when to say STOP

[Mryooper]

I have this habit of not knowing when to stop when It comes to painting or carving. I always over do it or that is the way it seems to me. Just seems if I add a littleeeeeeee bit more it might look ok lol is it being over creative or just part of the a attempt to be artisitic?

[Paul_Guraedy]

I posed this question to a carving friend several years ago and think her response was the correct answer:

The artist in us is never satisfied with a piece and we should listen to our craftsman side when it says, this carving is good enough, move on to something else!

[Callynne]

Paul, that's a perfect answer. I too have that problem. I keep thinking with each piece, I should have done this, maybe if I do that. I always end up shaving off a bit of wood here, a bit there, when I'm painting! But it comes to the point where I have to say, enough is enough, you're going to totally ruin it if you keep messing around with it. It helps to think of each piece as a new learning experience, the next one will be better, at least that's what I keep telling myself! Deborah

[jamesfa]

Paul-I will have to remember your answer,as I have the same problem to the point that even after the piece is painted and on a base i do not spray with a protective coat-"just in Case" i can do or add something else.

Frank

[Thor]

A good practice as an artist is to make yourself do a series of pieces of the same subject. Now, I know a lot of folks who just won't do a subject again because they've been there done that...but, as a carving or painting practice, you can really teach yourself a lot.
When I do a series, I wind up simplifying more than making it more complex towards the end of the series. It teaches me when to stop.
Thor

[AlArchie]

It seems that with most carvings, we tend to be our own worst critics.....maybe because we are the only ones who truly know where each slip of the knife and brush is!

But, when to quit? Hmmmmmm........

Al

[Just Carving]

When I work on the computer creating drawings in CAD, there is a button called "UNDO"--you can undo each thing that you've done until the last time you saved your file--essentially wiping out your mistakes. Do you know how many times I thought of hitting the UNDO button when I carve or I am woodworking?!?! I gotta figure out a way to put one of them UNDO buttons in my carving tools!!!

BTW--There is also a button called "REDO"--which will put back what you UNDO--but only one time--alas--you can only redo your mistake once.

Guess they only want you to make the same mistake twice once.Bouncing S

[wade clark]

Bob,
Very funny! There IS an undo button on carvings, called a wood stove.
Someone gave me advice on learning to carve a bear or anything else with a chainsaw...it fits with what Thor said. Line up 10 blocks of wood. Carve a bear out of the first, allow yourself only 75 minutes, you're done. Step back and look at it and figure how you'd change it next time. Do the next one, 75 minutes, done, study. Do all 10 that way. When you get to the end, keep the ones you like and have a nice bonfire with the rest! Roast some hotdogs and marshmellows to celebrate all you learned! But by the time you get to #10 you'll be far better than you were when you began, and you'll enjoy the fire!
On the other hand, you can give the early ones to Family, who will always marvel at our incredible talent! An "objective eye" is glowded so nicely through that filter of love! Like rose-colored glasses!
Wade

[Doug Ridley]

When to stop is a problem only with carvers with some experience. In my opinion the opposite it usually true with most beginners, i.e. they don't remove enough wood because they are afraid they will go too far and ruin their carving. Consequently, many beginners start out to carve in the round and end up with a carving that is square instead.

[rick-in-seattle]

There is a saying;
"If you don't know where you are going, you won't know when you get there".