Woodcarving How To -Carve a Little 4" Man -Start To Finish 

I am a 61 year old relief carver but love to carve little objects like this. I am a beginner and retired from my job. I can do more and learn more about carving and I have learned so much from you. Thanks a lot

Thanks for the tutorial Doug. So many possibilities with these guys💯

Great video love it

Thanks for the videos and the inspiration, I just finished my first carving , I used a dollar store utility knife lol it was all I had and I could not wait to get an official knife , I wanted to carve ! For a dollar I got a utility knife with two spare blades lol it’s adjustable so you can have a long or short blade. I had some scrap wood in the garage. Only cut myself once lol but not bad just a little blood. I have too much anyway. Thanks !!!

You talking us through the entire craving is the way a how-to video should be, I just wish everyone who does how-to/DIY videos would do the same. I subscribed to you for that simple fact. I have learned so much from your videos and I am glad you talk us through exactly what you are doing. I know we would watch these videos of your's even if they were 3 or 4 hours long.

I love your videos so easy to follow I am learning a great deal, to me your the best on videos thanks Doug!

I have just started growing my beard, so don't worry about all your carvings having beards and mustaches, I like that look too. My grandma always joked that if my grandpa didn't have a beard and mustache she wouldn't have married him.😂

Where can I find boxelder wood free or as low cost as possible? Any body know? Thank you.

You should put your carvings at your adventure spots to see who finds them and how far they travel, would get family of couch and out in fresh air

👍⛺

So I’m not the only one who loves to listen to you explain carving as you go, So calming it’s a beautiful thing, A meditation relaxation 😇🙏 Thank you🥰 Doug!

Any chance I could do this in reverse I need to start with the face. I spend hours on the body only to screw up the face in the end.

Keep it up my friend ..they love you ..Your a inspiration to so many ..and besides that a great teacher

Thanks so much. I was hoping you would update this carving. You remain the master teacher. I can't think of anyone who does more for this craft than you. Very much appreciated.

Nice video Doug. Exactly what I needed after I’d kinda riffed off the bear and mushroom ideas. Definitely going to try some little dudes. Any chance of a quick video on how to make a female dude? (Dudette?) I’ve tried a couple and am sort of stuck.

It just amazes me of the affects that you put on your carvings, awesome! 👍👍👍💯💯💯

"It's such a happy little mustache..." The Bob Ross of carving. The peaceful artist that can portage for miles then frame a house. Lol. Great video. Whatever you did with the lighting showed a lot more of the wood grain. Really liked this one.

Haha, yes, I prefer long and taking too! The long version lets me follow along and your talking helps me understand what’s going on

What I love about your videos and instruction Doug is that you’re not just showing how to carve the caricature, but providing a “method” or “guide” for overall carving. That’s what most of us need. An approach that lets us go off in many directions. In this one, using the “finger” measuring method just shows how flexible and arbitrary a carver can be and still get great results. Thank you so much for this one ☝️

Thanks Doug, love all your carving videos. Favs are moose , bear, and the lil guys. Loved the supply run, watch it often, so peaceful . God Bless you and family, they are so lovely, you are a Blessed man. How bout carving a sitting caricature , moose , bear, lil men and ladies. “Long version please, we just enjoy your company and uplifting spirit”. Please,Please,Please.

Doug you got me hooked on carving thanks. Your work is awesome. I learned not to hurry and a sharp knife will improve anybodys carving.

have and will you carve a little viking? Skall! love all you videos and am always wanting to try some. Gunnar Tyr Asmund

Hi Doug, love your work, again very beautiful. Just started, and cut my self with glove on!! Just above the protection. Keep on whittling.

Thanks Doug! Done your little mushroom man last week, my brother loved it. Great videos 👍Hope you and the family are well. 🇬🇧

Love the way you measure, my wife never understands when I say a small inch or a large inch. Any great video, all the best from the UK

Long, with lots of flapping gums.....perfect! Thanks Doug!!! Keep up the great work

Great video, Doug. It wasn't too long at all. I enjoyed every minute of it and learned a few things too!

I just purchased the two tools you said will get me by for a long time! Tools and wood will be here by Friday. Thanks for the inspiration Doug!

I like the tutorial videos. Seeing you carve out an arm isn’t the same without you telling us why. Your dimensions in metric finger widths are so easy to follow. 😂 I love to carve, but I need practice and confidence. Your videos inspire me to at least give it a try. I carved an old wizard looking face on a walking stick last week. It’s probably not all that good, but I’m very proud of it. Thank you and keep making the great videos (with talking). 😉

Your lighting has definitely gotten better, the wood does not dazzle near as much, and you can see pencil lines from far more angles now. As always, your videos are very inspiring and cozy here late at night before bedtime in Denmark.

