05/02/2026
A few stills from my final piece.
I wanted it to look like the tree was coming out of the book itself, as if you opened up the pages to find this fantastical world growing out of it.
The book itself was carved from pine wood, with detailing on the sides, top and bottom to create pages. A little ruffle in the page on the side from the wind, and a bent corner for a well-loved page. I wanted the beauty of the wood to still be able to shine through, so a very light white wash gave it that bookish look without sacrificing the wood grain. 😍
The tree itself is walnut. I started with basically walnut squares, stacked that up into a tree "shape," (kinda), then used my scroll saw to take those squares into circles for a little bit more material removal. Clamped and glued all that together, even the branches. (It was... weird.) Then I grinded out the final shape.
Our beloved characters themselves all started as a block of basswood. I was told this is the best wood for this kind of carving project because it is a soft wood, has a consistent grain, and is ideal for detailing. I was also told it's easier to sand with less "fuzzies" after the detailing, but I'm not sure how much I agree with that claim. 😉 Most of the characters were fully cut out of one block with no additions, like Alice with her hair bow, the Queen's collar, the rabbit's pocket watch, Hatter's hat. The basswood did a great job making sure none of these things flew off unexpectedly in the process.
I thank , , and again for hosting such a fun year and cheering us on!
🌹
