Online Instructions

[DiLeon]

Zoom one good thing is you do not have to get in the car and drive somewhere. Another thing is if you do not want to sit there for eight hours or more you shut your picture off and go eat and can come back. Also, you can look at people pet's photos bomb the video and laugh. Classroom basic I am a watch how do you do it, person.....I need a picture and to show me what you are doing in person. Books are great because I can see what they are doing. Going to a zoom meeting with ninety people most I have ever been with is about thirty people and honestly did not get much. It did not have that group feel and interaction I like. But if you like to teach in front of a camera go for it. One thing about zoom as I have gone to big conferences, and paid. Was sorely not thrilled about it, the lack of teacher interaction, but they said they were there for me. But I did not get the answers to my question because of too many people involved. Something to also think about a lot of people on Youtube are getting paid for their videos... if they get enough subscribers, due to Youtube ads. I do see some of the woodcarvers have a half million and even a million subscribers with wood carving instructions. Since your work is so good I do not see a reason not to do videos you might make some darn good money...it might be something worth looking into for money for teaching carving.

[pallin]

There is nothing more deadly dull than a fixed camera recording a slow process like carving. By editing and/or time-lapse photography it can be made to look faster or easier. Many beginners have been given the impression that the tools slide thru the wood like butter. The lack of feedback (from students to instructor) perpetuates this misconception.

[Brian T]

Too much, too fast, single viewpoint and done by amateurs. What the carver needs to see may never be the focus of any part of the video. That's where some honest critique and feed back is badly needed. But with a little help, it can be done.

Right now, I'm following a wood carving video tutorial, produced by the Sealaska Heritage Institute.
The carving project, a Tlingit halibut fish hook, is step-by-step and cut up into 21 separate and numbered videos. I took notes. The presenter is really teaching and he's very experienced at that.

[Randy]

I am a big fan of DVD's. I can stop and rewind as much as I need to. Stop do that part and move on at my own pace. I have a few Ian Norbury DVDs I learned a lot from and Dylan Goodson DVD on Eyes. Mark Gargae " Mountain man on a walking stick is a good DVD if you are in to doing sticks. For me the rule of thumb is only buy DVDs done by carvers you know are good carvers. I have waisted a notible amount of money on DVDs the were not helpful. I fine that to be the same on books. If your new to carving and looking at books or DVDs or any classes ask here and or other forums or at your carving club. You could save some money by asking about it before you buy.

[Arthur C.]

I am a big fan of DVD's. I can stop and rewind as much as I need to. Stop do that part and move on at my own pace. I have a few Ian Norbury DVDs I learned a lot from and Dylan Goodson DVD on Eyes. Mark Gargae " Mountain man on a walking stick is a good DVD if you are in to doing sticks. For me the rule of thumb is only buy DVDs done by carvers you know are good carvers. I have waisted a notible amount of money on DVDs the were not helpful. I fine that to be the same on books. If your new to carving and looking at books or DVDs or any classes ask here and or other forums or at your carving club. You could save some money by asking about it before you buy.

I agree with Randy about DVDs and only by those carvers you respect. I might also add that just because a carver is good at a particular type of carving doesn't mean that he's good at all types. I see carvers who excel at most types of carving but just can't quite get it together when carving the human form...toddlers with the face for a forty year old man, for example, or women with masculine faces, or unnatural posing...sometimes you can't put your finger on it, but it just doesn't look right. Point is, be sure the dvd/class you select is within the instructor's true area of expertise.