I gotta say Doug, some of the carvings you call "bad" make me seriously doubt my own standards. Guess I just gotta practice.

That was one of the best eye demonstrations I've seen. Most of the time the demos are on eyes so much bigger than the eyes on these small carvings. Great idea and loved the rework.

Doug, thank you for sharing this with us. As a [very] beginner woodcarver, I find myself hesitating to cut deeper into the carving, and this video explains perfectly why that I have to overcome that. Thanks again, all the best.

Hi Doug, I haven't seen any of these 'before and after' carving videos before, so it is reassuring to see that someone like yourself once made similar mistakes to what I, as a beginner, am making now - and how to avoid making the same mistakes in future. In other words, typical detail errors to look for when whittling/carving. The video comes across as a kind of extended time-lapse story that shows where you were before and where you are now - what you have learned along the way. To be honest, what you call 'bad' would actually be brilliant to me, if my carvings to date were of that standard. I guess it's the same as in my carpentry/joinery - after 42 years, I'm still getting better but will never be great; at least, not as great as my mentor was.

I’m very new to wood carving and I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful videos you share. You are teaching me how to carve and I’m having so much fun!

I really like the gnome before you began making corrections. Gnomes are meant to be seen as somewhat magical and mystical. It's when they began to look more "life-like" that they began to take on an eerie and creepy sort of essence. Still, I enjoyed the final result on the half you re-worked. I'm sure you would agree that for any beginner the key is practice, and not to get frustrated if it doesn't look like something that someone who has much more experience would create.

I thought the "bad" was pretty good too, but I can't wait to do the "better" side in a few years to see how far I've come! Thanks, Doug. Don't worry about the folks that complain...they just don't have the right perspective.

Really well done and once you pointed out all the flat areas and showed the adjustments it made so much sense! Thanks for sharing Doug and always learning from you. 💖👍

It's always good to keep some of your old work around to see where you've come from. It's amazing what you thought was really good before looks bad now. That's what shows you are growing. Thanks.

Doug, that was just amazing! ! ! I can't wait for another 5 or 6 years to pass to see how my carving has improved. Assuming my carving does improve. lol What fun to recognize our own faults and mistakes and be able to correct them. Thank you again for another inspiring video.

Your bad is better than my better but i will get better, thanks Doug, great video

Great job Doug ..shows the difference in contrast of depth and look of a figure

Very helpful, Doug. It has been a fun journey these past few years. Thank you for bringing us along for the ride. Please keep them coming!

Thanks, Doug, for this video. I think it's one of your best. I've followed a number of your "knife-only" tutorials to create bears, gnomes, and Santas. But this is the first full tutorial that I can recall that involves the use of gouges. If you're open to requests PLEASE give us more of these intermediate-level tutorials that involve the gouge as well as the knife. Your "Silent Carving" videos show your expertise with the gouges, and I for one would like to see the details in a full tutorial. I also like the message of this video that there's no such thing as perfect and we all get better with practice and experience. THANKS DOUG!

Great teaching video. Thanks Doug, I've learned a lot in just 30 minutes.

This is a great way to keep one of your first carvings, and show how far you've come. It's a really cool idea

My good carvings look like your bad ones. My bad ones are in the burn pile. That was a very interesting and educational video. I may go back and try to turn my burn pile into something bad. 😆 Looks like your thumb is healing, good to see.

I've been watching you for years and it's wonderful to see how much you've improved not only in carving but also in your commentary.

Wow, i liked the carving when you started the video. But now with the extra details you added its even better. Thanks

Love the transition into the better. I sure watched intently and await your next video. From Texas

That video was very interesting. Too see the difference and the softness was subtle. Thank you Doug.

Doug wearing a carving glove?! Doug HATES wearing carving gloves! Never thought I'd see the day. 😂

Great video! I will now take many of my carvings to the 'body shop' for repair. Thank you!

