In July of 2020 I attended a carving class conducted by Dave Stetson of Scottsdale, Arizona. Dave is a founding member of the Caricature Carvers of America. I have taken three Zoom classes with Dave and have learned a lot. I recommend Dave’s classes either in person or on Zoom. Dave offers a wealth of information on design, including human anatomy, carving techniques and painting. He has been teaching for many years and is genuinely concerned for the student’s comprehension and learning experience.

This class was based on a woodcarving roughout developed by Dave. Not all of Dave’s classes use roughouts. Depending on the subject, and the level of difficulty, a single block of basswood may be the only requirement. A roughout will reduce the amount of wood removal and therefore reduce the time required to complete the project. This class required 12 hours of instruction time. That time was divided into six two hour sessions. Painting the completed project was included. Because the class was held via Zoom, students could ask questions during the sessions. The other advantage for the student was each session is recorded and was available for review after the class. Dave also encouraged students to email pictures of problem areas so he could offer advice before the next session.

I am including several photos of my project showing my progress.The total height of the figure and base is eleven and a half inches (29.5cm). The design included enough wood for options to place Santa’s hat on his head or in his left hand. Santa’s right hand was designed to hold a walking staff to be carved separately.

This is the “roughout” provided for the class.