Oct. 7/10
Having overcome the battle with “fear at starting something new” I have now moved onto a new personal challenge.
This afternoon my mind decided that it didn’t want to “see” in 3-d contoured vision and translate that image onto a smaller less contoured shape.
Here is where I really have to battle with the perfectionism or “good enough” challenge. I’ve been doing a lot of deep breathing this afternoon, as a strategy to stop myself from just carving out a shoe shape – any shoe shape, anything that would resemble or could resemble, or might remotely resemble a shoe.
My mind keeps saying, “do you really care about the details of the shoe? Just carve a shoe… get on with it.. move on”. On another day I might have given in. But not today. Today, I stepped back and put down the Dremel. Today I reminded myself that I do have the will power to take it slowly, to look and see and do my best to copy the design. On my “next” shoe, I can make it however I want – but this shoe is the “shoe challenge” shoe. This shoe is going to look like my running shoe – to the best of my ability.
I’m sure I am going to have a few “back up plans” from here on in, covering up an oops or two or three or four. But I will do my best to prevent them (the oops’). I will take my time. I will be patient.
I can do this.
I think I can.
I hope I can.
Maybe.
Perhaps.
I’m holding my breath.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
9 comments so far
Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)
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6751 posts in 1292 days
#1 posted 1160 days ago
You hang in there, Debbie! I also started my shoe today in earnest. So far, it is OK but I didn’t really look at the amount of detail that was in the sole alone when I chose it. I was quite a bit overwhelmed while measuring it out, but then as I started carving, it was all doing a bit better. I have some issues with it too, and stopped to ask a question before ruining it, so I will see where it goes from here. I tend to err on the side of being conservative, which is good in this case because it is easier to take more off than put it back on. I think that when you are overwhelmed, you are doing the right thing to take a break and regroup. I am glad you came back though.
I think the fact that you are conscious of everything will be in your favor. Just don’t let it get the best of you and take the fun out of it. I think there are many of us struggling along with you and even if we mess up, there are many things we will learn by doing this.
I’m cheering for you!!! :D
Sheila
-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"
MsDebbieP
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#2 posted 1160 days ago
thanks Sheila.
I’m at this moment envisioning the laughter at the comparison between the real shoe and the carved one.. in the end – it will be what it will be. The question is, what will my journey be like along the way?
((thinking zen and joy.. zen and joy.. zen and joy… ohmmmmm)) hahahaha
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Jordan
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1336 posts in 1497 days
#3 posted 1160 days ago
Ladies, ladies, don’t fret. Just like painting my horse hairs over and over on top of each other to refine them, I do the same with my carving. My shoe to this point is really just shaped, and with a fair amount of boo-boo wood. At this point, I don’t want it to be anything BUT good enough as that’s as far as the blogs go. What I want you to do is just be able to look at it and say – yes it does look like ‘the shape’ of a shoe, as opposed to a square block with a bit of rounding here and there. I once judged a competition where there was a little bear. Everything was sweet except he had not completed the rounding of the shoulders, the head, the legs, basically everywhere. So it was like a semi square block with hair and a face, but I suppose because the face was so cute, he might’ve overlooked refining the rest. You don’t have to be talented or a perfectionist to realize that a little rounder in spots might help or a little thinner in spots might look more true to form.
PS. Sheila just sent me her shoe and she’s worrying about absolutely nothing! It was perfect.
-- http://www.jordanstraker.com
MsDebbieP
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#4 posted 1160 days ago
yes, Yoda.. thank you wise one :)
the good news is that I am “seeing” all the elements of the shoe.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Jordan
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1336 posts in 1497 days
#5 posted 1160 days ago
and FYI, you have another woman hanging around the locker room – Carolynne – has her bits and wood and will soon be gossiping around the water fountain with y’all.
-- http://www.jordanstraker.com
MsDebbieP
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#6 posted 1160 days ago
the more the merrier :)
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
TJ65
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1342 posts in 1422 days
#7 posted 1160 days ago
You know I was a bit concerned with all this measuring and checking that I got myself all confused. So I thought that I was all too worried that I messing it up.
Instead of just mulling around the shoe and getting myself in a knot I thought the best thing to do was to try and make some sense out of it.
So….... I just cut into it.
Well….. It has turned out great and now I know where i am heading coz I can actually see!!!!
Make sense? No I didn’t think it would, but what I think I am trying to say is – It will be alright on the night!!!!!!! all that measuring and planing comes out in the end.
-- Theresa, https://sites.google.com/site/tmj65treasure/
MsDebbieP
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18515 posts in 2532 days
#8 posted 1160 days ago
makes sense to me—“trust” .. trust that you’ve done it right and just go for it…
I’ll “go for it” today some time :)
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
mcoyfrog
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2074 posts in 1966 days
#9 posted 1154 days ago
This is soooooo cool, many years ago when I was a wee lad of about 13 I took one of my first art classes and we started into some flat carving then we went into 3d carving and my first piece was a old rotten tennis shoe I had at the time. This is just soooooo neat, makes me want to start back to carving again…. you go guys, and galls… Can’t wait to see the pic’s
-- Wood and Glass they kick (well you know) Have a great day - Dug
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