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Evening Woodcarving Taster Workshop Reviews

5 Rating 45 Reviews
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This is a fun activity in Bloomsbury, London

Give woodcarving a go in this two hour beginner-friendly introduction to the craft. This woodcarving class will give you a relaxed, fun taster of what it's like to carve, and how satisfying it is using sharp chisels to make clean, crisp cuts into timber. It will whet your appetite for learning this heritage craft and let you dip your toe into the world of woodcarving. With no more than six students to a class, you’ll receive a high level of attention and guidance.

During this evening class, you will be introduced to the tools, how to use them safely and effectively, and the properties of timber including understanding grain direction. You will be shown two different chip carving techniques, which can then be used to build up more complicated patterns. During the second hour, you will be free to continue to practice the techniques, or to design your own patterns based on the examples available, which you can take home to display or work on further in your own time.

The class takes place in Central London in a working carving studio with ongoing projects and commissions, giving you the opportunity to see the working practise of a professional carver.

What will I achieve? By the end of the course you will have covered:
- Identifying suitable timber species for future carving projects
- The correct way to safely use chisels and mallet
- How to secure your work
- How to lay out your design on timber
- How to create a chip carving pattern

Please note: if cancelling a place booked on this course, please give fourteen days notice in order to ensure you receive a full refund. If rescheduling, please allow seven days notice so that your place can be offered to other students. Late cancellations and refunds will be at the teacher's discretion.

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Despoina Chatzaga
Verified Reviewer
Excellent course, I had a lot of fun. The teacher was excellent. She provided a lot of instructions and individual assistance. I will be back for more! I fully recommend this course and teacher!
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Posted 5 months ago
Very enjoyable and useful course to get started with woodcarving. The teacher, Clunie, is very good. The follow-up notes that we received by email illustrated the professionalism of the teaching and her illustrated book, which can be bought at the course (£30) is superb. We learned that, unlike other woodworking, you could start woodcarving as hobby in a small space such as a kitchen, with few tools.
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Posted 5 months ago
Our teacher was great, so enthusiastic, patient and encouraging. We got to grips with the materials quality's, the tools and techniques very quickly and it felt like we'd learnt a lot in the time. It would be a great gift idea (as some of our group found) or an introduction to taking this hobby further.
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Posted 6 months ago
Giovanna Marasco
Verified Reviewer
The workshop was fantastic!! I booked the class on an impulse and was so amazed to discover Cockpit Yard and Clunie's studio. The location is fantastic! Though we were only exploring the basics, Clunie is clearly an expert teacher (she is a 'master carver' and has written a book on the subject!) and broke down the steps to each process with care and encouragement. I'm really happy with what I learnt and would love to join another class some day soon.
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Posted 6 months ago
Absolutely fantastic experience. Clunie gives excellent instruction with well structured demonstrations. As a complete novice, Clunie’s praise and encouragement gave me the confidence to have a go and not be too concerning my first attempts weren’t perfect. Great evening, definitely going back for more.
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Posted 6 months ago
Joseph Cordaro
Verified Reviewer
Thoroughly enjoyed the class and excellent teacher in Clunie. The two hours seem to pass so quickly . I would recommend this class to anyone and happily give it another go.
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Posted 8 months ago
Eleni Partakki
Verified Reviewer
This class is great for beginners. If you are worried, you will have a challenging time, remove that worry! Clunie is an exceptional teacher and artist (her work can be found in Cathedrals and Museums)! She explained everything thoroughly and always provided options. Whether you needed an oral explanation, a drawing, or for her to show you how to do it, it was all available. It's a class to help you learn, to remind you that you can do things with your hands, and to find your movements when carving wood. Cannot recommend enough!
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Posted 8 months ago
The teacher was lovely, she explained everything in a way the everyone understood and we very helpful in guiding us through some of the basics of wood working.
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Posted 9 months ago