Your videos have inspired me to try whittling. I’ve got a couple little projects under my belt now and I’m hooked. Thanks for sharing such a great hobby with the world.

Thank you for another great tutorial. Of the many available online, I find myself seeking yours out for their ease to follow, and consistent results. Thank you!

Great video😀

Commentary, carving, and humour are all excellent as usual 😃👏

Long or short, it’s great watching you carve/whittle. Thanks for another fun video.

Hey Doug thank you for your awesome videos and for taking the time to do this. I actually started carving because of you. I want to make a cat carving for my wife. She’s a true cat lover but I am not having any success at the time. Any pointers or maybe a video if you can.

Thanks Doug. Great video. Like the long videos. Picked up some pointers. Have a great day.

Hi dough I'm new to wood carving and I've found your tutorials very informative my question is have you written any books on this subject as I feel they would be very 8nformative if so could you let me know were to purchase them thank you James fpatrick uk 2022

Have you ever carved a full dress uniform RCMP? we had a hand carved one when I was a kid. But it has been lost and I've never seen another one like it. it was only 4-5 inches tall and painted correctly. I am just starting carving and would like to carve one.

Another great one, Doug. Lighting is a lot easier on the eyes. Thank-you.

Hi doug I hope your well I enjoyed your making of your man I shall try doing it myself thanks for the inspiration dough ? James

I like the long videos with you explaining

Thank you so much for putting time and effort into helping us newbies. Love watching and listening you carve definitely like the longer video!

The longest videos are the best and this video is great again. Looking forward for your next video ;-) Thanks for your inspiring work.

As always Doug excellent video Excellent tutorial Awesome patients

I love you’re 3/4 of a finger metric 🤣😂

Another vote for your long videos, loved the little guy, curious why you moved your carving desk from indoors to the workshop? has Sophie taken over your room? Lol

👍 good stuff

I just started whittling couple weeks ago thanks to stumbling on your channel. Did your wood spirit today while 'working' during conference calls, easier than I expected thanks to your great instruction. Tempted to try this one...but seems intimidating and maybe I need to crawl more before trying to run (with a knife in hand no less!)

You Sir are a Very Gifted individual , not only with talent as a Carver , but the ability to teach others in visual an verbal quality that is second to none , there is just no comparison between any Written article or pictures to your work Thank You very much for these videos .

This was so delightful and soothing. Love to watch you carve and explain what and how you are doing what you are doing at the time. Turned out great. Peace and Good Fortune and Good Health to you and your family.

Love it, awesome video, thanks again Doug ! I will be watching this one several times. Still learning... 🤗

Thanks Doug, for yet another good video. 👍😁

I think that sweater is called crew neck? Heck I don't know. Love this video though.

Doug you are very calming to watch in the same class as Bob Ross keep up the great work and thanks for the entertainment

Enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks for sharing👍

I have all my products now I need the time to sit and carve. I blame Shawn James for introducing me on “hugely gardening”

I'll tell you, I should have taken your advice about the carving glove. Just today, my knife slipped and I had to get stitches in my left hand. Wasn't a big cut but, real deep. I'll be taking a day or two until the glove arrives. Thought I'd share, don't be like me.

Dear sir! You looked much better with your medium size beard! It looked like a big live gnome was sitting and thoughtfully carving figures of his many relatives and friends as he remembered their faces in his long underground past life. GL and thanks very much for a teaching.

Thank you so much for sharing these tutorials Doug! For a beginner they are so well done and informative, they have made learning so much more fun and exciting. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to share your talents and teach the next generation of carvers! Keep up the great work!

Love the updated version. Always love the tutorial.

Always love your tutorials Doug

Thanks Doug. The long video is much appreciated and no I didn't get bored watching you manipulate that knife and transform that little block of wood. Your dialog is fine too, makes one feel that we are right there taking a class. Again thank you.

Another great video Doug. Long and talking gets my vote as well. Do you have a tutorial for that little Santa face hanging on the side wall of your work area? Would love to learn how to make those.

Always learn something...thank you❤️

I would love to make the characters that are in my paintings. Thanks for your insights all great videos.

Beatiful

Great video Sir!!!

I'm waiting for you to do a carve knucklehead video and make it look like Joe hahaha. I don't do carvings but these video's are so relaxing.

Doug, Thank you for your wonderful videos! I find them inspirational, educational, and very informative! I’ve watched nearly all of them but haven’t found the one of you carving your mascot. Does it exist? Thank you.

Brilliant! I'm on a little holiday in North Carolina. When I'd had enough of the beach, this was the PERFECT way to relax and enjoy a cigar. Thank you.

