Creating art from wood can be either simple or complex, and it depends upon the vision of the person making the piece. Someone with a great deal of knowledge and experience will be able to combine many different types of wood to fashion a piece that will become a collector’s item. For those who are not as experienced, simple projects are where they should focus until they gain the knowledge and experience they need for successful work. There are many different classes a person can take to broaden their knowledge base, and experience will teach them how to apply it.
There are generally no classes for people who want to learn about specific types of wood, but there are a large number of online resources that will help those learning to work with wood to identify and understand their properties. Many of the softer woods are recommended for beginners, and they generally learn this in classes where woodworking is taught. Many artisans begin their wood journey in school when they take a shop class.
One of the more popular ways to learn how to work with wood is to join a local club, and many of them advertise online. They seek members who are eager to learn the basics of turning wood or carving it, and their goal is to pass on their knowledge so current woodworking crafts will not be in danger of dying out. More experienced members often have years of experience they are willing to share at no cost, but some clubs do have membership fees. It is a generally a cost-effective way to learn about the craft without taking formal classes.
There are some colleges and trade schools that do hold regular classes on the subject of how to work with wood, but many of them deal with trades such as flooring installation or framing. A person who wants to learn how to create art will often learn more if they join a local club of artisans.
