Elma Waltner, crafts designer from Hurley, South Dakota, has put together a series of specific instructions that will enable even the amateur, using the simplest tools and materials, to progress easily from raw wood to an interesting hand-carved animal. All that's needed is a small block of 2" wood — redwood, white pine, sugar pine, western pine, basswood, cottonwood or any other soft wood — and a simple pocket or carver's knife. Inexpensive watercolors or enamels, shellac and varnish are perfect for decoration and finishing.