Learning to see

[Sharon of the Dell]

Chuck, My folks weren't risk takers either.In some ways it was real good and I know they meant the best, but it sure can put a crimp in all stages of life. I sure didn't have to much self confidence either as a kid and young adult. It sometimes hurt my marriage and mothering, besides my art. Thank God for a supporting husband. I don't think you're blaming your folks, you're learning why you tick the way you do. That's a great thing,and I bet you're doing a great job with your kids. The best for you!...sharon

[Dundee]

Chuck,

Is there a checklist or rote way to create those web apps? How much "sense" or "feel" guides you in creating a design for a web site? Do you keep iterating on it till it feels right? I think analysis is the "tool" in your trade to craft that design and is probably the 90% perspiration that may obscure the intuitive part. Before you were a "professional" what was it like? Did you spend endless hours fiddling with OS's, Languages, Patterns and not getting much accomplished? You probably didn't think of that as failure. Just preparation or laying the groundwork. And I doubt someone told you how to "do that (it)". It just seemed to be the natural/logical thing to do to become proficient at what you do.

Chris

Originally Posted by chuckt

Thanks Doris - I'll definitely try that. "Analyzing things to death" - heh heh - well, part of my problem is this is what I do for living. I write specifications documents that tell developers exactly how to create web applications and pages. My job title is Sr. Business Analyst. Funny thing is - I always wanted to be an artist growing up (with interests in both performing - theater and music, and fine arts - jewlery & furniture making, and now carving/sculpting). But as the only child of a PhD Engineer and one who hung out in HS mostly with math and computer geeks, I didn't get much reinforcement for or develop a trust in my artistic desires. Self confidence was in some ways not my strong suit - and yet in others it was. My mother and father were huge RISK avoiders and I absorbed that very much. I just pray that I am not passing that trait on to my own children too much. Yes - it can be good to scan for risk, assess it, plan for it etc. but too much so and you suffer analysis paralysis and I fall into this ALL the time.

[EDIT - on further reflection, this perhaps sounds like I am "blaming" my parents for this trait or for my own decisions to not pursue my younger artistic "dreams". Perhaps I've absorbed it somewhat from them, but the reality is more likely that this is just my own nature and I just didn't have the courage to "go for it".]

So my attempt to pursue carving is in many ways an attempt to get back to my heart's desires and moderate my analytical risk avoidence tendencies. Silly thing is - it's only wood - JUST DO IT!!!

Thanks Doris!
ChuckT

[Woodwose Carving]

I tend to start the carving a wait to see what the wood reveals. sounds a bit weird but I dont tend to plan a piece at all. perhaps thats because I dont 'see' yet? I couldnt replicate a carving, not that I would want to, but that seems to me that I am in that group of carvers who are destined to struggle along... we will see.
Dave

[susieq]

Hi Dave,
Nothing wrong with "winging it". Depending on what you are carving, of course..... Some of our members do this for a living and their clients have specific things in mind. Some subjects don't allow for a lot of artistic license too. I am fortunate that for the most part, what I do is made up of "whimsy". I am a big fan of whimsy..... I plan the basic carving but as I go along, if an idea for a new detail strikes me, I go with it and have yet to be unhappy with the experiment. It tends to make for a lot of one-of-a-kind pieces and some very satisfied customers. In this art form (and most other art forms as well) doing what makes you happy, usually results in a really nice piece of work. So, do what pleases you.

[chuckt]

Wow - I totally forgot about this thread. Whimsy - I LOVE that word. Obviously there is plenty of room for both the highly planned out and designed process or style, and the go with the flow find it as you carve approach. Some of my favorite pieces in a variety of media (stone, mixed media sculpture, carvings, rustic furniture, etc.) are blend of the two approaches - with the finely carved or finished sitting with or against the organic and rough. Looking like something finely finished or carved is organically growing out of the rough and natural. This sort of thing to me is the perfect example of "whimsy". It sort of brings me back to my early love of the surreal imagery of Jerry Ulesman (photographer) who would often have a human form superimposed (blended with) a tree or rock. Or a building growing out of a tree stump. Or an interior room shot with the roof removed and open to the world - neither inside or outside. Again - its my fascination with morphing, the betwixt and between, the either or, that I find intriguing.

Anyway - enough babbling.

Chris - I never responded to your thoughts above. And you are right - there is some amount of intuitiveness involved as well - but that is mostly in the designer's territory. Me - I rip into the designs looking for the flaws and searching out the edge case functional issues. It's mostly "analysis".

Cheers!
ChuckT