too many decks..trying to get out!

Chronata

Has anyone else had this happen?

So, finally I am really making some progress with my tarot deck, (after 10 years in gestation, and bunches of sketches later...and even with the combination of two seperate deck ideas...)

I am well underway!

But now, suddenly...there are these other deck ideas that are in my head and they are torturing me! I have to work on them NOW!
They will not let me have any peace!

I started sketches for one, and actually painted a card for another...but somehow, I feel that these new deck projects are really just a distraction from the original deck project...

And yet...I wonder if I should just go with it...and work on what I am most excited and inspired about at the moment...

Or should I really concentrate and focus on the deck that I have started, and let the other ones take a back seat...
I am almost afraid that if I start too many decks...I will never finish ANYTHING!

It's that damned excess creativity problem...when it rains it pours! :D

So, does anyone else have this problem? How do you make peace with it?
 

HudsonGray

Tell me about it! It suddenly rains & pours. I was thinking that an Illuminated tarot would look really pretty (like art from the Book of Kells, or illuminated manuscript style, all very old & very Celtic). And I've got two that WANT to be made, but I can't get the proper images down on paper for them. And the little side project that suddenly grew wings & wants to go places right NOW!

Work with the one you have the most passion for, I think that way your creativity isn't shelved or put off to cool.
 

Page

Bell rings

Hi Chronata,

Yes I had the same problem too.

My first idea, well I changed them over half way through. Then I started having more and more ideas out of the blue. But all my ideas was 3 decks in all and I've finished one. The 2nd deck is my baby, I havn't started doing sketches but I know this baby will take many years. I feel that I can stick to that project unlike the first one. Looking back I did bite off more than I chewed but I blame that on just feeling excited.

I think the worst thing that could ever happen in my case was just to abandon the whole thing and not make something from them, even posters, post cards,T shirts.

There is nothing wrong with changing your mind tons of time but each I do I ask my self who can I improve it and I'm I just fed up.

I would do what HG mentioned about working on the the one that you have the most passion for and leave the others on a slow back burner.

I'm sure all your hard work will pay off!
 

M-Press

Hi!
This sound svery familiar...!
i think that one of the things that one learns best while doing a tarot deck, is discipline...!
it's a long project, and you'll find yourself evolving and changing many times through it...

BUT, the important thing is to stick to it. If you change now to something you have most passion, you'll keep changing... many times you do 10 or 20 cards, and then you are "done", because you already explored something, and it seems boring to finish up, and it won't take you anywhere...
BUT, at the end it does, and these projects DO SEE AN END one day!

so, my advice, is to work against the odds...Tell yourself, you can do many other decks, all your life... write down your ideas, anyway, BUT, stick to what you started, to be able to see something completed one day... the first is the hardest, anyway...

good luck!
 

Astra

Take notes. Full, copious notes. Sketch what wants to be sketched, until the first push has eased off. Put them somewhere getattable. Then go back to the first deck.

When you come to a sticking point with the first deck, pull out the notes and work on whatever seems to be calling you.

Sometimes, especially if you're working on two very different projects, one simply gives you time to let the other stew on the back burner in your mind until it's ready to go. Having six different projects can be a prescription for stalling, but having two (or possibly three) generally means that both/all of them will end up being better than one alone.
 

blue_fusion

indeed write them down first. and perhaps some very rough sketches wouldn't be bad. but remember to go back to the project you first started. i was being lectured by baba-prague on this in the thread for my own deck. lol. i know its dang difficult to hold back the desire to create a new one especially if you have brilliant ideas in your mind, but also remember that certain sense of disappointment you feel when you look at a hlf-finished project. :)

good luck on yer lovely deck.

blue_fusion
 

Nevada

Every creative person runs headlong into this problem sooner or later. We love to start things, but finishing is tricky. Once you're in a flow with one idea, the flood of other ideas begins to come through.

Jot down those new ideas, but stay focused on the task at hand.

My myriad new ideas seem to come to me as I'm falling asleep (or trying to). I've learned that if I don't write them down either they keep me awake, or they're gone by morning. So I keep a pad of paper, pens and pencils beside my bed.

Nevada
 

Lady Eclipse

Hi Chronata,

Yes, it's currently happening to me. I've got too many deck ideas and not enough time to work on all of them. The way I'm handling it is to work on no more than 3 decks at a time but unless you're really focused, can keep each deck seperated in your mind and can multi-task continuously in such a manner, I don't recommend doing it this way. Others have given you really great suggestions such as writing down your ideas, doing sketches, etc.

Completing the first one is the most difficult. After that, it gets so much easier IMO. Good luck to you but I don't think you'll need it! :)

Joy to you,
Maralee
 

Chronata

Thanks everyone for all the great advice!

Of course, you are right.

Finishing projects is especially difficult for me, and this one is a really big one!

Thanks for the encouragement!
 

Cerulean

Go with the new one slant

What happens is the first and second set are gelling at the moment. Likely at the end of your third set, you'll find that in your review process, the first and second fed into the third, even if the theme is different.

If it is important, the first or second will call you to finish. Otherwise, I know sometimes we do preliminary drafts that help get out lots of surface or superficial ideas...but digging deeper, our newer project may be more what are heart is calling us to do.

I know I finished some booklets and it turns out some things I started with Leonardo Da Vinci/Florentine art is calling me to return...and I'm glad I gave it a rest for awhile.

Mari H.