Learn to carve a wood spirit by seeing every step, every cut, and every detail! Complete beginner's guide to learning the craft of relief carving wood spirits Step-by-step instructions for relief carving a wood spirit from start to finish Careful explanations for each step in an approachable, easy-to-understand progression Over 20 bonus patterns to inspire you to keep carving and practice all the new skills you've learned Author Lora S. Irish is an internationally known artist, woodcarver, designer, and popular author Learn the enjoyable craft of relief carving from start to finish! With this amazingly detailed guide, any carver can stand beside the workbench of acclaimed artist Lora S. Irish and learn everything she has to teach about creating an expressive wood spirit. Follow along as she clearly explains and presents the relief carving process from start to finish: every cut, every tool change, and every depth check. The entire craft is here, from preparing the wood to roughing out and detailing your wood spirit to applying a long-lasting finish. No step is left out and no technique is left unexplained. The author also shares her tips for creating realistic and detailed facial features like the brow, eyelids, windswept hair, beards, and the ever-important mustache. After you master the skills to complete the step-by-step Grape Man Wood Spirit Project, you'll find 23 additional original patterns like the Grinning Oakman, Bearded Acanthus, North Wind Wood Spirit, and other green man designs to keep any carver busy for seasons to come! With their expressive features and legendary connection to nature, the wood spirit is a very popular carving subject. Once used to visually interpret the unpredictability of Mother Nature—from the blizzards to the soft sunshine—these "faces in leaves" are today used to accent gardens, decorate homes, and adorn all types of woodworking and crafts. If you've ever wanted to carve a wood spirit, or simply learn to carve, this comprehensive step-by-step tutorial from acclaimed carver and instructor Lora S. Irish will teach you everything you need to know. Inside, you'll find the history and legend of the wood spirit; a complete overview of all the woods and the necessary tools; the entire process of relief carving from wood prep to finishing; tips for creating realistic and unique details; a meticulously detailed step-by-step project for a Grape Man Wood Spirit; and over 20 bonus patterns to inspire you to keep going.