Lets talk about WOW factor in leatherwork.

[Tugadude]

Now that I'm warmed up, might as well keep going.  I wanted to chime in on the subject of criticism.  I made a comment once to a post that was in the "Show Off" area of the forum.  The OP apparently was not thrilled with my comment.  I believe I was spot-on with my comment but didn't reply, just let it go.  It was at that point that I decided to refrain from making any critique in the "Show Off" section and reserve that type of feedback for the "Critique My Work" section.  The OP didn't ask for critique so I was wrong for offering any.  Lesson learned.

I try to be balanced, in other words pointing out something good and then something that might need attention.  There is always something good to say and good work should be praised.  But all praise and no criticism leads to a false sense of accomplishment.  So I believe critique is absolutely necessary in order to improve.  But the feedback should obviously be constructive and offered with the best of intentions.  

 

[YinTx]

9 hours ago, immiketoo said:

I see a lot of people concerned that their leatherwork isn't as good as so and so's leather, or that they wish their tooling was better or their stitching, etc.

THIS.

Always slows me down.  So many aspects to learn in leather, and all kinds of things that can be made:  shoes, wallets, purses, briefcases, holsters, belts, guitar straps, totes, chaps, carvings, decoration, the list goes on and on.  And even in one genre, so many variations and techniques, leather types (chrome tanned, veg tanned, bridle, english bridle, retanned, pull up... garment, lamb, goat, ostrich, cow, turkey, ostrich.. ) that it seems I can't learn enough.  I almost never seem to make the same thing twice.  

I see so many things that the tooling is phenomenal, and the stitching is all wonky.  Or vice versa.  I want to be able to produce an item that has both skills in place, but always seem to feel it isn't good enough.  When people see my stuff in person, they seem blown away.  But I always wonder if they are being polite, because I see all the flaws, all the skills and techniques I have yet to perfect.

And there are some phenomenal leather workers out here, that have the skills down and the products are outstanding, full of wow factor and perfection.  So I don't always feel I am doing my customers justice when I know they can order from someone that has been in the trade for decades making beautiful pieces.  This keeps me up late at night practicing and studying.  Which means a lot of what  I make is practice, and destined for the bin.  Slows down production.

Just my view from down here.

YinTx

[KingsCountyLeather]

2 hours ago, YinTx said:

THIS.

Always slows me down.  So many aspects to learn in leather, and all kinds of things that can be made:  shoes, wallets, purses, briefcases, holsters, belts, guitar straps, totes, chaps, carvings, decoration, the list goes on and on.  And even in one genre, so many variations and techniques, leather types (chrome tanned, veg tanned, bridle, english bridle, retanned, pull up... garment, lamb, goat, ostrich, cow, turkey, ostrich.. ) that it seems I can't learn enough.  I almost never seem to make the same thing twice.  

I see so many things that the tooling is phenomenal, and the stitching is all wonky.  Or vice versa.  I want to be able to produce an item that has both skills in place, but always seem to feel it isn't good enough.  When people see my stuff in person, they seem blown away.  But I always wonder if they are being polite, because I see all the flaws, all the skills and techniques I have yet to perfect.

And there are some phenomenal leather workers out here, that have the skills down and the products are outstanding, full of wow factor and perfection.  So I don't always feel I am doing my customers justice when I know they can order from someone that has been in the trade for decades making beautiful pieces.  This keeps me up late at night practicing and studying.  Which means a lot of what  I make is practice, and destined for the bin.  Slows down production.

Just my view from down here.

YinTx

I think this is where a lot of us are... its call experience.  In my day job a lot of people look at my work and say wow as I do when I see fantastic leather work. But... I have been doing it for 40 years. And even now before I go to work i am always working out the project in my head before I even get to the site. And even now, 40 years experience, I still have butterflies in my stomach before cutting my material. I think that’s what makes a better craftsman. 

I never like to hear an over confident craft person. 

Everyone needs a little encouragement no matter how bad the work but dont lie. (Difficult at times...)

@Tugadude Thank you for the nice comment. I personally like constructive critique but always use the show off section because I already know most of my mistakes, i just failed to get it the way it should have been. 

Last thing... When giving critique, I think you have to judge what stage the leather worker is at and give critique accordingly.

[immiketoo]

4 hours ago, YinTx said:

I see so many things that the tooling is phenomenal, and the stitching is all wonky.  Or vice versa.  I want to be able to produce an item that has both skills in place, but always seem to feel it isn't good enough.  When people see my stuff in person, they seem blown away.  But I always wonder if they are being polite, because I see all the flaws, all the skills and techniques I have yet to perfect.

And there are some phenomenal leather workers out here, that have the skills down and the products are outstanding, full of wow factor and perfection.  So I don't always feel I am doing my customers justice when I know they can order from someone that has been in the trade for decades making beautiful pieces.  This keeps me up late at night practicing and studying.  Which means a lot of what  I make is practice, and destined for the bin.  Slows down production.

Just my view from down here.

YinTx

I try to be a well rounded leatherworker.  I want my construction to stand out as much as I want the decoration and edges and finish to stand out.  Recently, I saw a well renowned master post something for an upcoming class where the stitching looked like my first year attempts.  I think its imperative that all aspects of your piece are at an acceptable level before I offer something to the public.

That being said, there are pieces out there I charged money for that I cringe just thinking about.  I guess its the journey, right?

