Whether in the wild in warm tropical waters or in domestic waters of a home aquarium, the variety and beauty of exotic fish fill their observers with awe. Portraying that beauty in wood is one of the specialities of Margaret Streams, who shares her secrets with other carvers in this new book. Using a combination of power and traditional tools she shows, step-by-step, the techniques of carving, painting and mounting that have won her numerous prizes. The book explains the carving of three varieties: the Red Crane fish, the Fresh Water Angelfish, and the Long-Nosed Butterfly Fish. Each step is illustrated with a color photograph and a concise description of the technique involved. Patterns and background information are also included, as well as a gallery of other fish Margaret has carved. This is a great book for carvers of all levels, and presents a new and interesting area of endeavor.

"The art of fish carving has experienced a rapid growth of popularity and appreciation over the last few years. There are probably lots of reasons for this. My own interest came from a love of nature and the beauty of these creatures. They offer the carver the same challenge for fine detail and form that bird carvers have known for years, and there is an endless variety of species and poses, which leaves much room for creativity." Rick Roth leads the carver step-by-step through three fish and pond life carvings: The Brook Trout, the Pumpkin Seed, and a Northern Painted Turtle. Each step is clearly illustrated with a photograph and a description of the technique. The painting sections are illustrated in full color with color palettes. In all there are over 800 step-by-step photographs plus drawings and palettes. He uses a combination of power carving, traditional carving, and woodburning to bring life to his carvings. His painting techniques add the final touch of realism. While challenging to the novice, this book makes the carving of fish and pond life an enjoyable, fulfilling adventure.

One of the most sought-after and respected carvers of wooden Santa figures shares 20 new and delightful patterns. Al Streetman takes the reader step-by-step through the carving of a "windblown Santa," holding a lantern and grasping a walking stick as he tries to make his way through a Christmas eve storm. This and other whimsical creations offer hours of fun, challenge, and creativity to carvers of all ability levels. In addition, for carver who wish to sell their work, Santas have a proven marketability among Christmas collectors. The carving steps are illustrated with clear color photographs and precise instructions. The patterns offer at least two views of each of the 20 Santas. In addition, Al provides hints from his many years of carving experience and teaching, secrets that are invaluable to both the novice carver and the professional, including some tips and tricks for arm and hand carving and multi-part construction techniques. This method lets you make maximum use of grain direction, in order to save valuable wood from being wasted, and to make the carving easier. This is a welcome addition to the carver's library and joins the long list of Al Streetman's other popular and successful carving instruction books.

This book is jammed full of photographs, patterns, drawings, hints, details, notes and ideas concerning the Bolinger's playful and entertaining Halloween carving creations. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are provided for carving and painting two ghostly projects-- "The Ghost with the Most" and "Lon Gone." Accompanying the concise instructions are over 190 color photographs. Aside from instructing readers in their carving and painting techniques, Paul and Camille also provide patterns for five Halloween figures and close to 100 drawings of design details. This book is sure to be a terrific reference and source of inspiration for all carvers from the bare-bones beginner to the monstrously advanced.

Wire and canvas decoys were popular around the Eastern shore of Virginia and the Carolinas near the turn of the 20th century. Because an abundance of good carving wood was not handy, decoy makers in this region used ingenuity to create clever replicas of large birds such as the Canada Goose. This book includes patterns for ten different breeds, a colorful gallery, helpful reference charts, and a lot of tried-and-true advice for carvers motivated to take on these projects, or to design their own. Al Streetman guides the reader step-by-step through making one of these wire and canvas decoys, through constructing the body and carving the head, to painting the finished project. He even demonstrates how to antique the decoy for an elegant weathered look.

Jointed dolls are an ancient concept. As a folk art in the American Appalachians and elsewhere, Dancing Sams have used the jointed idea to create a dancing motion when moved by a vibrating board for hundreds of years. When Tom Wolfe was visiting the British Museum in London, he came upon an Egyptian doll that was constructed just like the Santas in this book. The jointed Santas in this book are delightful. They can be easily posed and made to do a variety of things. And they are easily carved, following the step-by-step color photo illustrations. From the carving to the joint construction to the painting, Tom makes it easy for even the novice to carve these Santas. The more advanced carver will also enjoy the carving. In addition to the Santa carved in the book, there are patterns for 8 other jointed Santas, plus a nice sleigh for Santa to ride in. The gallery photos give perspectives on each of the carvings, an invaluable aid to the carver.

