In some ways, relief carving is akin to painting: once you’ve mastered the basics, there is no limit to the stories you can tell through wood. In this beginning course, you’ll be introduced to the tools used in relief carving and develop the basic skills needed to move into more complex design elements. We’ll cover proper technique for holding and using gouges, ambidextrous carving and working with the grain of the wood. After a simple introductory project, students will be able to choose from a variety of patterns provided by the instructor. Students will need to provide their own set of basic carving tools.