[chrisash]

21 hours ago, hwinbermuda said:

As in all things, you produce and sell (or give) to your market.

I was lucky enough to do a 3 year college course at Cordawainers in London, and was taught by some of the very best crafts, and trades people in the industry (including the Queen's side-saddle maker and the man that made the cricket balls for test matches).

I choose to only make goods to give as gifts at the moment, as I am in full time employment in another industry, so I choose to use my skills to the fullest, and am my harshest critic.

I have also been a designer / pattern maker for leathergoods and luggage companies, and understand making to a cost and to a market.

If you are happy, the customer is happy and they come back for more, you are making it good enough for your market.

If you want to join the Guild of Master Craftsmen, or the Worshipful Company of Saddlers etc, maybe the technique, quality of materials and finish will matter more.

Personally I want to enjoy what I do, not get bored of the making the same thing over and over and learn from the great ideas that others are having -in all material design, to see if it can be done in leather. Personally I was blown away by the work on a mallet and a maul by one member - because they look great and I would never have thought of it. There are hundreds of other craftsmen examples as well, but they stick in my mind.

Have fun (and make money if you can)

Harry

I think that says it all, the perfect attitude to life 

[bermudahwin]

Norfolk boys!

Chilled.

Hopefully we'll meet one day Chrisash.

Harry

[JMixx]

14 hours ago, immiketoo said:

That being said, there are pieces out there I charged money for that I cringe just thinking about.  I guess its the journey, right?

I have some hand-made items I have purchased over the years that have small "irregularities" that the crafter probably viewed as "mistakes."  I see them as characteristics that make *mine* unique, and, in a few cases, the irregularity made the piece better for what I bought it for.  I once knitted a cardigan (in one piece) that "turned out wrong" because I flubbed the pattern and made too many increases in the front (so it turned out "double-breasted," overlapping in the front).  It ended up going with me to a craft show by mistake, and I set it in the back, where I thought it would be out of sight.  About half-way through the show, a woman asked me about it (oops, not out-of-sight enough!), so I handed it to her, explaining that it hadn't turned out right, so I could give her a big discount if she especially liked the color or something about it.  She put it on and wrapped it around her--and her 8-months-pregnant belly.  She said it was the first sweater she had found that was actually constructed for a pregnant woman, and bought it.

I feel that hand-made is usually much higher quality.  And, if I had wanted "perfect", regular stitching, or something that appeared machine-made, I could have bought something cheap from a factory.  I know many  people, including me, strive for perfection, and that's a good thing.  Just wanted to throw in another perspective on those "mistakes."

Jennifer

[Tugadude]

JMixx makes some good points.  Strive for perfection but be willing to accept less if that is your best.  And appreciate mistakes as just less than perfect.  And BTW, nothing we do is ever perfect.  Nice story about the cardigan!

[immiketoo]

This is called satisficing.  A term coined in the police management world where doing just enough to be an acceptable job.  It has no negative connotations, and often, I will stop work on a particular project at a point where I know I could do better, but the price agreed upon for the item doesn't allow for more work.  Sometimes, though I do just the opposite.  Put WAY more time in than I was paid for to make it perfect or as close as I can get to perfect.  Weird.  Anyway, flaws or no, if the customer is happy, that is what matters.

[charon]

This is a great topic and there are really good points from all the contributors. I'm relatively new to leather working so I have a real long way to go but with every item I do I try do improve myself. But as JMixx said, if you want something that looks machine made, buy something that is. To date I haven't made a single item that I'm satisfied with (I'm an IT guy and we have that technical thinking and strive for profession somehow in our blood...) and there are always points during the making of every single item where I think "man, you screwed it again" but I always finish the items. After I finished them I lay the aside a day or two and then grab them and analyse them to see, where it did go wrong and what I can do to make it better the next time. I have not sold something up to now, because I would be ashamed taking money for these imperfect items even if it is only for the materials. Of course no one has ever criticised my work that much and I gave a few items away to people that were happy with it but it's my own standard that keeps me of just trying to sell the stuff yet.

That being said I always appreciate critique of my work, even if it's hard or rough. Seeing something through others eyes gives you the opportunity to improve in many ways. 

Interestingly when I buy things myself I look for handcrafted things that have that personal look to it especially from people that do their craft as a hobby and I love talking with them about their passion and dedication. I'm nowhere as criticising towards their work as towards mine but I think that's the only way to get better in what you do.

When it comes to the WOW effect there are most points already said. Many times, as immiketoo said, the wow isn't as wow when you look closer. Those pro crafters at instagram always position their items the right angle and hide the irregularities. However there are some crafters that I look at and get that wow effect with every item they produce but they are exclusively paying their rent with the craft and not doing it as a hobby as I and many others do. And all their items cost an absolute fortune because they don't put out masses. Nevertheless I love seeing people putting a huge amount of work and passion at every single bit of an item. That has always been wow to me and I always try to learn as much as I can from them regardless of what they do. If someone can teach me sweeping the road like a pro I'm willing to learn that.

But as Tugadude says the most wow effects come in little bits when looking at something you haven't seen before, seeing someone producing good items with self made tools at home because they don't have the money to buy pro tools, seeing a unique design you haven't seen before (I totally feel you here Tugadude) and things like that. Most of these WOW factors have nothing to do with perfect items, at least for me.