just curious

[dnstehly]

I generally have 20 to 30 pieces going at any one time. That way I can go from mallet and gouge work to roughing something on the band saw to feather burning, etc, It keeps life interesting. When there aren't any homeowner chores to be done between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM you will find me carving 7 days a week. I don't keep time on any of my pieces. I know that I complete some in less than 10 hours and I know I have more than 200 hours in some others so it's hard to give you an average.

[Bob De.]

I have a lot more then 10. When I am carving and get to the point that I'm rushing, I put it down. I also put it down when it's a part I like to do. That way I can't wait to pick it up again. If I'm not happy with it, I set it aside. This way I can look at it for a while and make the adjustments. I currently have two pieces almost finished.

I'm lucky if I get 4 hrs a week to work on my carvings, so thank wood carving illustrated for this forum and their magazines it helps me from getting the wood carvers blues.

[Robert Cahill]

I have anywhere from five to ten not counting little guys that I keep in my pocket or car while waiting for something. At present I am working on a folk art nativity from Shawn Cipas book. I have the animals pretty much done but have not done separate items horns and ears for Ox and hand for one wise man. I just finished a gargoyle for a friendship cane at our carving club. I admire those that take one carving from start to finish but it is not something I do.

[Callynne]

I always try to have three going at once, one in rough out stage, one in detail carving stage and one in painting stage. Since I can do the detail and painting in the livingroom, that means I always have something to work on in the evenings while hubby and I watch television.....because I hate to just set, empty handed with nothing to work on while I watch television!!

Oh, and I probably average about five to six hours a day.....I'd love to make it eight to ten....but the maid and cook just never show up!!!!! Deborah

[squbrigg]

Good question Steve. I have long time pieces, short time pieces and medium time pieces all going at once. Some pieces are big, some are small and some I can carry with me to carve anywhere, and others I can only work on in my studio.

I usually have a variety of styles of work on the go: for example: a relief carving, a ship to build and maybe one to repair, a figure to nibble at and perhaps a small toy for one of the grandchildren and perhaps a burning on the go. Then there are the commissions, and I only tackle one of those at a time.

So no matter what mood I am in or how I feel, I have something I can do. If I'm not up to carving, then I'll sit (or lay) and sketch or just study a piece I'm working on and plan the next stages. Often I'll get a lot done by not doing anything .... if that makes sense. If I study a piece in progress, I will often discover or imagine aspects of the piece I had not considered before and may end up changing the entire piece, or just modify how I intend to approach the next step in the process. I find this helpful, as I don't think so clearly or so quickly anymore, so sometimes I just have to let the chips settle and the mind percuolate the information .

Bob

[artolver]

I started out in the 70's trying to finish one carving at a time. I soon found that my imagination with the bark was going faster then the carving. I would be doing western carvings and then switch to wild life, then Whimsical houses with flowers and fantasy. Then the Santa's entered the bark world with larger faces and so many ornaments. Soon I had more unfinished carvings then I could count. Some of you on this forum have seen my shop in Pacific with a few more carvings in Trout Creek, Mt. I believe I must have about a 1,000 and plus unfinished! When the kids were younger I always carved at night after work. I always had a carving tool in hand for years, teaching many about the bark along the way. Now it seems, as much as I love carving, I never get one finished unless it is under pressure for a show, gallery or for a donation to help a club or class reunion. So my advise is work on a few to keep the imagination going but don't let it get to far ahead of yourself!!

Art/aka the bark guy

[LBlake]

I generally have probably 2 or 3 active projects, 3 or 4 set aside (until I get brave or they stop boring me, as applicable). My pieces probably average 20 to 25 hours each. I work on spoon related things probably 20 to 60 hrs a week, but it might also be designing, cutting blanks, photographing, or doing something on my website. I usually work on the actual spoons at least 2 hours a day, but sometimes 12 or more. Just depends what else is distracting me.

[SlowMover]

I try to carve at least three hours every day, and since I am retired thts not a difficult goal to achieve most weeks. I do count the days I paint the same as carving, I usually paint after each three projects as I have to move ll my carving stuff out of the living room and set up the painting stuff, then put all the painting stuff away so I can drag out the carving stuff the next day. Sure wish I had my own space...but thank goodness I can carve in my recliner and the wife doesn't care about the odd stray chip or two I miss when I clean the place up.

I try to have no more than two projects going at a time, and as I carve small stuff like Jack Price characters mostly, I often finish a carving the same day I start it. I do have a twelve inch figure from a 3x3 inch block sitting over there staring at me all the time that I just can't figure how to fix after I made the neck too long, will someday have to learn how to mount a seperatly carved head and then finish him off.

[Dileon]

I have from five to ten going...and I try to do them at different stages so I can change what I am doing a lot due to the arthritis will not let me do anything for more then a half hour or so. The strange thing is about all of them get finished up about the same time. Right now I am in process of making about ten more...all I got to do is draw them up, sometimes I make a cut out cardboard, then trace it out on the wood and then to the band. I try to work everyday ...all day...but this is a bad time of year for the bones... so I do what ever I can. Di