When you are first learning how to carve, it is much easier to carve
in the negative than in the positive.

What's that?

Think in terms of a simple black and white line drawing of a heart.
You transfer the image of the heart to the carving material. If you
carve in the negative, you carve away the lines, so that your heart
stamps white while the rest of the image stamps the ink color. If you
carve in the positive, you leave the heart and carve away everything
else, so that the heart stamps the ink color and that's the only
thing. Simple negative carving for simple drawings is much easier for
most people (advanced negative carving is amazing).

http://www.atlasquest.com/tutorials/carving/

I'd stay away from faces in the beginning too. Think of something
that you like from one of the stories or the movie (a simple object)
and start with that--a poppy, a mouse, a broom, the tinman's heart, a
hot air balloon, a crow, etc.

~dewberry


--- In gulfcoastletterboxers@yahoogroups.com, "Amy" wrote:
>
> Ok, we've been finding boxes for a few months and we are thinking about
> planting our first box for the event on the 6th. Any suggestions on
> what stamps are still needed for the event? We'll be attempting to
> carve our own for the first time ever. None of us are artistically
> inclined, so any easily carvable suggestions would be appreciated. I
> look forward to putting faces with all the names I've seen over the
> last few months. We've gone so many places we never would have even
> known were there if it weren't for letterboxing!!!
>
> Amy, Ben and Kevin aka Trailbugs
>

And if it would be helpful, I'll try to bring my carving stuff and
give you some tips--nothing formal like a class.

dewberry

--- In gulfcoastletterboxers@yahoogroups.com, "dewberrylb"
wrote:
>
> When you are first learning how to carve, it is much easier to carve
> in the negative than in the positive.
>
> What's that?
>
> Think in terms of a simple black and white line drawing of a heart.
> You transfer the image of the heart to the carving material. If you
> carve in the negative, you carve away the lines, so that your heart
> stamps white while the rest of the image stamps the ink color. If you
> carve in the positive, you leave the heart and carve away everything
> else, so that the heart stamps the ink color and that's the only
> thing. Simple negative carving for simple drawings is much easier for
> most people (advanced negative carving is amazing).
>
> http://www.atlasquest.com/tutorials/carving/
>
> I'd stay away from faces in the beginning too. Think of something
> that you like from one of the stories or the movie (a simple object)
> and start with that--a poppy, a mouse, a broom, the tinman's heart, a
> hot air balloon, a crow, etc.
>
> ~dewberry
>
>
> --- In gulfcoastletterboxers@yahoogroups.com, "Amy" wrote:
> >
> > Ok, we've been finding boxes for a few months and we are thinking
about
> > planting our first box for the event on the 6th. Any suggestions on
> > what stamps are still needed for the event? We'll be attempting to
> > carve our own for the first time ever. None of us are artistically
> > inclined, so any easily carvable suggestions would be appreciated. I
> > look forward to putting faces with all the names I've seen over the
> > last few months. We've gone so many places we never would have even
> > known were there if it weren't for letterboxing!!!
> >
> > Amy, Ben and Kevin aka Trailbugs
> >
>

Yes, please. I plan on carving something ahead of time anyway, but
would love to have a pro show me so I can get better!! Thanks!


--- In gulfcoastletterboxers@yahoogroups.com, "dewberrylb"
wrote:
>
> And if it would be helpful, I'll try to bring my carving stuff and
> give you some tips--nothing formal like a class.
>
> dewberry
>