When is a carving "finished"?

[Claude]

When is a carving "finished"? I'll be sitting in front of my workbench, holding my carving, and telling myself it's done. I set it down, take off my safety glove, open an adult beverage, and notice something that needs just a little bit more wood removed. So I put the glove back on, pick up the carving, and take a small thin shaving off somewhere. Now I'm really done. I go upstairs and talk to my wife for a few minutes, then go back to the work bench. Darned if that carving hasn't grown just a bit somewhere on it - I need to take just a bit off in another location...

By now, you can see where this is going: I really only quit when it's time to go to bed, or I have a deadline; and even then, I may want to do more. I thought I might be neurotic about it or something. Then I watched one of Gene Messer's YouTube videos. Dang! Gene says his carving is done, and hold's it up towards the camera for a second, then he takes just a little bit more off somewhere, turns it in his hand, takes another thin shaving off somewhere else, and so forth. I think the only thing that stops him is having to change the film in the camera... I was glad to see I'm not the only one afflicted with finishing indecision.

How do the rest of you decide when your carving is finished? ...and is it really finished, or do you take another little shaving off a few more times?

Claude

[Ed Redwine]

My carvings are finished when I can no longer do something to improve them. I have reached the limits of my talent!

[minowevie]

Cloude, I am obsessed with just the tools, and how too books right now. but I do have 2 projects that I am working on. and I am sure glad you asked this question, before me. coming from you. I wont beet myself up so much when I come to that point. thanks. Evie

[vacation212]

My carvings are finished when I feel that there is little value in removing any furhter wood.

[schizoidlogger]

When the detail or quality of finish takes away from the essence of the piece it is time to stop. Never lose sight of the big picture by concentrating on detail. I still fight with this affliction. The art should be more important than craftsmanship but as your technical skills improve it is hard to keep from showing off. The KISS principle should always be kept in mind.

[Dan Wegiel]

When I get tired of looking at them.

Dan

[Eddy-Smiles]

Amen to what Dan said!

[Mark Dellinger]

Claude,
This is a good question. I never really thought about it in depth before reading your post. I have been gulity of going back with the knife one time too many to where instead of making it better, I trashed what I had. I now try to ask myself if it's really going to make that big of a difference if I keep going or stop now. BUT even with that being said, I can't tell you how many times I have been in the middle of painting a carving and put the paint brush down and pick the knife back up. I guess it's done when you either post it on the forum, give it away or sale it, or in my case put it on the shelf.

Safe Carving and God Bless,

Mark

[minowevie]

well hear I am again, just today. I went to my club meeting, and had my practice board all ready for the group to critic. I thought . mmm. they will be so proud of me for doing the right thing. hear is my practice for this month. and my new board all traced out ready to cut. and my hero said. do away with that and get on to something else. like a real project. you have done this already. and you need to get on to something else. mmmmm. I didn't think it was near good enouph to do a real project. but ok , so I will . Evie

[Ron T]

Hi Claude,

I go through exactly the same process as you. No wonder I've got lot's of wips laying about.

They're finished when I finally get sick and tired of them.