This DVD presents Wayne Barton, a Master Carver, progressing from the most fundamental techniques and cuts used in chip carving to some of the more "free-form" patterns and methods, such as drawing and then carving monogram letters, simple flowers, etc.

It is both instructional and inspirational to watch Wayne Barton, a recognized expert in chip carving, explain how to design patterns, how to get the patterns drawn on the wood used for carving, then how to carve several different forms and shapes, especially the repeated borders and similar patterns traditionally used for creating beautiful, traditional wood articles. Emphasis is placed on some of the simpler projects Wayne has completed in the past, though the material is becoming a bit dated in some cases. However, if you are after traditional chip carving, dated designs are what you are looking for, so this DVD is an excellent source for such material.

This video is intended for beginner to novice chip carvers. Wayne promotes the use of knives which are replicas of those used for generations in Switzerland, and, as you may have guessed, he also teaches the Swiss style of chip carving, with its emphasis on geometric patterns and borders. I am not very familiar with styles other than Swiss, so I cannot tell you which is the best, but the Swiss style is clearly an excellent style to learn for beginners.

There isn't much to criticize here. One thing which may frustrate some who are not fast learners is that Wayne explains his techniques quite rapidly, though he repeats some of them more than once to help you see what he is talking about. I sometimes felt like a real "klutz" when I could not seem to breeze through the steps as Wayne does! It would have been better if Wayne could have identified more with his student viewing the DVD, and slowed down a bit to help the student see the finer details which are obviously such second nature to Wayne he may not even realize he is doing them.

Other than this one "complaint", I found this DVD to be of great worth to me in learning how to chip carve the Wayne Barton way. Considering the many awards he has won over the years (he limits his entries to contests and shows and usually wins first place, often winning "best of show" and other honors as well), it follows logically that learning from him is one of the best ways to develop your chip carving skills. Using this DVD, along with Wayne's books which focus on patterns and drawing geometric layouts to carve, could allow a dedicated student to achieve a high level of skill if the requisite time and daily practice (more or less) are given to the task. Although I have not been able to devote the time I would prefer toward learning how to carve "like an expert", my abilities have improved as I've watched the DVD many times and tried to follow Wayne's instruction. You can't go wrong buying this DVD, but keep in mind that your results will only be as good as the time and practice you can devote to learning how to carve!

(Posted on 3/17/12)