Carving Wood Spirits

In the world of wood carving, there is quite a lot of attention paid to carving wood spirits. Wood spirits are kind of a niche in the wood carving world and, as such, they are sort of an "inside thing" among wood carvers. Essentially, a wood spirit is a theme that many wood carvers like to play with wherein a figure is sculpted that is supposed to resemble a "spirit" or particular being. Some people like carving wood spirits and placing them on walls as hanging pieces of art. Others enjoy creating full-fledged statues out of them while even more like carving wood spirits into ornamentation themes, such as umbrella handles or cane tops. Wood spirits, in all of their forms and incarnations, are incredibly popular in wood carving and the fun and enjoyment of carving wood spirits is shared by both amateurs and experts alike.

Wood spirits, in one form or another, have played a part in wood carving for literally thousands of years. In fact, many of the popular wood spirit carving designs and patterns are based on old wood spirits that were once sacred to specific groups of people. For instance, the tiki wood art that is very popular among wood carvers originated with the Tiki people, who carved such designs as a way of worshiping their various gods. The Maori people also practiced this custom and their art, too, is seen as very influential and awe-inspiring as well.

Creating wood spirits is often the first project that an amateur wood carver takes on, after getting a feel for the basics and gaining an understanding of the fundamentals. Once a beginner feels comfortable and at ease with his or her wood carving tools, the next logical step is often carving a wood spirit. This is enough to test the mettle of even the most advanced upstart. What most beginners forget, though, is that patience is key when starting out a real wood carving project. One must never succumb to frustration or anger because of how difficult the project is. All wood carving projects are incredibly hard, but the idea behind them is not to anger you, but instead to free your mind and teach you to think more clearly, while also developing the wondrous virtue that is patience. Then, and only then, can one truly be called a wood carving master. Have patience, young grasshopper: To master the wood, you must become the wood.

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