Monday, July 05, 2010

on visions and envisioning

“it matched my initial vision pretty well"

"it popped into my head fully-formed" (except that one turned out to be a lie, I realised it was inspired by another piece)

These phrases, or similar ones, sometimes come out when I talk about things I’ve made. And then I always do a little double-take when I re-read.

I am pleased when these things work out. But I don't think I'm especially good at turning my 'visions' into reality. The house is littered with things that didn’t turn out quite as envisioned. Some are abandoned at an early stage. Others have gotten closer to making it, but just need a bit more thinking or tinkering. Sometimes by the time I try again I can think of a better approach or even have new skills (or have seen something helpful online). Thought it's just as likely by the time I try again I will have forgotten what I was trying to do.... or don't really feel the love anymore.

The other reason I’m surprised at myself using these words is that I think of myself as someone who CAN’T visualise things in much detail. I visualise in impressions and flashes. I've never been able to drawn well (though I know to some extent this is a skill you can work on). A long time ago I described my envisioning skills before as kind of fuzzy
wacky ring stand
Here's something kind of fuzzy. Ever since I bought this ceramic ring stand at a market, I've wanted another one like it. (too many rings, pretty funny for someone who had 'claustrophic fingers' only a few years ago.) For some reason I "envisioned" a felt version.

Yes, ok, I do have a tendency to envision felt versions of things.

In the 'vision', the wire frame was going to be totally covered in felt. But when I tried that, it became too wobbly. Maybe I needed to try it with thinner felt that could be stretched tightly. I really think this is one ugly ring stand (though more-or-less functional - just not as stable or elegant as the ceramic one). And I've even positioned it to hide the ugliest part of the wire for the photo.

4 comments:

Rhonda said...

It's not ugly - it's quirky.

2paw said...

I think it's very clever and unique and a prototype!!!

Bertie Mabootoo said...

I think it's hard to remember what the original vision was before you turned it into a reality, because your brain fills in the initial gaps with the output you can now see. So a "success" looks like what you remember your vision as, and a "failure" probably doesn't :)

Anonymous said...

A beautiful balance to the bought one.

(I suppose you thought of making a horizontal felt cover for the bottom to meet up with the vertical one?)
From one who can draw even less.