Select the type of stone you want to use. While you can carve from any type of stone with the appropriate tools, start with something soft. Granite is too hard for a beginner, but you can easily work soapstone, alabaster or even sandstone.
Sketch a rough representation of the sculpture you want to create. Drawing skill is not required; just get the basic form on paper so you have something to refer to as you work at your stone. Even though your finished sculpture may look nothing like your sketched concept, the sketch is a starting point.
Mark the main chisel points on your stone, the areas where you will begin carving major sections. Use a black marker to indicate these areas to help guide you when removing large portions of stone.
Remove large pieces of stone using a point chisel, a tool used to rough out the design. Use a mallet to hammer against the point chisel and remove as much stone as you can around the black chisel marks. Continue until you have a rough shape of your subject matter.
Shape the "peaks" and "valleys" with a tooth chisel. The teeth on this chisel will bite into the stone, allowing you to bring out some of detail. Use a mallet and gently tap away at the stone to begin bringing out the overall design.
Refine the details with a flat chisel. Go over the details you brought out with your tooth chisel. Smooth the surface and remove the jagged edges left by your tooth chisel.
File your finished sculpture using a rasp and riffler, curved metal files that remove rough edges and refine final details. Go over your sculpture and make any small last-minute adjustments to details. Use these tools to apply any finishing touches. Finish with a wet sanding by splashing a little water onto a heavy grade of sandpaper and hand-polishing.