Perfecting Your Work

A sculptor working in marble starts with a block of stone and a vision. With an assortment of tools, the artist chisels away the material until a rough image takes shape. Discovering the marble’s veining, the sculptor may revise his or her original vision to use the stone in the best way possible. Finally, after the shape is established, the artist finishes the surface, leaving the piece highly polished, chisel marked, or something in between, depending on the goal or message of the sculpture.

This final step is important to every project, although the level of polishing necessary is dependent on the project’s purpose. If the purpose is casual, polish your work until it is clean, clear, and correct. If the purpose is semiformal, add effective, efficient, and enjoyable to the mix. And if the purpose is formal, work until your project boasts the first six attributes plus precise, powerful, and polished. However, even with these levels of formality in mind, remember that it is always important to perfect your work, for yourself and for those with whom you will share it.