Posting Your Pipes For Critique

[scotties22]

I stopped posting out of laziness a while back. I am now making it a point to post most if not all of my pipes here for critique. I think it is still very important to my development that I get honest feedback from makers who have been at this longer than I have. I have been making pipes for 2 years now and have made a total of 79 pipes. I rarely post critique on another makers offering. Mostly because I do not think my body of work qualifies me to do so. In the rare instance that I do comment it is on a shape that I have a firm grasp on.

I think that critiques are a two way street here. If you are going to give feedback to another maker you need to be posting your body of work here for the same purpose (Unless, of course, you are a professional pipemaker who does this shit for a living). There are a few reasons for this. One, so that we can all make fun of Ryan and not feel too bad for doing so knowing that he is going to get a shot at us with the next pipe we post. Two, someone is going to point something out that you overlooked (this happens every time I post a pipe and I have become a better pipemaker because of this). And lastly, very few of us will ever "master" this craft on any level. If you are to be one of the lucky ones that do, you need to take advantage of the advise of the more experienced makers who frequent this fine place.

Call me crazy if you want, but this has been something on my mind lately and I thought it prudent to share.

[notow1]

Hey, I was going to say that in six months, Norm.

[Alden]

I'm all for making fun of Ryan. That guy is nuts.

[Literaryworkshop]

All I'll say is, please keep critiquing our pipes, even if you're not absolutely confident in your opinion. The opinion of an experienced pipe maker is always helpful.

Keep critiquing the newbie pipes. I know it gets tiring pointing out the same basic flaws in the same kinds of newbie pipes like mine, and I know that most of the newbies walk away from the forum without ever appreciating the gift they've been given--an honest critique. Well, I appreciate it, because I learn something every time I read those critiques.

And keep critiquing the really good pipes, too. I know it's not easy to stick your neck out and point out a flaw in a pipe made by somebody you really respect. But when you do, it helps the rest of us learn to really look carefully at every aspect of our own pipes. I think I learn the most when you professionals and semi-professionals critique each other's pipes in detail.

[Sasquatch]

I will go out on a limb here and say that your next pipe is ugly and poorly proportioned, Scottie.


Hope this helps
Todd

[scotties22]

I will go out on a limb here and say that your next pipe is ugly and poorly proportioned, Scottie.


Hope this helps
Todd

Well ALL of your pipes are, so you should be real good at spotting other ugly pipes.

I hope that hurt a little too.

[Sasquatch]

Yeah it did. *sniff*

[billiard]

As a hobbyist who doesn't get much time for pipe making (Full time job and family) I've watched Scottie progress rapidly following this and even though I seldom if ever give a critique, or even ask for that matter, I would really highlight this if I may:

If you are going to give feedback to another maker you need to be posting your body of work here for the same purpose (Unless, of course, you are a professional pipemaker who does this shit for a living).

There have been several frequent critique givers, in the past, where I could not find a pipe that they had made. There are some even now whom critique that I cannot find pipes for, and some I have only found really small blurry thumbnails of their pipes.

In one of the sticky's a very good comment from one of the big boys (I forget who and exact words but it is something like: pay attention who you listen to. Go look at their pipes, if you want to make pipes like they make then listen to them. If not, don't. If you cannot see pics of their pipes that should tell you something.

[Ocyd]

My dog ate my camera

[d.huber]

As a hobbyist who doesn't get much time for pipe making (Full time job and family) I've watched Scottie progress rapidly following this and even though I seldom if ever give a critique, or even ask for that matter, I would really highlight this if I may:

If you are going to give feedback to another maker you need to be posting your body of work here for the same purpose (Unless, of course, you are a professional pipemaker who does this shit for a living).

There have been several frequent critique givers, in the past, where I could not find a pipe that they had made. There are some even now whom critique that I cannot find pipes for, and some I have only found really small blurry thumbnails of their pipes.

In one of the sticky's a very good comment from one of the big boys (I forget who and exact words but it is something like: pay attention who you listen to. Go look at their pipes, if you want to make pipes like they make then listen to them. If not, don't. If you cannot see pics of their pipes that should tell you something.

Boom. Billiard's got this nailed down.

I think the advice on who to listen to came from Tyler.

[scotties22]

I feel this deserves a bump....the gallery has been far too quiet lately.

[sandahlpipe]

I just finished up a lovat for David. I'll post it here pretty soon once I can get some decent pics.

[Sasquatch]

I just don't fuckin care what anybody thinks of my pipes right now.

[LatakiaLover]

I just don't fuckin care what anybody thinks of my pipes right now...

...because they all look like this, anymore, and I don't know WHY!!!

I used to be able to do this shit. Really.

[Sasquatch]

Eureka!

I am inspired, Jorge! I must immediately change into latex and get to the shop!

[scotties22]

Goddammit George! There goes my idea for the pocket hookah pipe....thanks asshole

[andrew]

Thanks a lot George. Now there's going to be a run on those bendy dust suction/blower things. They'll be more scarce than fvf was a few years ago during that weird tobacco panic.

[andrew]

Eureka!

I am inspired, Jorge! I must immediately change into latex and get to the shop!

Latex?

[d.huber]

I just don't fuckin care what anybody thinks of my pipes right now.

You have arrived!

[Sasquatch]

Is that what this feeling is? It's strangely liberating. I was afraid my sociopathic tendencies were getting the better of me, but if it's just "arrival" then we're all good.