The 2014 Challenge - suggestions please

[CHJ]

... unrestrained full-spectrum critisism, ...

Do you mean criticism or balance critique, there's a big difference and I think it's the former that hurts most peoples feelings.

 

[monkeybiter]

I'm talking about the appreciation of the good points if any [brief in my case :roll: ] and an indication or even discussion of the bad points; most helpfully technique but not excluding taste.

 

[winemaker]

I think the monthly challenge is good but the high standard puts some people off, mines not good enough yet.

 

[Dalboy]

One thing that has not been considered is whatever changes are made that who ever takes over has to be able to run things so it need to be kept reasonably simple to run as I am sure they will have other things to do besides the task at hand of running the competition.
When I say simple I mean straight forward

 

[Melinda_dd]

The challenge simply MUST continue. .... if it doesn't I will go stir crazy!

I find myself thinking about the months set task all the time. It keeps my mind busy..... even if i don't enter that month... I get enormous enjoyment just thinking about it.

I like the way it was run this year. .... seemed more simple and relaxed.

I like the idea of something for the winner each month and an overall winner of the year. Even if it's just a little certificate. .. something to display in the workshop. .....
Each year I enter a village fair and I have a few postcard sized position cards I'm enormously proud of.

I also think the themed months were awesome. ......as was this years whole list.

I'm not sure what else can be done to persuade new people to enter, and point out it's for everyone. .. not just the time served....
I think the 2 lots of Christmas scenes posted this month proves it. They were totally different to any of the months entry's and stood as good a chance as any other as placing in the top.
COME ON PEOPLE ENTER ENTER ENTER!!!

 

[rdesign]

could the judges points be worth 50 percent of the score and the forum give points out of ten on 5 categories to judge the others like design, finish, difficulty, precision and technique.
A more detailed description on techniques used would make it more interesting.
I know its only fun but maybe if approached Axminster gets a lot of praise and referred business from this blog they might put up a small voucher each month as a prize.

just my two cents
I turn just never seem to find time until i have to finish a pressie in a rush :/
Regards Richard

 

[Paul.J]

I was one of the originals of the comp when Blister started doing which he very kindly gave out the plaques each month to the winner and although i dropped out eventually due to one thing or another i have really enjoyed seeing the work produced by you all,but i think having a certain theme each month is too much of a challenge so why not keep the comp open each month to whatever someone turns in that month and let them show their best peice for judging,and making sure that each entrant shows at what level of turning they are at so the judges can take this into consideration when judging.
Reason for saying this is that not all turners are arty,i know i am not as i have tried,so just keep things simple and if you are arty then by all means do an arty piece???
Obviously the entrant will have to be truthful in what they show each month.

 

[Melinda_dd]

I think the monthly challenge is good but the high standard puts some people off, mines not good enough yet.

Everyone is good enough.... as its open to anyone. ....
My first attempts weren't good and never placed in the top...... but I was there, with the rest of them taking part enjoying it......
And you never know, the judge always choses different to what I think.....it's personal taste therefore yours could be his taste! !! ... give it a whirl!!!

 

[joethedrummer]

Nev .,,,I have only been here for a little while and see what a fundamental asset you are to the forum so it is a bit presumptious of me to offer an opinion,,,,but, here goes,,
1,,,Don"t go
2,,,Make it "What I"ve done that I liked most"
3,,,Learn by encouragement,
4,,Keep my mouth shut and show some stuff in 2014 !!!
,,,,,,,,,,,,joe,,

 

[KimG]

What is your reason for entering the challenge? Is it to Win, or to take part, it carries no real prestige, sure, the validation of your work by your peers is a good feeling, but I find the one aspect of the challenge that really excites me, and the reason I would prefer to see the judging and entry system remain as is, and that is that it is the ideas and concepts done by others are what have inspired me to take on different projects, I see something wonderful and I want to have a go at it myself, surely it is something similar that drives all of us to do what we do?

It seems to me to be a failing of the modern age to have good, better and best among peers groups something to be avoided at all costs, in schools in particular, it seems they are trying to make everyone feel equally good, but that does nothing to inspire a real effort to improve. On the other hand seeing some very well made items with good technique, design and even presentation actually get the deserved accolade is surely a fine impetus for anyone to improve their own skill set and become a maker of the excellent, rather than relaxing in the pseudo satisfactory of the mediocre. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that anyone has produced mediocre work, but who among us can say we are truly certain our work cannot be improved, and that such a sentiment comes from seeing others do better?
As such I think some kind of handicapping system would be detrimental to the overall fun and point of the challenge, which is, by it's very name, to challenge you to do better.

