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How to Whittle a Bear

Whittling is cutting small shavings from a surface until it takes an intended form. Soap is ideal to practice this craft. Shaping a bear is the traditional carving practice piece of many cultures. As you reduce the outside portions of a bar of soap, the bear within is revealed. Whittling usually involves using a sharp knife but you can produce soap carvings with a butter knife. This way, younger whittlers can carve without fear of harm.

Things You'll Need

Paper
Scissors
Bar of soap
Paring knife
Pencil
Paper napkin

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a piece of paper to the same dimensions as your bar of soap.
- 2
  Draw a bear design on the paper and lay it over the bar of soap.
- 3
  Trace over the contours of the bear design with the point of a knife or a sharp pencil. You only need slightly incised lines to act as a guide when whittling soap.
- 4
  Cut small chips of soap from the edges of the bar to begin forming the bear shape. Leave a 1/4-inch margin around your sketch to allow for details and to correct any possible mistakes.
- 5
  Remove small slices and chips, because soap breaks if you cut it in chunks. Work around the entire shape to round the edges of the bear. Turn the soap as you proceed.
- 6
  Set your soap on a shelf periodically to look at the emerging shape and see that the high and low points are correct. Work from the high areas in to the lowest points.
- 7
  Smooth the rough surface when your bear shape appears complete. Pare down any unwanted bumps on the surface with the knife edge.
- 8
  Make details using the tip of the knife.
- 9
  Dry your sculpture for two days. Polish it with a paper napkin and your fingers.

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