Each year many well-used and well-loved Christmas trees are discarded at the end of the holiday season and are too quickly forgotten. By carving next year's Christmas ornaments from the trunk and limbs of this tree, you can save some very special memories for you and your family! Using parts of the trunk, you can carve elves, Santas, angels and more. Incorporating the branches sticking out from the trunk, you can carve angels blowing heavenly trumpets, elves with long noses, and good-natured Santas with drooping hats. In this book, Al and Trinka Chapman will show you how to cut your tree into usable parts, sketch out various figures that fit well into your wooden segments, cut, carve, and sand your figure, and finish it with paint and hanging hooks. They have provided step-by-step instructions for two projects - a Santa, which was carved entirely with hand tools, and a herald angel blowing a trumpet, which was carved using power tools.

Tom Wolfe returns to an old friend of his, Santa Claus. In his own special way he leads the carver through each step of the carving process. The result is a traditional Santa in stride, heading for the reindeer pen to hook up for the Christmas flight. He is accompanied by old Rudolph, who looks a bit bewildered by the night that lies ahead. Every step, from the blank to the painted Santa, is documented with a color photograph and a clear instruction. Patterns are provided for the project, the reindeer, and several other interesting Santas. A gallery of the other Santas is included for reference to the other possibilities. This is a book for all to enjoy and learn from!

Tall tales, local legends, and personal ruminations are transformed into folk figures by Frank Russell. Follow his detailed instructions with photographs and project plans to create nine delightful folk figures in wood. Accompanying the stories and projects are comprehensive instructions for carving small details of hands, feet, clothing and shoes. Frank introduces the reader to the power tools, techniques, and painting schemes required to create these characters in wood. Many hours of challenges and enjoyment for carvers at all skill levels are to be found in this text.

This book explores the ways in which medieval Christians sought to memorialize the deceased: with tombs, cenotaphs, altars and other furnishings connected to a real or symbolic burial site. Reverent memorial for the dead was the inspiration for the production of a significant category of artworks during the Middle Ages - artworks aimed as much at the laity as at the clergy, and intended to maintain, symbolically, the presence of the dead. Memoria, the term that describes the formal, liturgical memory of the dead, also includes artworks intended to house and honour the deceased. A dozen essays analyze strategies for commemoration from the 4th - 15th century: the means by which human memory could be activated or manipulated through the interaction between monuments, their setting, and the visitor. Building upon from the growing body of literature on memory in the Middle Ages, the collection focuses on the tomb monument and its context as a complex to define what is to be remembered, to fix memory, and to facilitate recollection. The papers were originally presented at the 1994 meetings of the College Art Association, the International Congresses of Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, and the University of Leeds, England, in 1995.

How an eighteenth-century engraving of a slave ship became a cultural icon of Black resistance, identity, and remembrance One of the most iconic images of slavery is a schematic wood engraving depicting the human cargo hold of a slave ship. First published by British abolitionists in 1788, it exposed this widespread commercial practice for what it really was-shocking, immoral, barbaric, unimaginable. Printed as handbills and broadsides, the image Cheryl Finley has termed the "slave ship icon" was easily reproduced, and by the end of the eighteenth century it was circulating by the tens of thousands around the Atlantic rim. Committed to Memory provides the first in-depth look at how this artifact of the fight against slavery became an enduring symbol of Black resistance, identity, and remembrance. Finley traces how the slave ship icon became a powerful tool in the hands of British and American abolitionists, and how its radical potential was rediscovered in the twentieth century by Black artists, activists, writers, filmmakers, and curators. Finley offers provocative new insights into the works of Amiri Baraka, Romare Bearden, Betye Saar, and many others. She demonstrates how the icon was transformed into poetry, literature, visual art, sculpture, performance, and film-and became a medium through which diasporic Africans have reasserted their common identity and memorialized their ancestors. Beautifully illustrated, Committed to Memory features works from around the world, taking readers from the United States and England to West Africa and the Caribbean. It shows how contemporary Black artists and their allies have used this iconic eighteenth-century engraving to reflect on the trauma of slavery and come to terms with its legacy.

