First off, for beginners, stick with simple straight line designs such as the pentacle. Curves are very hard to do and take time and practice. They are easier on bigger pieces of wood but require smaller carving tools on smaller pieces of wood.
Equipment needed:
very sharp knife or wood carving tools, (a small set of these can be bought
at most craft stores), sandpaper, vise to hold stick while carving. **Please
remember to cut away from yourself**, inking equipment
Materials Needed:
piece of branch, preferably a soft wood such as pine,
or any wood
Steps to make block:
1. Cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch thick pieces.
2. Sand ends of stick very smooth to prevent the grain of wood from printing
too.
3. Plan the design on paper, and either transfer it to the stick with carbon
paper or draw freehand.
4. Put stick in vise to hold while carving and cut design. You may also draw
the same design on the back of the stick as a guide to which side is up and
which is down, or just write U (for up).
Further Ideas:
Carve on card or postcard size pieces of wood. Make your own paper and you
have your own unique cards.
Carve on flat linoleum. This is easier to do than wood carving. The correct
linoleum can be bought at some art stores.
Cut out simple shapes in the wood for children to play with.
You can get small pieces of wood to carve at most craft stores or some lumber
yards will give away their scraps. I've a lumber yard close by that has
a 'scrap bin' that anyone can come and take wood from for free.