Very encouraging how you encourage creativity. One of these days one of my little guys will look like a cousin of yours and not a Bighead! Excellent example of how to create shadows and make everything pop. Thanks.

Love how you teach and I agree that your commentary is very important to us who are learning! Thank you😊👍🏼

Hi Doug. Thank you so much, you an inspiration to me. I copied your work and sold several carvings to help fund repairs to our village church. Best wishes to you and your family. Colin Bowen (UK)

Thanks for the tutorial Doug, all these little men have such great personality. You give a lot of inspiration to carve and I enjoyed making this man a lot.

Educational, cool, fun and relaxing. Thanks again Mr. Linker!

Now that's the kind of Doug video that I've grown to love!! Inspiring Sir...

I need a gouge set. I keep losing feet tips, cheeks and a nose or two. I think the gouge might be better than the knife for these areas.

Greetings from Germany. Too hot for carving. I'm waiting for rain😓

Very well explained Doug and nice of you to share your tricks of the trade.

Love your videos these are amazing can’t wait to see more of your videos giving plenty of ideas I’m a new starter so I’ll be using your videos to practice WOW amazing thank you for showing your videos can’t wait to try these and the bear one if you got any tips for a beginner I’d be grateful to hear them 😁 thank you again for your amazing work

Doug, each of your videos is better than the last. So are your carvings. It's like watching you grow as a whittler. Been watching you since the beginning. Can only hope I've grown half as much. Thank you so much!

I think it would fun to add some fish hooks and see if you could catch a fish with one. I'm surprised to don't make some fishing lures like the days of yore. Some guys tie fly's but I bet you could make some cool lures and minnows. Might have to fill them with lead

Excellent work my friend. Always a pleasure to watch your videos. I am fairly new to carving but began a chess set last january. I am definitely looking to improve my skill set. Thanks so much for sharing your talents.

Bob Ross of wood carving

Oh my goodness, it worked! I have carved the cutest little man named Walter!! I am strangely attached to him! Thank you so much Doug! Your instructions are amazing!!! I wish I could figure out how to share my picture of him!!!

What a great job Doug 😀

Hey Doug, been watching dozens of how to carve/whittle and have to say your tutorials are the best, thank you for doing them

Thanks Doug. May your gums ever flap on

OMG!!! almost hour and a half. thank you Doug!!!!!

Thank you , Mr Doug .

Thanks for the tutorial Doug. So many possibilities with these guys💯

I always enjoy your videos. I get something out of them every time. And I really like when to talk to us as you carve

Nice work!

We appreciate you teaching us this craft. I would love to give it a go. thank you so much

You’re a great whittler, but the videography is really frustrating. Camera is perfectly focused on your knuckles... no idea at all what the knife is doing behind there. Especially when you’re saying, “... see here? We wanna juuust put our knife in here and take out this liiiitle bit wood here...” I’m like, ummmm... where? All the action is out of focus and behind your knuckles! Then you show the camera what you just did for a quarter second, moving, and off you go to the next part. Again, a REALLY love the carvings, but it’s darn near impossible for me to figure out how you got there. I wonder if you’d be willing to try some videos with two cameras, like from the front and from the top maybe. And take a brief pause with the knife in place before making the cut, then a little pause after the chip is removed. Not for every little shave, but for the major shapes? I’m desperately trying to learn, but it feels like a lot of guesswork for me. Sorry if that sounds whiny... not trying to be disrespectful.

Doug, great video. Thank you. Some perspective, I know as an educational or how to video it is not necessary to make a video of each variety, but... I work long hours and rarely get a lot of time to carve. I do however take a few minutes here and there to watch you carve. It lowers my stress and scratches the carving itch a little. Anyway, I just lime watching you carve, an hour plus video is fine with me. Thanks again, you serve as more than as a teacher. Just my 2cents.

Awesome!

Doug, thanks so much for all your hard work on these videos. I've watched most of them multiple times. You truly are a RU-vid University professor :)

Doug,, love the videos. Here’s an idea for you: have one of your finished carvings on the table within view of the camera, so we can see what you are doing, and see where you are heading. At the end, you showed your completed carving, along with 3 of his buddies. Maybe if you had the 3 completed carvings on the table, arranged at different angles, it would help me see what you are trying to accomplish with various cuts. Also, a large part of this video was focused on the ruler behind your hands and the carving. I wonder if you could put a little backdrop just behind your hands so the camera would be focusing closer to your hands, instead of the wall behind you. Like others, i appreciate the commentary. It sounds funny, but i don’t know what i’m Seeing unless you explain it. I don’t know how much the lines help you anymore, but they sure help me understand where things should go. Thanks for another great video. Dave