Old-World Wood Carving Classes

DAVID CALVO has been a professional woodcarver for forty-five years and been enthusiastically teaching wood carving for a little over thirty years . He was fortunate to be trained by professional European woodcarvers and sculptors. He has been a featured master woodcarver at many International Woodworking Trade Shows where he has given workshops on woodcarving technique and designing skills. David has also been a featured TV guest on the national PBS Television shows: "The Woodwright's Shop" with Roy Underhill and "The American Woodshop" with Scott Phillips. In addition, David writes articles for national publications to promote and share his skill. He is a sought-after teacher because his unique apprenticeship training is a rarity. In addition, he is also a natural speaker who has the ability to articulate the mechanics of the skill of wood carving in an easily understood fashion.

TEACHING PROCESS: Over the years, David has honed his step by step teaching process to its simplest form. He teaches his students using one of the most important factors that excelerated his own personal training. His teachers had to be very efficent because they were making a professional living at scupture so they taught him in a straight A-Z line, meaning no detouring from what is essential. Each step in the workshop will be made obvious to you in a logical way and reinforced with muscle memory excercises for your benefit. Equally important, the group structure creates an environment that allows David to continually repeat and reinforce key points which are so important in advancing each student's learning curve. He has time tested and refined his teaching approach over the years and it is highly successful for adults. You will be happy with your results.

 

Five-Day Bare Bones Wood Carving Workshop

This very intensive Bare Bones Workhop will give the beginner enthusiast a solid foundation in woodcarving. No matter what your carving style preference, you need to know these fundamentals of carving technique and you need to know them well. In athletic sports (I consider woodcarving part sport) there is training in body mechanics. The importance of body mechanics is akin to a tennis pro who has trained his tennnis ball volley to be "on point" and both effortless and graceful too. With the right body mechanic training, woodcarving for you can be more effortless and graceful. This is the romance of the skill. So just like a tennis player who takes pleasure in volleying the ball back and forth across the net, the same is true for a woodcarver with tool in hand. Hence, thes are the important things to learn to encourage your interest and desire in carving. It is alot like learning a language, to use yet another metaphor. You need to know the alphabet, vowels and consonants, how to put together a word and then a sentence and paragraph with meaning. There are equivalents to this in woodcarving that are absolutely needed as a baselines that you will learn. Hence, this is a serious beginners workshop that uses my methodical training with the hope to make your woodcarving dreams come true.

 

WE WILL STUDY AND EXPLORE THE FOLLOWING:

• SHARPENING WOOD CARVING TOOL: Learn how to design and sharpen your tool edge so that you have better control and a more versatile woodcarving chisel. I will show you how to sharpen with the proficiency that was used in the European apprenticship programs. I will also incorporate some Japanese sharpening theory because it comes from the samari tool making traditions and you just can't beat it. Having sharp tools that easily "bite" into the wood and do not "skate" are an important ingredient for an avid woodcarver.

• GAINING WOOD CARVING TECHNIQUE: Learn how to handle your carving tools in the wood; from roughing out the beginnings of your project to the final delicate detailing. In my approach, I teach "body mechanics" and it is an integral part of good hand technique. Wood carving is a skill that incorporates the body to better assist you in your hand technique with the gouges. It is like being a baseball player, bat in hand at the plate and the pitcher throws the ball. As you swing the bat you use your body to help step into the hit which helps in the effectiveness of the action. The same is true in woodcarving. You use your body strength and weight, in addition to your hands, for the cutting action in wood. Simply stated; You don't have to be a physical giant to handle woodcarving tools; it's all in the technique.

• THE ART OF SEEING AND VISUAL MAPPING: Learn the mechanical steps in the process of carving. Just like driving a car, you put your key in the ignition to start the car and move the shift from park to drive and as drive you obey traffic signs. The same is true in woodcarving. There are repeated mechanical steps that you do "always" with each project no matter what the design is. I also work with an approach method I call visual mapping. It is an activity that helps you to move through the progressive steps of your carving project. It is teachable and gaining this skill is critical for the beginner's eye. Often I hear my new students say what I call the beginner's mantra... "What do I do next? This is the most repeated words in the beginner's vocabulary and we will address this too!

• LEARN DESIGN SKILLS: Learn how to design your wood carving projects using references that many of the great artists used. There are many basic mechanical steps to designing that are unknown to the novice woodcarver. This approach to building your design skills will expand your imagination and the steps to creating your own projects will start to come more easily to you.

 

Calvo Woodcarving School location:

Our school is in Gloucester, Massachusetts on Cape Ann. And, yes you can row a boat all the way around Cape Ann. It is a convenient driving commute from Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New Jersey, Connecticut, Tennessee, New York and New York City area. I have had people drive from Kentucky, Illinois,Tennessee, Virginia, Delaware, North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Texas too. For those flying in we are located 50 minutes north of Logan Airport in Boston. Some people have searched wood carving classes near me and found my school even though I am not in their area. They have called and spoken to me about my teaching approach and made the flight in from Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Wisconson, Colorado, South Carolina, Kansas, Wyoming, Idaho, Iowa Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, Missouri, Maryland, South Dakota, Montana, California and Alaska too. So with some assurance, I can say I have had someone from every State in the U.S.

