[Lynn O. Doughty]

Last week I tapped out a little observation to the effect that I was going to be more honest about my comments on this forum. Wow! What a response. For a moment there I thought the old #@$! had really hit the propeller! Then, a funny thing happened. After that initial burst things started to settle down until today we now have carvers actually asking to be taken to task about their pieces. Information and honest suggestions are really flowing and I personally think that carvers are realizing they're better for it.

So, while some suggestions or observations might not be worded just right they just might be on the mark! I think this one was.

[mark yundt]

Glad it worked for you Lynn,,,I had suggested something to this effect and I think my intentions were misunderstood. This was exactly my point where you and others were helping Irishman with his piece and I said I thought it was one of the best posts I had seen. Not to stirr up the $#@& again LOL. but the best way to see progress is sometimes through someone elses eyes,, if that makes any sense.Progress doesn't come from comparing your work to someone who carves the same as you.And yes,, sometimes you just want encouragment and praise and no comments needed.But if anyone wants constructive ADVICE,, a very simple "Hey guys,,, what do you think" can go a long way.Irishman seemed rather pleased with the outcome.Some of us are more left brained,, some are more right brained, some beginner, some experienced, and with a collection of carvers like there is here,,we have a collection of brain power that is truly something impressive.Being relatively new ,, I always wondered ( sometimes too much out loud) why this fact was never taken advantage of considering the nature of some of the posts I had read.There are REAL questions out there,,many here can answer them. As Martha Stewart is fond of saying,,,"it's a good thing"

[Thomp]

Just my nickels worth,
(hope this wasnt a private post....)

I agree that others opinions do help us to be better carvers,

some of our mistakes are over looked by ourselves where others with a fresh view can spot the shortcomings,

case in point "Whiskery Pete" on my pictrail i took some time carving the scene, after it was done my son seen it and said, dad did you mean to have his gun arm to be coming out of the middle of his shirt collar?

me being busy with the whole scene in mind totally overlooked this point, i said i guess when i finished and took inventory eyes-2 check arms 2-check and so on i was already working on the cactus, snakes or pony in my mind...

other's views and opinions allow us to know what to fix or knowledge of our shortcomings,

where some nice folks are complacent not wanting to say anything degratory about the carving work or idea, and not to be specific or critical, this type of comments "while its a nice pat on the back it doesn't help the carver learn from their own mistakes"..

we all intend to do the best we can when making a carving, and as fellow carvers i feel we should comment when we see something wrong or speak up of a better method where it applies,
this i feel is part of carvers fellowship and the reason i come to the forum to show off my mistakes,