line and carve toward the tear duct again. The two motions form the inside half of the eye mound. Repeat the process, carving toward the outside of the eye, to complete the eye mound. Repeat for the second eye.

Separate the eyebrows. Use a 5/32" (4mm) micro gouge. Use the knife to taper the forehead from the top of the eyebrow to the bottom of the hatband. Make a small triangular cut between the inside edge of each eyebrow and the top of the nose to define the eyebrow. Angle the same micro gouge toward the outside of each eye as you carve the brow texture to avoid “picket fence” eyebrows.

Draw a line separating the upper and lower eyelids. Make a stop cut along the line with the tip of the knife. Remove a small sliver of wood below the cut to create a nice shadow line. Refine the nose and carve nostrils with the tip of the knife. Draw flow lines for the beard, mustache, and hair.

Establish the flow lines of the hair and beard. Use a ¼" (6mm) #9 gouge. Then, following the flow lines, use the 3/16" (5mm) #11 gouge (veiner) to add shadows and fullness to the beard. Use the tip of the knife to create a small opening under the mustache for the mouth. Carve a small triangle of wood with the tip of the knife at the outside corners of the mouth to create depth and a shadow line.

Carving the Body

Create the fur trim area of the robe. Use the knife or ¼" (6mm) V-tool to remove the wood from between the drawn lines. Establish the cape and its fur trim using the same process. Carve the opening between the hat and tassel. Carve the upturned right hand.

Add texture to the fur trim on the hat, cape, and robe. Make angled cuts using a 3/16" (5mm) #9 gouge. Shape the knot above the tassel and the tassel with the knife. Use the ¼" (6mm) V-tool to create the threads in the tassel. Notice that the back of the hair is angled slightly inward where it meets the cape to create fullness.

Sketch a scene on the robe. I chose snow-covered mountains and a cabin. Carve along the lines with a knife or V-tool. Carve up to the stop cut or groove to give these elements a three-dimensional appearance.

Woodburn the bottom of each upper eyelid. Use an extra-small skew tip with the heat set to low. This creates a shadow line for the eyelid. Then, burn the logs on the cabin and the stones on the chimney.

Accessorize the Santa

I added a cardinal and lantern to my Santa. Other ideas include a Christmas ornament, walking stick, birdhouse, gift, candy cane, etc.

Cardinal: Cut the cardinal pattern from a 1" by 1" by 2 ½" (25mm by 25mm by 64mm) block of basswood. Whittle it to shape and paint it. Glue the cardinal to Santa’s open mitten.

Lantern: Cut the lantern pattern from a 1 ½" by 2 ¼" (38mm by 57mm) block of basswood. Drill holes from side to side to open the center, and use a ¼" (6mm) #9 gouge to remove any remaining wood. Drill a ¼" (6mm)-diameter hole in the bottom for the candle. Paint the lantern.

For the candle, carve a ¼" (6mm)-diameter dowel to shape and cut it to fit inside the lantern. Paint the candle, let it dry, and glue it into the lantern.

To install the lantern, drill a ⅛" (3mm)-diameter hole in the bottom of the mitten and the top of lantern. Glue a piece of ⅛" (3mm)-diameter dowel into the holes. The lantern handle is two short lengths of ⅛" (3mm)-diameter dowel inserted into each side of the mitten.

Painting the Carving

Wash the finished carving with clear Simple Green cleaner or dish soap and water, and then scrub it with a denture brush to remove pencil marks, handprints, and any other dirt. Allow it to dry completely. Dip the carving into, or use a sponge brush to apply an even coat of Watco natural Danish oil to seal the entire carving, let the oil dry for twenty-four hours, and then wipe off the excess. Sealing the carving allows you to apply a smooth coat of paint even on tough spots, such as the endgrain.

I dilute acrylic paint heavily with water to create a wash. In general, mix one drop of paint with ten drops of water. Colors that are more transparent, such as white, require less water. I often mix colors to achieve the one I like. Begin with several drops of the lighter color and add the darker color one drop at a time until you are satisfied. Add the water, mix well, and test the color on a piece of scrap wood. Paint the carving, and let it dry for twenty-four hours.