 

Updated: November 20, 2024

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Workshops are year round from Spring to Fall

FALL SCHEDULE BELOW

"I have been carving on and off for 30 years, not really knowing which knife or gouge to use. It has been very frustrating to have all these beautiful tools and not know which ones to use. My main reason for joining the class was to learn which tools to use for a particular job and why, as well as knowledge on layout and design. I had so many questions? By the 2nd day I had learned more than I had known in all of my 30 years of carving."

"I live as far north and as far west in the continental United States as you can get without coming back. For me, to travel this far for a class, it's got to be good. I flew over 3000 miles to David Calvo Studio and another 3000 miles back home. I would do it again in a heartbeat. What a great experience!"

CLICK HERE to read more what Students say...

 

Weekend Wood Carving Workshops

TWO & THREE DAY WORKSHOPS

Here is a wonderful opportunity in a two or three-day workshop format to learn the fundamentals of woodcarvings. These classes are an edited version of my five-day Bare Bone classes. (read five-day description) As an interested student, you will get the basic understanding of all aspects of the skill of wood carving which includes; basic hand-carving technique, sharpening and designing skills among other topics. You will also do carving projects to reinforce the technique that we talk about so that you gain muscle memory in your hands.

"Bob and I want to thank you for the wonderful class! We learned so much from you. You are such a good teacher -- you convey that sense that all people can learn -- such an important part of the beginning of any learning experience. I feel so fortunate to have been a student today in your class. We certainly will tell others about you, and we will look into summer classes when time relaxes a little. Again, thank you so much."
 With appreciation,
 Linda and Bob Vaden-Goad

Intermediate Five-Day Carving Workshops

MAKE YOUR CARVING DREAMS COME TRUE!

Here is an opportunity to develop your woodcarving skills by becoming more aware of technique and design through progressively more challenging skills. We will work with either a next step technique project of my choosing or a project of your choice to keep you moving forward skill wise. It could be a mirror design or almost anything. Mature carving is built on learning the subtleties of the skill. We will build on the fundamentals that you learned in my beginners course. Among many things, we will work more with the mechanics of your hand technique focusing on intentional controlled cuts. We will continue to train your eyes in aspects of visual mapping or address what I call the mantra question of the beginner woodcarver - "What do I do next?" Generally speaking this course will focus on the next set of techniques that are key for you to unlock a new door in becoming a better woodcarver.

Decorative Keepsake Box Workshop

DOVETAILS AND CARVING

Five-Day Sign Carving Workshop

CARVE A BEAUTIFUL SIGN FOR YOUR HOME 

Tuesday Evening Wood Carving Classes

NINE-WEEK SESSIONS

For those of you local enough to have a short drive here is an opportunity to learn your woodcarving skills on a weekly basis. Read the bare bones description because we will be following that format at a casual weekly pace. This is a unique opportunity for you to learn carving with the help of a skilled professional carver. The class runs from 7:00 - 9:00pm

One-Day Spoon Carving Workshops

LEARN TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL WOODEN SPOONS!

Discover ther Art of Spoon Carving! Ever wanted to create something beautiful and functional with your own hands. Join us for a Spoon Carving workshop, where you'll learn this ancient craft of transforming a simple block of wood into a unique handmade utensil you can use every day!

Why Spoon Carving? It's a perfect project for beginners: Spoon carving is a great introduction to woodworking- no prior experience needed!

Relaxing and Therapeutic: Carving is a mindful, calming process that helps you focus and unwind.

It's Functional Art: Take home a beautiful, hand-carved spoon, perfect for your kitchen or as a thoughtful gift.

Class Features: All Tools Provided: We'll supply you with all the necessary tools. ($15 for materials). You just need to bring yourself!

Don't miss out on this hands-on, engaging workshop that let's you create something both beautiful and practical. Join us for a fun and fulfilling experience that combines craftsmanship with creativity. Let's carve something amazing together! Limited spots available...register now. You will be surprised with what you create and everyone has a great time!

Blacksmithing Your Own Wood Carving Tools

LEARN TO BLACKSMITH CUSTOM CARVING TOOLS

My German wood carving teacher, Frederick Brunner, forged all his own woodcarving tools. On evening, he proudly showed me the first tool he forged when he was thirteen years old that he used into his eighties. He was not only an able artist but he was also an expert mechanic in the woodcarving field as well. Surprisingly, you can get set up with a small propane forge for little money and make your own tools. And honestly, there is absolutely nothing more satisfying than carving wood with a tool that you have made. Learning how to forge your own wood carving tools will complete your skill set as a woodcarver. You will learn metal forging techniques, methods in how to shape the tool steel using heat. We will go over the hardening and heat treating process. You will learn how to refine the tool steel design and tempering. And finally, you will learn how to put handles on your newly forged carving tools. This is an excellent opportunity to study and understand good tool design which is necessary for the control needed in wood carving. Once you experience the joy of forging your own tools, you will never go back to a store bought tool again. I can honestly say that you will treasure your hand forged tools and they will become the favorites of your collection. Guaranteed.

Questions on Wood Carving Tools for Classes

 

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