Follow along with Steve Brown as he takes the traditional kaleidoscope to another level with these delightful "Collide-A-Scope" woodcarvings. Using over 250 color photographs, Steve provides thorough step-by-step instructions for creating a striking wizard figurine with an actual kaleidoscope installed inside. Woodcarvers will find valuable information on starting with a roughout, detailed carving and painting techniques, and installation of the kaleidoscope kit. Patterns and measurements for the wizard and other figurines are provided for those who wish to cut their own blanks. The patterns include an Old World Santa, Uncle Sam, Fireman Santa, and a Santa Rocket. All are shown in finished form in the gallery, along with a chip carved Collide-A-Scope. Put your imagination in gear and let's start creating new and wonderful kaleidoscope carvings!

A Mother Goose nursery rhyme comes to life when you open the pages of Carving The Old Woman's Shoe. With over 20 years of shoe carving experience, Larry's step-by-step instructions will lead you through carving his concept of this famous shoe. He even wrote his own poem. He helps you construct a scene for the shoe with a carved yard and flowers carved from round toothpicks! The book gives suggestions on tools which you will need and provides complete instructions on painting and finishing the shoe. The patterns and full-color photos combine to make this an excellent instructional book. Larry's first book, Carving Boots and Shoes has helped many carvers to get started on the "right foot" in their boot and shoe carving.

Wherever you are in America you see the influence of the Cape Cod sign. The incised carved letters glistening with gold leaf make a warm invitation to home or business. The decorative carved shells or scrolls reveal the carver's art. Among the most respected and talented carvers is Paul White of E. Sandwich, Massachusetts. He has received national recognition in both the carving and sign-making worlds, and has taught hundreds of students over the years. In this wonderful new book he takes the reader step-by-step through the process of carving a quarterboard, beginning with the layout of the letters and pattern, and continuing through the gilding. A complete alphabet is included so you can create your own sign. There is also a gallery to help the carver develop his or her own design. Each step is illustrated in full color, with concise instructions that make this an invaluable book for both the novice and experienced carver.

One of America's favorite carvers brings seven new step-by-step Santa projects to his many fans, old and new. These Santas have special interests including golf, fishing, and skiing, among others. As always Ron Ransom makes the carving easy, interesting, and fun.

Green men are figures or heads that were carved in churches, abbeys and cathedrals from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. Inspired by the illustrations in book margins where heads were used to terminate trails of foliage, they were usually carved in the form of human masks, cats' or demons' heads. The earliest architectural green men are found in the churches of the wealthy and influential, such as Henry I's private chapel in Derbyshire but they were still produced in lesser numbers into the nineteenth century. Richard Hayman discusses the origins and definitions of these fascinating figures and traces their many declines and revivals throughout history - a valuable guide for any church history enthusiast.

When is a fetish not a fetish? Find out in this celebration of the most misunderstood genre of Southwestern Indian carvings. From Beast Gods to Directional Guardian Spirits, this book explores the magic and mystery behind the charismatic, mostly stone, animal figures (or fetishes) skillfully carved by artists from Southwestern Pueblos. Enthusiasts will delight in the hundreds of full-color photographs. Pictures and text highlight the impressive variety of forms, materials, and traditional and contemporary styles available to collectors. This book discusses the symbolic meanings associated with these figures and explains how they are "borrowed" for use by members of non-Native American cultures. A newly revised price guide is included to help collectors orient themselves to current market values.

An" Economist" Book of the Year

Costa Book Award Winner for Biography

Galaxy National Book Award Winner (New Writer of the Year Award)

Edmund de Waal is a world-famous ceramicist. Having spent thirty years making beautiful pots--which are then sold, collected, and handed on--he has a particular sense of the secret lives of objects. When he inherited a collection of 264 tiny Japanese wood and ivory carvings, called netsuke, he wanted to know who had touched and held them, and how the collection had managed to survive.

And so begins this extraordinarily moving memoir and detective story as de Waal discovers both the story of the netsuke and of his family, the Ephrussis, over five generations. A nineteenth-century banking dynasty in Paris and Vienna, the Ephrussis were as rich and respected as the Rothchilds. Yet by the end of the World War II, when the netsuke were hidden from the Nazis in Vienna, this collection of very small carvings was all that remained of their vast empire.

