A purest would carve them with chisle and gouge. A contemporary person would take most of it down with a hobby router, then finish with chisle and gouge. Sadly, most of what you can buy is Poly plastic. I'm Just rendering a carving now that I spent the last 24hrs on, and I mean 24hrs, (yawn). DING! goes the Bryce toaster. Here it is hot off the press. Wood texture by Tonly Lynch.