Perspective

Sometimes I get so deeply involved in the details of a piece that I can't see my huge glaring mistakes. I had been working on a little torso for over a year...very sad... and finally had to stop because I just could not turn the corner from "off" to fantastic. I continued to struggle like this, sculpting in spurts, for another year. I could not understand what I was doing wrong and why my piece looked so completely wrong. I was very frustrated and kept mentally harassing myself because I could not muscle through it. Not helpful at all. Finally, I put the piece on the shelf and started exploring my ideas for First Bond. My passion started to flow again and I was off and running.

One day, while working on my little pregnant sculpture, I started to struggle again and my sister took one look and immediately diagnosed the problem. It was too skinny. Hooray for a fresh eye and an undefensive perspective!

In the last few weeks I have learned that with sculpture you just can't muscle through it. For one thing, as you work the clay, it warms up and becomes more pliable. Not that great when you are working on minuscule details often found on fingers. While I hate to stop before I am satisfied, I will be much further ahead if I just stop, put it away, wait for it to cool and for my perspective to readjust. When I mix tired with frustration I become the worst slasher/ hacker. I make hasty decision and can ruin weeks of work in minutes.

Another lesson, I have learned is that it is beneficial to have several pieces going at once. When I am frustrated with one I can move to another. This helps me to see each piece through a fresh eye.

For example: after my enlightening realization that I was sculpting too "skinny", I looked at my first little torso that I had given up on and saw clearly why she was so off. She was completely emaciated! I was focusing so hard on premature belly details that I couldn't see that my massing wasn't complete. In the last three days, when ever I have need a break from First Bond and details I just switch to my little attitude torso and start laying on some much needed pounds. I've included a before an after picture of her which I think speaks volumes. I have also included a progress picture of First Bond which unfortunately is not quite done yet but I think becoming a little more elegant and balanced.