Doug you got me into carving and helped me out a lot for that I’m very grateful. I’m useless at drawing and carving wood spirits bug practice makes perfect so I’m improving put it like that I’m amazed at your workshop how well organised it is. I chose whittling as a hobby because I collect the nostalgic Barlow pocket knives. It made sense to put em to good use I can’t afford fancy electric tools I’m not interested in using them either I prefer my pocket knives and branches in woods carving very therapeutic sometimes a fox comes out to see me asking for my biscuits or a screwy squirrel Got to love nature. Greetings from the uk 🇬🇧 👍🇮🇹🐾🦊

Doug is the Bob Ross of wood carving.

You're the only person who would take a carving that 99 out of 100 people would be THRILLED to make and "Make it Better"! You are THE MAN!

I LOVED this!! First of all, even the original wasn’t “bad”. I just saw it as artistic or a style. But being able to actually watch it transform right before my eyes and to have you explain WHY you did each thing was such a HUGE help! I honestly think I get more out of this than anything because I could see it working. I’d LOVE to see more videos like this!!

Wow. Great difference. Best beginner takeaway for me - cut deeper!

Good discussion on the re-work. Look backs always useful. Thank you.

This is probably your best tutorial yet! I learned so much about improving my carvings. Thank you!

Great instructional video. I've made a lot of same carving mistakes as a new carver. There was a ton of tips in that video, I'll be watching a few more times. Thanks Doug.

A great idea for a video Doug. It not only points out the mistakes but shows how to fix them.

soo good Thanks Doug! I’ve been trying to make these kind of improvements before it goes to paint but your easy to follow was Very very helpful!

Nothing you made in the past was bad, just your standard changed. I love them.

I keep the old ones. The progression of skill that practice makes is very self rewarding and proves to me that I am making a better product. Cutting up the old work is like abusing an old friend. However, your work is great and always getting better. Good job

Thanks Doug. Really well done and a great encouragement for me to go back and really look at my first carvings to see how I can keep improving. Thanks for your great work.

Thank you , Mr Doug . 🐺

I finally understand why you gouge out the eye socket before carving the details in it.

Great job ! Nice to see progress over time. I look forward to seeing what my carvings look like in future. Even after 1 year I can see the same issues w first carvings vs recent. Flat faces - afraid to carve deep, no shadows Etc. Blake Lunsford videos were helpful learning that - especially looking across the face and see eyes. Btw Doug you were not beginner shaming. Everyone benefits from seeing what can be improved- what was great was seeing your eyes on your work. The key seems to be just carving as much as I have time and learning what knives and wood do. Example lately - noses and V cuts for arms still are random. Sometimes good and sometimes not so - it was great to see your carving over time on your instagram too. Keep it up and don’t let comments discourage you! Keep the simple projects coming too - it’s nice to follow along. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

That was fun! Great information and demo of improvements. Thank you. Peace and good fortune and good health to you and your family. ❤️ 😀

Doug, good to be able to see where I made my beginners errors and how to correct them. I have the time now while recovering from surgery.jGreat to see you again take care and I'll see you later.

THX Doug. I have put the tools down for a few months so this will inspire me to take it up a notch. THX for your channel, you got me started carving a few years ago.

I must say that I feel a certain type of way when you say that you’re Carving’s are bad because to me they are absolutely perfect!! And I would love it if I was able to do your so-called bad ones. I’ve been doing this for about a year now and I’m just starting to see progress in carving. Definitely frustrating seeing these videos because again, I would love to be able to carve one of your bed carvings!!! Still love ya though Doug lol and love ur bad videos 😂😂😂

Thanks Doug, I really like how you redid his eye. I'm going to try doing that next time I am carving an eye. You explained it very well. Great video.

This has to be my favourite video. I make so many mistakes it is nice to see that some can be redone. Thanks for all those videos.

Thanks for the video Doug! Love the Lee Valley bandage, and I'm glad the glove fit.

OMG Doug I didn’t see what you saw, but l absolutely love it thanks so much! ✅✅✅👏👏👏🤩🤩🤩💯💯💯❤️

If I could carve as good as your 'bad' I'd be very happy!! Gonna start this week!

That’s a wonderful teaching video to help us all do better. Thank you.

Amazing. Fun to watch. Thank you. Happy Father's Day 2022.

I enjoyed the transformation and you made it looked easy. Thanks for the sharing your talent.

