Turner's Block?

[David DeCristoforo]

John's cherry hollow form thread sideswipes a common malady that all "creative types" experience from time to time. Rather than piggyback onto John's thread, I thought is should have a discussion of it's own.

It seems inevitable that we experience times when the "creative juices" simply stop flowing. We feel like we have exhausted the potential of whatever groove we have been in and are seeking a new direction. We want to "do something different". But the brain simply refuses to offer up anything even remotely resembling inspiration. We tend to try and force new ideas into existence, but seem to produce increasingly unsatisfying results. Writers have a name for this phenomenon. They call it "writer's block". It's like those Chinese finger trap puzzles. The harder you pull, the tighter the thing grips. It's only when you relax and let go that you are able to free your fingers. Finally you jut walk away in disgust and forget about the whole thing. You might stay away for a day or a week or a month or even longer. But sooner or later, you get relaxed and free of the block and one day you go back and pick up the tools and suddenly you are accomplishing exactly what you were trying so hard to do before. But this time it's flowing freely and naturally instead of being forced or contrived.

I don't think there is a creative person in the world, currently living or from another generation, who has not experienced this at one time or another. It seems to be an inherent part of the creative process.

[Mark Burge]

You know what, I really seem to get creative when I can't get to my lathe and do anything about it! See, it's happening right now. I'm at work.

[Frank Van Atta]

I've had first hand experience with both, and (in my case, at least) "turner's block" is far easier to overcome. I just go to the computer and Google "turned xxxx" (xxxx being vase, bowl, whatever) and start looking through the pictures. Ideas usually start flowing like sap after about two pages of images. "Writer's block," on the other hand, is much harder to overcome. I can sit and look at words for hours - mine, yours, Shakespeare's, whoever's - and things just get worse. Like you said, you just have to get away from it until it goes away - hours, days, weeks, or months later.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I've wondered about this, and thought it had something to do with my overall feeling of well-being, for me it seems to be like I just don't feel like going into the shop and do any turning at all, just feeling down, or maybe more like having the winter blahs, I never worried about it, it'll go away.
(helps if you don't have to make a living I suppose)

[Jim Burr]

I'm with you Leo. Some days, I want nothing to do with "the shop". I can't even manage the gumption to turn a pen. Other days, 8-10 hours isn't enough. January is the Blah month in the Valley...foggy, dull, dismal weather that does nothing to lift my spirits. Wood selection is a consideration too. Some wood just makes me want to dive into it. Other times, it's like looking at a stack of pine 2x4's all day...nothing looks fun. Spliting the time cooking, with my guitar or even reading helps keep the turning times a bit more fresh.

[Jon McElwain]

I've started to keep a little notepad/sketch book with me. Usually it lives in the nightstand or at my desk, but whenever I have a creative idea or design, I'll jot down a little sketch. This has helped give me ideas when my creativity is broken. Oh, and +1 on not wanting to go out to the shop on occasion. Weirdest thing too. I'll be all amped up for a day or so knowing that I'll have a little time out there coming up, but then when the times comes, I am so tired, down or whatever, that I would rather sit in the recliner and stare at the wall.

[David E Keller]

This is an interesting thread. I thought I was the only person who could spend all week looking forward to a day in the shop only to spend the day moping around and shuffling blanks without really accomplishing anything. I've got rough-outs that I was so excited to turn and dry that I now can't bring myself to finish. I've got blanks that I coveted only to receive them and watch them sit on a shelf for months or longer. Good to know I'm not the only one. Perhaps Michael James will wade in with a psychoanalytical explanation for all of this...

[John Keeton]

I have to say I am glad to see this thread!!! Kind of a relief, in a way. I hate that the rest of you have these times - not fun!!!

Back in the days of flatwork, I really didn't have this problem much. But, it was furniture, and I could always depend on Ms. Keeton to come up with an idea of what she needed or wanted. She is not much into the artsy stuff and not a very good source for new turning ideas.

David K., I enjoyed your comments on rough outs! That is the very reason I don't like to turn green wood, and then later re-turn it. If I did bowls, I guess it would be different. But, with the HFs and other art pieces, I am certain the zeal for a piece would be gone by the time it was dry. The only two pieces I have dried with the DNA were nearly forgotten about.

I did come out of my "funk" a little, and finished up a piece today - kind of revived me a bit!!

[Scott Hackler]

What is somewhat worse, is having a few artistic ideas and not wanting to start the project because of the time involved. I have a few things floating around in my mind and a few unfinished things that I really want to get going ....... but dont want to get that involved at the moment.

I went out to the shop night before last to get some much needed turning (from a 2-3 week break) and couldn't decide on what to do. I finially managed to think up a design and turned 2 pieces for it. It was to have legs protruding through it (as in my mental design) and after all the time spent turning 1 leg I realized that the angle of the larger part.... would make the leg stick out at a severe angle. Frustration set in, lights shut off... back to house.

One of my New Years resolutions was to start drawing out my ideas. Not only to design OFF the lathe , but to record the ideas before they get lost. John's method of drawing it all out kinda inspired me to start doing this. Designing on the lathe is a roll of the dice.

[GLENN THOMAS]

It's good to know that I'm in good company when it comes to some of the issues that were mentioned by so many others. It seems that if I try to turn something when I'm not in the mood everything I touch just goes down the drain. When things do not work out for me I think it's a combination of factors. Maybe it was a busy night at work, or I fell asleep without my CPAP and im just tired, or sometimes a dreary day can ruin my time in the shop. Sometimes I just can't think of anything to turn. If I find myself in my shop and nothing is working out the best thing to do is not to push it and wait for another day. If that's the case I'll just use the time and clean my shop or something like that. Ive been thinking about designing more on paper but never got around to trying it, after all I'd rather be turning than drawing. After reading this thread it think that will really help me when I run into that creative block. In any case, I was really glad to see that I'm not alone.

GT

[Bob Borzelleri]

Perhaps there is a turning corollary to the practice of "noodling" with a musical instrument. There are times when I don't want to play anything I know or put in the effort to learn something new so I just play and see what comes out. Now that I think about it, I have at least a few turning "projects" that came out of nowhere; they just took shape while I was futzing around.

I've always thought that the term "creative" should only be applied when one is finished with what one is doing; anything up to that point is one of many successive approximations toward a goal.

[Ken Hill]

This is why I have a ton of "hobbies". If one goes stale, another one is on full tilt. I tell my wife it keeps me sane......she says it keeps Mastercard in business LOL!

[Bill Hensley]

I'm with Ken, a hobby is good for your mental health but more hobbies are better. Mine seem to be seasonal, right now I look forward to the water warming up so I can go fishing!

[Rich Aldrich]

I have a different kind of turners block right now. It is called a cabinet that I am building for one of my neighbors. I won't allow myself to turn anything until it is done so I won't get too distracted. In a way, the time off has given me a chance just to think, especially as I read the forums. It kind of serves as a way to recharge - the only problem is that I really dont think I needed to recharge at this time.

[Roger Chandler]

Designing on the lathe is a roll of the dice.

I'll say a hearty amen to that statement. Unless one has it firmly fixed in their mind what they want to accomplish before ever mounting a blank, then you don't know what you will end up with precisely, just some general concept.

I think specifics need to be firmly decided on, i.e. the sequence of the steps you need to take for the work you are doing, and pretty much the end design [with a little wiggle room] and even how you intend to finish the turning.

I have come to believe that generally speaking a better result is achieved most of the time with planning beforehand. There are times when figure in the wood, or something else can change things a bit, but I think it is true most of the time.