new turning

Re: new turning

Tony Reynolds

>Hi Keith,

Both piece's look very nice, but I find them not working well together. They tend to fight each other for attention. I have trouble trying to take it in as a whole. This is my opinion only. I'll be interested in seeing what others have to say.

Tony

I am very uncomfortable making any comments

Dave Smith, Longview, WA

>Hi Keith,

I am very uncomfortable making any comments. However, tact is not something I am known for. From the perspective of only one picture my impression is that the ebony bead separates the maple finial piece from the bowl. I my opinion the ebony bead should be removed and the maple finial were attached to the collar. Then the maple finial would appear to emerge from the maple bowl. I am not good explaining what I see in my head. In the picture the maple finial looks like a separate entity. The ebony bead appears to be a wall between the bowl and the finial. Without the bead the finial and bowl would be a in unity.

Keith, I almost didn't post this comment because you are in a different league than I am when it comes to turning. Please take my comments as my opinion and in no way am I criticizing your work. I wish I could produce work as wonderful as yours.

Dave Smith

Just a wantabee turner in Longview, WA.

Re: I am very uncomfortable making any comments

Keith Tompkins

>HI Dave, No need to be uncomfortable....we all need to make things, then see how we like them. Each piece I do seems to give me ideas for the next. I'll take something I like, and then try to build on it. I look at my work in the same way you do: does this work? why or why not? I think with out that process, we just stay the same. Thanks for your input, Keith

Re: new turning

Keith Tompkins

>Hi Tony, hmmmm, some food for thought. I appreciate the comments.

Re: new turning

Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont

>Hi Keith,

I am not much of a round turner, but I will say I respect very much your turning and artistic skill...this is wonderful to look at.

For me the finial gives the concept of movement and wind,,something flowing and light ...the base and ring turning look great, the wood looks amazing as does the finish!!

Take care,

Jim

Re: new turning

Mike Schwing from Md.

>Keith, I've looked at this half a dozen times now and can't make it work for me. While I appreciate the talent, ingenuity and craft, I can't stop thinking that it looks like a pen in an ink well. (and I hate myself thinking that).

I think it is the base. Both things stand well on their own (and the finial stands in a league all its own), but they don't go together.

I think they would work better together if the base were a more traditional vase oriented piece so the lines of the finial were reflected in the body of the base.

I know you take constructive criticism as a professional, and that is the only reason I can bring myself to write this. I _want_ it to work but I just can't get there.

Re: new turning

John Lucas

>Keith

I agree with Jim. I like the way your eye travels up the vessel and is then carried up like the ribbons being blown out of the vessel. I think you can have a lot of fun playing with the shape of all 3 components to get more movement both dynamic and static. Sort of reminds me of Frank Sudol's ribbon vessels but yours works on the natural wood level instead of airbrushed.

I guess that's a long winded way of saying I realy like it.

Re: new turning

Leo Van Der Loo

>I also have looked at it several times, scrolling it down and I would say like Mike they can stand each by themselves but to me it looks like the finial stands on top, its not part of, thats my feeling, they are, and I feel that way, they are beautifull though.

some day, maybe some day i'll try

thanks for sharing

Leo V

I`ll throw my hat into the ring here

Bob Hackett

>I`ve been looking at the piece and come to the same conclusion that some others have.They each look very good but don`t seem connected in this piece(sorry).

The one post referencing the blowing ribbon got me thinking that perhaps a spiral type texture on the top of the base piece and brought thru the collar replacing the beads(which isolate the finial)would give the appearance of wind and movement and help to tie the finial to the base visually.

Hope that made sense and helps in some small way.

Mainely,Bob

Re: I`ll throw my hat into the ring here

Keith Tompkins

>Ouch! You all sure know how to hurt a guy! LOL. Actually, this is the beauty of the critique...it's good to look at your work through someone else's eyes. It isn't always easy to be objective when it concerns your own piece.

I had a few reservations concerning the piece, so I didn't glue the mortises that hold the finial together; I let the piece sit on a shelf for a while just to think about it.

I have since modified the ebony section to unify the whole; eliminating some of the beads. Just a small change can make a dramatic difference.....

I like the idea of the two seperate forms together, we'll see if I can pull it off! Thanks for the input..I really do appreciate it.

I would love to see the modified piece.

Dave Smith, Longview, WA

>

I`ll second that!

Bob Hackett

>Along with the reasoning behind the modifications.

No reason everybody can`t learn alittle here and I`d be interested in how the maker was and is looking at this piece.

One of the things I always wrestle with on a new direction is not so much if a piece works or not(that usually is immediately apparent as soon as the wife sees it,she`s brutal).It`s more WHY it either works or fails to work that is hard to pin down.

Mainely,Bob

Re: I`ll second that!

Keith Tompkins

>I'll post a photo asap.....I think the ebony bead was a distraction, it stopped the flow of the finial. I also reduced the bead on the finial. the piece looks better; I took the picture to show the spiral, it makes the finial look a lot larger than it is. I should have taken the shot from a profile view.

Re: new turning

Pascal Oudet

>I agree with Mike on this: we have straight lines on the finials, and round ones on the bottom, which are competing. I would love to see a bottom matching with the top: a vase for the bottom, with the same kind of process you use for the top. imagine a closed shaped done with this "warped foils" techniques, associated with the current finial. Or course, I don't know how you'd do that, but hey, that's your job ;-))))

Pascal