Loved it. Very informative. Thanks again, Doug.

Loved it and very educational. Thank you, Doug!

This was one of your best videos. I learned a lot and it was very helpful to me to look differently at my carvings. Thanks.

Great video. I love how the "bad" is something I would be proud of but you still show how to make better. I got nervous when you started taking away so much material but still made it look better.

I liked this video a lot. I have watched you sense the beginning this shows practice makes you better. I have cut into some of my old carving lately I enjoy improving my work..

Fantastic to see what you have learnt in 6 years friend

Absolutely fascinating project Doug, Thank you!

Couldn't believe how much you took away and still made it look better. Only experience can do that. I'm only a beginner so I learned a lot here, Thank you.

Great job Doug! Thank you!

Love it Doug! Simply made it better.

Really enjoyed this post! Thanks for sharing, this demonstration will help me tremendously. God Bless!

Great difference Doug. Greta job. And thank you for showing us. 👍😁👍😁

Great job loved the change, it gives us a feeling of how much progress we have made. I love your work and your videos, I am from Michigan and now live in Oklahoma and I enjoy hearing your accent reminds me of home. Keep up the good work ☺️

Great video Doug Thank you for sharing ❤️

Amazing how you start by saying the eye is too flat then you gouge it out and I'm thinking how can you make it raised now?! And then you could see it from the side like magic. Really great idea Doug, enjoyed it enormously, thank you. 👍 🙏

Great set of tips and tricks for carving. Thanks Doug for sharing Take care Cheers Harold

great video and teaching aid Doug. I picked up a lot of tips from this

loved this video doug. love learning from you. your very good at showing us how to carve

It’s rare that I take the time to write a comment on a KZfaq video. However you came up with a fantastic idea in doing the 50-50 comparison by using a peace of your work from an earlier day. It’s a in your face demonstration of what works. GREAT JOB!….. Love your Channel.

Great idea! Appreciate how you showed the difference from then and now ,,, definitely instructive! Thanks as always

Awesome, very educational. It was really great. Thanks Doug

This really helped me with the eyes. Loved this one

I learn so much from your videos, thanks Doug.

Brilliant as always Doug, thank you so much.

Before and after, amazing to super amazing. Doug is a combination of Bob Ross and Red Green…I so enjoy these videos and they’ve made me really love carving

That's neat Doug! Very fun video

Great video as always. I’ve always said we are our own worst critic when it comes to our work. I love looking back to see how the latest piece has improved.

Thanks very much for this video, Doug. Very useful!🙂

Awesome as usual Doug! 😍

Great job Doug!

Loved it Doug!

Thanks Doug , still thinking about this one ,thanks

This was fun and informative. Thanks for doing this!

Doug, I’ve taken up carving since watching your videos. So far I’ve made every mistake I’m the book! But, I know I can improve over time. I’m still trying to figure out depth/ dimension/angles. Please continue videos on all your work. I know it’s a lot to do making these videos but I’ve seen your name all over the internet on wood carving and it’s all been positive. The basswood I buy is from beavercraft and it only comes in 1x1x5 1/2 pieces and I have no table saw or anything to cut them down to the 3 or 4 inch piece so I’m trying to adjust I hope one day I can be as talented as you are especially with your log carvings with the faces I love those ones. I love to whittle as well I just have so many mistakes. Anyways great video sorry for such a long comment but they’re awesome!!

Very informative. Thank you!

Great idea, helps you see what you can do different. Thank you.

I have so much work ahead of me, thank you, well done.

Thanks for this - very helpful!

Excellent idea for a video. I learned a lot from this one. Run for your life old carvings. I’m coming to get you!

And the eyes have it! Great video once again Doug!!👍👍

Loved the lesson. I really learned a lot. Thanks

Thanks for showing you can always improve your own work

Such a great teaching technique! Best, Dana

A very helpful exercise. Thank you!

I've had problems with flat faces in my carvings. But I've learned a lot from these videos.

This video is extremely useful and informative. Thank you!

Thanks Doug. Great video as usual. 👍

Thanks for the tips. I agree that early mistakes are being afraid to carve deeper and not having straight lines on everything

Great video. Thank you for sharing