Flighty or "normal"?

[sashadoc]

Is this "normal" behavior? I started on an "in the round" carving in basswood and half way through it I was looking at David Stehly's website and glanced over at a piece of Poplar in the corner and thought "wouldn't that make a nice snake"? I started to carve a cobra and got half way through it when I saw my basswood logger staring at me. He needs attention I thought but first I'll check out WCI's forum and see what's new. I saw some new projects posted that I really liked and saw another block of basswood, sitting in the corner, doing nothing. I picked it up and..... I've now got three projects going, all quite diverse, and all unfinished. Is it "normal" to have multiple projects going or do you finish what you're working on before starting a new one? And they say Heroin is addicting.

Tim

[Dagwood]

well i think most of us can feel your excitment or pain. i usually work on several pcs at a time as a rule. this way i dont burn out on one carving. i say if you got the wood it's going to be carved anyways. doesn't matter if it's finished today or next week....

[STAR]

Sasha.

I am only new at this carving thing. But, not completely a novice at wood work. because I am not sure of what I am doing in carving, I have found it better for me to have a few projects on the go at once.

I say this because when I feel the pressure building up on one project, it's time to have a break.. If I ignore it then I know I will regret it. Time to take a break, relax and then move on. If I try to push through this stage grief is just around the corner.

Pete

[gtech]

It's normal... for some people... like me too.

I didn't post any carving for a while for that reason. It would have to be unfinished carvings if I did, a lot of them. But a few days ago, I began finishing some of them. It's like if I didn't have the inspiration or the motivation to complete them, but now I do.

Gilles

[SlowMover]

I generally only work on one project at a time, and stick with it to completion. I get all excited to see the final result, so I don't even think about starting the next one until I can put the one I am doing on the shelf. I do, however, have about 15 years worth of ideas in my head, the hardest part is deciding on which one to do when I finish a piece. The only time I can remember having two different things going at once is when we start a project at carving club and I am in the middle of something at home.

[torpidhummer]

Being a raptor carver,I first spend a whole lot of time researching my projects,studding my patterns. I like to band saw two or three projects at at a time,set them aside and work on them at my leisure. then I carve each bird individually , including the burning of feathers and painting. I do what's comfortable for me as I am not into selling my projects, just my own personal satisfaction.
Oscar

[rcurtism]

Being a newbee at this and also some one with ADHD. I have a hard time working on one thing for very long. So a couple projects are a must to keep my mind from getting bored. But since I am in the learning faze and am trying to teach my self how to do a good human face it is fairly easy to have three or four of them going. If I reach a part that scares me to much I just go on to the next one until I calm down a bit and then back to the first all over again. Needless to say my house is begining to look like the headless horsemans trophy room.

[Inadv]

Tim,

I'm possibly one of the most attention deficit disorder individual you could ever come across. I'm a totally unhappy person if I have less than a dozen or more project to choose from when I go down to the basement. It may be days or even as long as months before any given task regains my focus, but that is just how I operate. I might be building a computer from old parts one day and carving one of several pieces that are sitting on the work bench. Several knife blades in various states of completion with handles sitting around waiting for them, a coffee table halfway finished patiently waits for me to get the rest of the lumber I need to finish it. Etc, etc....

Variety is the spice of life!!!

L.P.

[Steve Reed]

Tim,
I usually have a couple of projects in progress and at least 15 blanks hanging around. You're normal!
Steve

[Dileon]

I have 15 project going on...some are super opposite of each other. I have wood now that will test me to my limits. As people are giving me priceless wood, in exchange for a statue. Right now I go stare at the wood, then I go make a few more carving. Soon I will have to finish them, and you will see a lot of my work....because I seem to finish them all about the same time.