Having an Al Streetman book is liking having your own personal carving instructor sit down on the back porch with you. His easygoing Oklahoma ways and his patient, soothing voice are evident in the simple instructions, as though he were right there with you, carving blade in hand, leading you through the simple step-by-step task of characterization. And that's where the Streetman's true brilliance lies-he is a master of the character, and this book is rich with them. There are 30 patterns, with something for every holiday of the year, in here. Streetman's instructions, clear photos, and meticulously drawn patterns will make an expert of beginners, and offer experts a challenge. Many people simply trace his well-drawn patterns on thin flat board or cardboard and paint them for tree ornaments.

As the days get longer and the sun rises higher and warmer, the signs of Spring begin to appear. One of those signs is the friend of every child, the Easter Bunny. Like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny is the bearer of gifts, fancy eggs, sweet candy, and warm, cuddly stuffed animals, to celebrate the joy of Easter morning. Tom Wolfe brings his creativity and skill to this beloved character, and shares it with his readers in clear step-by-step, color illustrated instructions. And, because no bunny is complete without his eggs, Tom offers a simple technique for creating beautiful Easter eggs using commercially produced blanks, a woodburner, and paint. Included is a gallery of many bunny "humanimals." These wonderful creations, carry a great deal of the emotion and charm, and will be wonderful additions to the carver's repertoire. This is a great book for carvers of all skill levels. Everyone, from the beginner to the veteran, will enjoy its delightful projects.

Love working with gourds, but hate all the dust? This new book offers an alternative technique. Step-by-step instructions, along with 176 color photographs, show how to chip and chisel a gourd into a decorative piece for the house or outside. Best of all, only basic, simple tools are needed; no electric cords, no noise, no dust. Create a stunning array of bowls, birdhouses, and ornaments. A gallery of 16 color photographs provides ideas for your own creations. Chip-carving on Gourds is a gentle, relaxing handcraft that any beginner or seasoned gourd crafter can learn and enjoy.

Bamboo, bemoaned by many as a runaway weed, is treasured in many cultures around the world for its strength, durability, and versatility. This book illustrates ways in which any person capable of using a saw, rasp, screwdriver, and chisel can set about to create beautiful furnishings and useful accessories for the home. Patience, practice, and the application of sharp tools, hot glue, and accurate measurements, promise to enable you to make your own creations. Illustrations and basic instructions for bamboo tables, chairs and seats, bedroom furniture, hall racks and stands, cabinets and bookcases, window blinds, and many other articles are provided, along with a thorough primer on the tools and techniques for working this fast-growing grass. Many designs are inspired by Asian models, very popular in today's decor.

Tom Wolfe has been carving canes and walking sticks for almost twenty years. Among the hundreds that he has carved, no two are alike. Each one takes on its own spirit and personality. And each one shows the carver's creativity and skill. Tom introduced his readers to the carving of walking sticks in Tom Wolfe Carves Woodspirits and Walking Sticks. In response to the requests of readers he presents this book devoted to canes and walking sticks. Patterns for eleven figures are included with two of them carved step-by-step. The carver can follow the color photographs of each step, gleaning whatever additional information he or she may need from the concise caption. This is a fun book for all carvers, from the novice to the pro. It continues the long tradition of Tom's creativity.

Literally a classroom-in-a-book, this engaging volume enables virtually anyone with a band saw, rotary power tool and a few of the most common cutting burrs to bring birds, fish, and even penguins to life beautifully! Professional artist-woodcarver Gene Larson demonstrates in words and pictures why he concentrates on simplicity of form, and how even a beginner can use a block of wood the way a sculptor would use a piece of marble. With a unique ability to reduce a complicated subject to its most basic components, Gene provides step-by-step guidance (from the wood block up) on the creation of shapes that have the look and "feel" of great works of art. Beginning with the selection of the right wood, stressing the simplicity that conveys and impression of so much more, and ending with a proper finish. Gene shows you how to create works he calls "sketches in wood." You and your friends will surely call them works of art.

The 16th century bronze plaques from the kingdom of Benin are among the most recognized masterpieces of African art, and yet many details of their commission and installation in the palace in Benin City, Nigeria, are little understood. The Benin Plaques, A 16th Century Imperial Monument is a detailed analysis of a corpus of nearly 850 bronze plaques that were installed in the court of the Benin kingdom at the moment of its greatest political power and geographic reach. By examining European accounts, Benin oral histories, and the physical evidence of the extant plaques, Gunsch is the first to propose an installation pattern for the series.