Simple Wood Carving Craft; 2D Wooden Man or Woman

Here is a simple wood carving craft that can be accomplished by a wood carver of any skill level. Carve a 2D man or woman figure from a piece of wood lath. This easy wood carving craft takes between ten minutes and an hour to complete, depending on the quality of the product desired and the skill of the wood carver. This wood carving craft is great for beginners to attempt.

For this easy wood carving craft, you will need:

Wood lath (wood 4-6 inches high, 1-2 inches wide, and a quarter to half inch thick.)

Saw

Carving knife

Pencil

File

Paint or permanent markers

Craft preparations:

Using the pencil, sketch a man or woman on the piece of wood lath, using the flat end of the lath for the bottom of the shoes. A rectangle works for the pants. A long sleeved or sleeveless shirt with the arms flat against the body is the simplest position; short sleeves require an additional carving detail. A woman with long hair let down is the easiest to carve; a man requires additional carving out of the neck. When your outline is drawn, take the saw and cut the wood above the top of the head/hat.

Carving the craft, easy method:

Carve away the wood between the hands and the toes. Carve around the hands and toes, and along the sides of the legs. Carve from the shoulder to the end of the wood. Then carve around the head. Your carving is ready to be painted.

Carving the craft, detailed method:

Follow the above carving method only with more attention to detail. With the knife, round all the sharp edges such as sleeves, trousers, and head. Define areas such as between arm and body, between legs, etc. Then take your file and smooth out all the rough carving edges. Your carving is ready to be painted.

Use paint that works well on wood and let the craft dry overnight. Standing the craft upright on a piece of duct tape folded over double-sided on cardboard will allow you to easily paint and dry the entire craft. The cardboard provides a drip surface, as you will want to paint the shoes after you stick the craft to the duct tape. An alternative to paint is to use permanent marker or colored pencil. Although not as good as paint, these provide a finish that is OK. Pen, although slightly better, takes forever to color with and tends to dent the wood.

You now have a simple wooden man or woman which you can proudly feature or gift to friends and family.