Books : Art & Technique of Scandinavian Style Woodcarving: Step-by-Step Instructions & Patterns for 40 Flat-Plane Carving Projects
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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 736.4
EAN num: 9781565232303
ISBN number: 1565232305
Label: Fox Chapel Publishing
Manufacturer: Fox Chapel Publishing
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 104
Printing Date: November 01, 2004
Publishing house: Fox Chapel Publishing
Sale Popularity Level: 165650
Studio: Fox Chapel Publishing
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
This in-depth profile of Scandinavian-style woodcarving includes a history of the style's use in American and Scandinavian art, biographies of great carvers in the genre, and detailed instructions for a variety of projects. Directions, front and sideview patterns, and step-by-step photographs reveal how to make a few simple cuts and leave large flat planes intact. The lively personalities of such typical Scandinavian figures as Oskar and a traditional Swedish folk art horse are charmingly rendered in the samples and projects included.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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I completely agree with a previous costumer which rated 1 star. While this book can be a shallow photo catalog of scandinavian style figures, it is certainly not real help for the aspiring beginner (the "where-to-find-the- knive" and "how-to-hold-it" issues, for example). I guess one could get similar results by researching photographs through library books or Internet and try to make the whole thing alone.
In an effort to recover some background of artisans related with such carving style through history, mixed with the author's personal idea of the reader gaining expertise with around 40 patterns (which, by the way, are not worth their printed space through 20 good quality paper pages in this book), based only in two previos detailed examples, the author fails in making a final product to cover seriously both issues.
A nice marketing strategy, but a great mistake in trusting Harley Refsal and Fox CHapel Publishing for the subsequent woodcarving related choices.
Not recommended.
Rated by buyers -
The cover of this book says "Step-by-Step Instructions & Patterns for 40 Flat-Plane Carving Projects".
What it should say is "Step-by-Step Instructions For 2 Projects, & Patterns for 40 more".
In this 120 page book, there are less that 20 pages of step-by-step instructions. Two projects are covered (I admit, in detail and with good photos) but there is no foundation whatsoever for those 20 pages. What kind of knife do you use? How do you hold it? What strokes are used for carving? What do you need to know about cutting with or across the grain? None of these questions are answered in this book. If you are a beginner picking up this book, you will be completely lost.
The section on the history and practitioners of Scandinavian woodcarving takes up the majority of this book. While it is somewhat interesting, that is not why I bought the book.
Rated by buyers 
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This is the best and most detailed book you are going to find on the subject of Flat-Plane carving. The photos are bright and the steps clear enough to not leave you hanging (avoids being a very frustrated beginner.) For those of you lucky enough, Harley still teaches classes in the upper midwest and occasionally at our nations craft houses. What I learned most about Harley's methods, is you really don't need a bucket full of hand tools. Every thing is done with a knife. Finding his particular knife is not easy. A sturdy bench knife will do just fine. I never carved a thing in my life until I picked up this book. I followed along and eventually discovered what the photo was telling me. Now after carving some more and reading other authors, I can really appreciate the time they took on this book.
Rated by buyers -
This book is a revision of the 1992 classic by Harley Refsal. The new book is a larger format with a lot more color. My previous copy had been getting pretty dog-eared so the new one came along just in time. For those of you who may not be familiar with Harley's previous work, his is the foremost publication that describes the history and methods of "Scandinavian Flat Plane Carving". In my opinion, Scandinavia is the origin of the genre that we all love and call caricature carving.
The new book has added a section on carving and finishing the Dalcarlian Horse - the classic horse carved in Sweden for almost two centuries. The demonstration of Flat-Plane figure carving is of Harley's Oskar, an immigrant-era figure. The instruction is extremely detailed and about like having Harley over your shoulder taking you through the entire process. A number of new patterns have been added to this edition.
If I had a limit on the carving books in my collection, (and thank goodness I don't have) Harley Refsal's would be one of the select few.
Rated by buyers -
Harley's new book builds on his previous book on Scandinavian woodcarving, but he adds much more both in the area of carving and the history of carving. There is the old familiar Oskar but there is also a Scandinavian horse. There is additional information in the history area, a section on painting, as well as an expanded section on patterns. The photography is in colour and quite detailed. If you are a fibre carver, this book will be a wonderful addition to your woodcarving library.
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