Greed or Need

[faithfulbutler]

I have so many Bat-related customs i want to do it's ridiculous.I have a lot of the bases ready to go and the biggest problem i have is which to do first.About 18 different characters at the moment.I usually have about 3 going at a time but when i get an inspiration for a new one some of these already underway get put on the Backburner.
How do you prioritise?I have a number of commissions going at the moment so my stuff is all put aside until i get this outside work done.
I also have decided finally on my series for the next CustomCon which i'll have to get a start on as for me it's quite an ambitious series.
So basically,too much on the slab and too much that i want done at once.

[Figuremaster Les]

I feel your pain.

Since opening up my own website, I have had so many emails and commissions. It's great on the one hand, and taxing on the other.

My take is this, sit down and write out, or better yet, lay it out in computer what figures you are doing. Set them into groups of figures for commissions and figures for yourself.
Put them in by dates due as best you can. Make yourself do this. It helps you to think and not to get overwhelmed.

Then, make it where you can be doing no more than a couple or so at a time for yourself AS you do commissions. You will that way get your figures done and the outside work too. Plus, have somewhere to get away from teh commission piece when it gets to you in some ways (This always happens to me)

And, take it easy on yourself. You have time for it all.
Every figure is a fun escape. Enjoy them.

I just did the best I could ever do with a fully posable 12" Keaton Batman from the 89 movie and then a 13+" 1977 style Darth Vader that I have always wanted. This new wave of Star Wars is frying my brain as I too want to do so much. Add to that the new Batman movie and it is quite overwhelming. Add commissions, and it's pretty time consuming!

But, you know what? I wouldn't trade it for the world! What a year! All this awesome stuff, and this website too! IT's going to be a great year!!!!

And there will always be time to get the figures done.
You start with one... baby steps...

[faithfulbutler]

Thanks for that,it's funny isn't it?You can display huge amounts of patience while working on a Custom but be totally impatient to get them done.
I do have a kind-of system in place for commissions and private work which i need to sort out a bit better.It does help you maintain focus and i do understand the need for keeping your own stuff going whilst doing commissions.Especially at the moment out of the 5 commissions i'm currently doing 3 of them are Marvel-related and have no personal interest to me.Although i would never let it affect my standard of work.
Basically now i have my CustomCon plan in place i'm focusing on that for my personal stuff,the rest can wait till later.
I know what you mean too,since my Website launched a little over a month ago it's gone nuts!I really wasn't expecting such a rapid response.It's all good though.
Appreciate the input!

[casimir]

Hey FB!

I face the same "crisis" from time to time. And I'm here to tell you that, after having played in this sandbox for a number of years now, there really is no rush. Unlike other hobbies, customizing is completely, 100% personal. You can't really compete because everyone works differently and on different things. You're very much on your own schedule. I suspect that after the Timm-style is a thing of the past, I'll still be making Timm-style customs. (Or at least I hope so. I'm gonna have a LOT of fodder left over if I don't!)

One more thought: As others have said, make what you want, when you want it. I hate starting a project and not finishing it, but if I pursue something too hard after I've lost interest, the quality suffers. So sometimes I refocus on something else. Of course, it helps that I don't take on commissions. In my experience, once money is involved, it ceases to be fun. But that's just me. (Actually, if I didn't have "real Life" to deal with too, I might take on commissions.)

Just my two cents, adjusted for inflation.

Casimir

[faithfulbutler]

Thanks Cason,as i said you have all the patience in the world while making them but your impatient to see them finished.The old Catch-22 lol.
I don't mind doing the commissions myself,i'm getting to do some very interesting stuff that i'd never do for myself.And it's been good because the buyer has a look in mind but they also expect the FB-style touch to them so i have been enjoying it.Good old artistic licence.

With my own stuff i guess it's a little like your recent"lost"line of figures that waited so long for completion.They just get put aside and i agree if you're losing interest in a certain fig it's better to put it aside until you can find the enthusiasm for it again.
I'm just glad i've got a lot of time before CC13!

[Wild Willy]

For me! my laziness exceeds both my Greed & Need. ;D
I have taken on some commisions and am currently working on one. I also find that a lot of the enjoyment aspects of the hobby get replaced with anxiety to complete the project before the customers become uncouth, but as FB mentioned, it does give me opertunities to do characters which I may not have tried.


Will