best and worst critics of our own work

[SmilinJim]

Not sure where to post. Guess you post the bad with the good. Just wanted to get across to some of those folks just starting. PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. A friend wanted a belt buckle done on a document folder. About 3 inches across. So I scanned the buckle, enlarged it, traced to a piece of leather and commenced to cutting and pounding. Didn't stop to engage my brain and think about the project just a little. He seems to think its good, I think its crap.

Look at your pattern, clean up those odd lines and decide beforehand where you need to cut, don't do like me and say, "I'm experienced enough, I can just see it as I go." NO. I can't,

Listen to the good folks here on the forum and they will help if you ask.

Anyway, enough said.

Keep on Smilin

Jim

[Johanna]

What would you have done differently? Do him another one and send that one to me. I'd proudly hang it up. I like it. So what do you think is wrong with it?

Johanna

[$$hobby]

Like my mom always said: "You'll learn"

also. Measure twice, cut once.

[The Major]

Unfortunately, we are our best and worst critics of our own works. But sometimes we just have to let the piece go as is if we still expect to make money. I have lost allot of money over the years starting over if I am not happy with a project. I have to fight the urge nowdays to start over.

But the thing to remember is that YOU are the one that is unhappy with it, so a line may not have been completely straight (unless it is really off, let it go). 90% of the time the customer won't notice. Chaulk it up to learning and move on. If the customer complains about it then deal with it.

Also try working your errors into the design.

From what I see in the pictures it looks great, I would add some more feather details on the body and head. But that is great work. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Edited June 18, 2007 by The Major

[ClayB]

Hi Jim,

I know where you are coming from. I am hardly ever completly happy with anything I do and probably never will be. I think that's how we improve. But, most other people aren't ever going to notice what you see as a blaring mistake. I had to look a long time before I could see anything very wrong, and am still not sure if it is what you are refering too. If you wouldn't have said there was a problem with it, I would never have looked that hard. I think we have to do like Major said, and if the customer is happy, let it go. You still learned something, and you wont make that mistake again. Your next project will be better because of it. Bruce gave some really good advice awhile back (might have been somewhere other than this forum) about critiquing your own work. Something about finding 2-3 things you like in each project, and 2-3 things you would like to improve on. Maybe he can post that here as I thought it was really well stated and I have been trying to follow it.

Thanks for sharing the picture Jim, even if you aren't happy with it. I like the pattern and I think you did a nice job with it.

Clay

[bruce johnson]

Clay,

I got the deal about self-critiquing your work from the Honorable Cordwainer's Colloquy, a boot and shoemakers group. They have a web forum (www.thehcc.org). Some of the machinery, tools, and techniques are universal for leather. They are also a philosophical group, really into tradition, function,

fit, form, beauty, and craftmanship. Although I am not planning to make boots in the near future, I get smarter just hanging out there.

Basically to paraphrase one of the things I took away from them about self criticism. Look at your product and find three things you can improve upon. If you find less than that, you are only kidding yourself. Find more than three, and you are too self-deprecating.

Bruce Johnson

[SmilinJim]

Thanks for the kind words folks. I can see more than three easily. But he liked it and now I have to do a billfold with that pattern on it. Guess I've got a chance to improve anyway. And just as an aside, we are doing this the old fashon way. He's trading me some red oak, cedar and cherry lumber for a few leather pieces. I feel he's not getting same value and he says the same. But I guess if everyone is happy with what they got out of the deal then it was a worthwhile endeavor.

Keep on Smilin

Jim

[mulefool]

Well, isn't that the best kind of deal? Where everybody thinks they got the best part? Honestly I couldn't tell what you were unhappy about, but sounds like you've got another chance to make it the way you want, so that's great.