Bay Area Dave wrote in news:qqf1b.211$id.19008623
@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com:

Everyone keeps asking for plans, plans, plans. Doesn't anybody have a
clue of what THEY want to make, rather than copying someone else's
ideas? I'm constantly amazed at the things people ask for plans for.
They even PAY for plans! The fun in building something for me is coming
up with a design, and then implementing it. If I said I was as painter,
I sure as heck wouldn't get a paint by numbers kit and just paint within
the lines. That's NOT a hobby. OR is it?? Am I all wet?? Do I have the
wrong idea about what woodworking is about?

I think most people ask for plans because they're not experts
(you, I gather, have reached a certain level of expertise).
Folk starting into something new look for guidance on what
proportions will work, on what joints are appropriate for a
given situation, even for how to make a joint that they haven't
previously made. As you gain more experience, first you take
existing plans and adapt them, as you learn where you can change
dimensions without resulting in ugly proportions or weak
construction; with further experience you can design from
scratch.

To take your painting example, many of the old masters of the
renaissance learned by painting over another master's work.
They weren't born with an inate grasp of color & perspective,
they learned it. Would you condemn their later work because
they started with "paint by numbers"?

John