I am of a like mind with Shepton Phil, the themed entries were most interesting.

 

[nev]

Thanks for the input folks, keep it coming.
I have as yet not been inundated with PMs from people offering to 'run' the challenge. So please, if you have the time and enthusiasm for such a task, drop me a PM. Experience is not really a requirement, I am proof of this! I had only been turning a year or so before I volunteered to help Blister out for a month or two, and I'm still here a few years later.

 

[dennisk]

I would like to see the challenge stay as is.It is a challenge for me, in the fact it makes me turn something different, makes me think outside of the box, and it gets me to the lathe. As deputy mayor of our village, and the volunteer ice maker and custodian at the local curling rink all winter, and running a construction company, I think I can say I have a full plate. Quite often this challenge is the only time I get on the lathe,and I believe I am the only one to have entered every month to date. I find time because it makes me a better turner, I still dont have much design sense, but it gets me to the lathe for a few hours, and that is what its all about , isnt it? Oh, and -42 Celsius with the wind chill on Saturday morning. Its something to do inside!

 

[KimG]

Are you fed up with it then Nev?

 

[nev]

Are you fed up with it then Nev?

Nope. but there are major upheavals due next year with house moves among other things, so I have no idea where I'll be or what I'll be doing!

Some fresh thinking from a new organiser may also help to up the numbers a bit, maybe a more experienced turner could provide a fresh perspective re the requirements etc and possibly come up with ideas with more specific challenges that incorporate a particular technique requirement or something along those lines. I just made up a list of random items that were not the usual bowl, candlestick etc.

It seems a sensible time and opportunity for someone to take over, fresh year, fresh ideas, fresh challenge!
(I'd also like the opportunity to take part purely as challengee so I can ask the questions instead of trying to work out the answers :wink: )

 

[heatherw]

How much time is involved, Nev?

 

[nev]

How much time is involved, Nev?

Not a lot.
In its current format...

setting the requirements post at the beginning of the month*

then replies to any queries via the thread. ( :-k this being the hardest part I find, making a decision whether something is 'permitted' or not, but you can always clarify with the judge if need be)

Then at the end of the month posting the 'post your entries here' post,

then a quick pm to that months judge to let them know when all entries are in.

and then posting the results. \/
That's about it really!


Oh! and possibly keeping a tally of the scoreboard (unless you have helpful elves to do that for you )
and if as previous years, there were prizes/plaques/certificates involved, posting them out. (again elves may be handy)

*Depending on how precise you want your challenge, it may require a pm to the judge to ask for any particular requirements or aspects the judge may be looking for etc.

 

[nev]

We have a change in management for 2014! 8)

Henton49er (Mike) will be taking over the running of the challenge for the new year, so it will continue
Mike has been a regular entry in the challenge over the last few years and also took over the scoreboard for a bit too and now he's bravely volunteered to take charge so that it may continue. =D>

I shall still be taking part in the challenge, I'll just let mike do all the thinking from now on

I have asked Mike to adopt this thread and it will be up to him to decide whats what in next years challenge, so .... over to Henton49er...

 

[Dalboy]

Even though I have not taken part in previous years I still enjoyed looking at all the entries and would like to thank you Nev for all the hard work you have put in to make it possible. =D> =D> =D>
I will be making an effort to participate in the 2014 one.
I would also like to thank Henton49er for taking on the challenge in both senses of the word. ccasion5:

 

[gregmcateer]

Ditto from me,May even have workshop again in 2014!!!

 

[henton49er]

Well - what have I let myself in for!!??!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

Nev will be a hard act to follow, but I will do what I can. As nev said when he took over - please be gentle with me, at least until I get the hang of things!! I will also want to be turning my own entries - not having entered since last March, but my New Year's resolution :ho2 will be to get into the turning shed as often as I can.

I will review all the suggestions made to date (and welcome some more from whatever quarter, but especially from those who entered this past year and anyone who would like to enter in 2014), discuss with the judges and put forward a proposal for the next 12 months.

Keep the ideas flowing!!