Summarize the following:
Gouges can be used to carve into wood or to remove wood around a design to bring the design into relief. Gouges have curved points and long handles, but they come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Pick a couple that will work for your project. There are 8 standards of degrees to the curves of gouge chisels. These vary from a very slight curve to a chisel tip the is a half circle. Each curve also comes in a variety of widths, so you will have a wide variety of chisels to choose from. Use clamps or a vise to hold it to a strong work surface, such as a workbench. Using gouges can create a lot of force, so make sure that the wood is really secure when pushed from a variety of directions. Place the forefinger of your less dominant hand near the sharp end of the chisel and the rest of the hand at the place where the metal blade meets the handle. This will give you control over where the tip moves as you push it. Your other hand should be back on the handle, so that you can use its strength to push through the wood. As you push with your dominant hand, direct the tool with your less dominant hand. It will take practice to master how to move the chisel to get the effect you want. Moving the gouge across the grain risks damaging the wood and chipping out areas that you don't want removed. As you practice and become more skilled with the gouge, the way you should move the tool across the wood will become more natural. To identify the grain, look closely at the wood. Look for lines going across the wood. These are the grain lines and you should move the gouge with them or across the very end of them. Gouges are versatile chisels that can make a wide variety of cuts. Play with your gouges to make patterns and remove wood in any shape you like. For deep cuts, you can even hold the gouge perpendicular to the wood and hit the handle sharply with a mallet. Repeat your action, change the size of your gouge as needed for the design, and sharpen blades as required until your project is complete.
Use a gouge for fine woodwork, such as carving or sculpting. Firmly attach your wood to a solid surface. Hold the gouge with both hands and push it though the wood. Push the gouge with the grain of the wood or across the end grain. Raise, lower, or turn the handle to achieve the desired effect.