To create an antiquing solution, add a pea-sized dab of burnt umber oil paint to one cup of boiled linseed oil, and mix until the paint is dissolved. Use a sponge brush to apply an even coat of the solution to the entire carving. Wait two or three minutes, and then blot off the excess with a soft cloth or paper towel. Note: Paper towels or cloths used to wipe off the solution can spontaneously combust. Place them flat until dry or soak them in a bucket of water. Allow the carving to dry, and apply two coats of Krylon matte spray finish.

Customizing Santa Patterns

Three Techniques to Highlight Your Carving

By Kelley S. Stadelman

There are many “right” ways to paint a carving. The style you choose depends on personal preference and the type of carving that you are finishing. Some carvers use stain for a natural finish, or light washes of color to allow the grain of the wood to show through. Others prefer to basecoat their carvings and totally cover the wood. Whatever your preference, there is more to a good paint job than just applying the color. Once you’ve completed the painting or coloring step, you generally need to apply a finish. The finish you select will have a huge impact on the overall look of your project. Because glossy finishes can look plastic, I highly recommend using a matte or satin finish. The finish will help seal the paint, prevent fading, and protect your carving from dust and fingerprints.

Natural Finish

Although I used paint to add color to Santa’s face, I chose to accent the natural wood with a simple, light stain. Brush the stain over the carving, then use a soft rag to wipe the excess stain off immediately. This will leave subtle shading in the crevices to highlight shapes and texture. I apply a simple satin finish to complete the carving. Some carvers dip their piece in boiled linseed oil; others apply a spray lacquer or polyurethane.

Showing Off the Grain

The grain of the wood is clearly visible through the light washes of paint. Create a color wash by thinning acrylic paints with water or a flow medium. You can create a wash with oil paints by adding paint thinner. The washes add color, but still show that the piece is carved from wood. Darken areas by applying multiple coats. To avoid raising the grain during the painting process, apply a clear sanding sealer or wet the wood slightly and re-sand it before painting.

Shading and Blending

Using a solid basecoat combined with shading and highlights covers the entire carving. With this technique, you do not dilute your paint. After applying the basecoat, use a slightly darker tone of the same color to shade the deep areas or areas where shadows would naturally fall. Select a lighter tone of the base color to add highlights to the higher areas of the carving. Blending the three tones to avoid sharp lines is an essential skill to master.

Painting Santa Ornaments

By Carol Leavy

I love to carve Santas and get many questions about how I paint my carvings. I believe painting is a separate skill, and you need to put as much effort into learning how to paint as you did with carving. The more you paint, the easier it gets and the more confidence you will have to play with the colors.

While these instructions are for a Santa face, I use a similar method for other carved faces. If you ask ten carvers how they paint their pieces, you’ll get ten different answers. Experiment with the paint, play around, and mix it up a bit. If you make a mistake, learn from it. Sometimes what I learn from the mistake takes me in new directions.

Approach painting with an open mind and not as a dreaded chore. I suggest looking for a local chapter of the Decorative Painters (decorativepainters.org). Attend one of their meetings or invite them to give a demonstration at your local carving club.

Materials

• Carving of choice

• Acrylic paints, such as Delta Ceramcoat: barn red, black, burnt sienna, deep sea coral, phalo blue, white; such as Americana: dioxazine purple, true ochre; such as Jo Sonja's®, cadmium orange, skin tone base (series one); such as FolkArt®: vintage white

• Paper towels

• Brown paper bag

• Boiled linseed oil

• Odorless turpentine

• Oil paint: burnt umber

• Liquid wax, such as Watco satin natural

• Spray finish, such as Deft® satin

• Cleaner, such as Simple Green

• Eye pins: small

• Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue

• Hemp cord or thin ribbon

Tools

• Paint tray with wells

• Knife (to clean up any mistakes)

• Syringe (to add water)

• Towel (to dry brushes)

• Paintbrushes: #2 quarter inch flat, 18/0 round, ¼" (6mm) angle

• Horse hair buffing brush

Before You Paint