Reference Material

Our selection of blanks and patterns continues to increase each year. Cam has carefully researched and drawn each pattern so you'll find them useful whether you want to carve them directly, or use them for reference to draw your own pattern. Blanks include wood cutout, eyes and pattern. Whale and dolphin blanks include wood cutout and pattern. We can also cut out blanks from patterns you supply.

We stock two styles of bird feet. Both are excellent quality, cast by Richard Delise (one piece feet) and Bob Miller (two piece feet), with minute detail faithfully reproduced. The one piece feet have been cast from the actual species so they are great for reference if you want to make your own feet. The toes of all the feet can be bent (carefully). You can also bend the mounting posts on the one piece feet. Do not bend the leg or post portion of the two piece as they will snap. Recent update: we now have the toes only available for the former two-piece feet. These work great when sandwiched between the bird body and branch, making the bird appear to be sitting on it's toes.

All of our study casts are excellent quality, highly detailed and accurate. We currently carry casts by Bob Guge and Jeff Whiting. You will be amazed how much easier carving, detailing, and painting can be when you have a study cast handy. You can even practise your painting on them - acrylic paints strip off with denatured (ethyl) alcohol.

Beautifully detailed casts capture the detail of fish like never before. World-champion Clark Schreibeis has produced these flat-backed casts for reference or painting practice (make a nice wall-mount when painted). Each piece is full-sized with superb fin, mouth, and scale detail. Species include: Brown Trout, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Large-mouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie and Walleye. More species will be added as Clark develops them.

Two full-body fish studycasts, a Bluegill and a Smallmouth Bass, great for carving reference or painting practice. Because they are freestanding, they can be dislayed on a table when painted. Fully scaled and beautifully detailed.

Nothing can take the guess work out of bills and eyes like a study bill. Our new line of taxidermy style bills are cast from the real thing, capturing all of the detail and subtle shapes of a live bird. They include the full bill and skull, along with eye sockets. Unlike the earlier Miller bills (which stopped production in early 2002), our new taxidermy bills have the "shrink-prone" areas built up to resemble a live bird. We stock most common North American bills and our supplier also makes many other species - mostly exotic - which we can special order. Remember - it's impossible to accurately carve a bill unless you have the right reference.

As a result of many requests, we have made available illustrated notes from most of Cam's carving classes. Many have found these notes useful for reminding them of steps used in previous carvings, and others have used them to tackle a carving they might not have otherwise done. As with patterns and blanks, new species are added from time to time, so be sure to ask us about what is available. Notes include information on reference line layout, blocking out cuts, rounding, texuring, and painting as well as a pattern. We are sure you will find them very useful.

Reference Photo Booklets; some by Alberta photographer Dean Davenport and others by Cam Merkle. Each package contains excellent photos of the subject, taken from various angles. These are high-quality photos taken with the carver and artist in mind. Supplied in a high quality 8.5" x 5.5" booklets, each containing 20-30 great reference photos that you will find most useful for your carving and painting projects.

The Infinity is the flagship of the Harder & Steenbeck airbrushes. It offers unrivaled smoothness and the ability to spray incredibly fine lines, thanks to the 0.15mm nozzle - the finest on the market. Other features include an interchangeable colour cup and a quick-set needle travel adjustment with an instant on-off switch. Everything about this airbrush says quality!

You will wonder how you ever did without these handy sanding cones. They are quick, convenient, and economical. Best of all, they do an incredible job of fine sanding and blending in those hard-to reach areas that all wildlife carvers encounter all the time.

Download our lastest Carving Supplies Catalogue.