design questions.......

[Robert McGowen]

I have been reading up on design and have come across phi and the Rule of Thirds. I tried to proportion a turning based on the Rule of Thirds, but the Rule of Thirds did not come with instructions! I am not totally sure how to apply it to a turning, but gave it a shot.

I first turned the wood round and found that my largest dimension was 3.5" I divided that by 2 and multiplied by 3 and got 5.25" This is how tall the vase should be. A third of 5.25" is 1.75", so that is the base diameter. Also the widest part should be two thirds up from the base, which is 3.5" up. I had no idea if the neck should be the same diameter as the base, but it looked a little narrow, so the neck is wider.

Anyway, I about confused myself typing this, but the proportions seemed to work out. I don't think I would measure every piece, but it gives me an idea of where I should be. Any tips on how to apply this would be appreciated.

Mesquite, sanded to 600, Danish oil, and buffed.
Comments and critiques are welcome.
Thanks for looking.

[Frank Van Atta]

Looks to me like it worked out very well for you. Nice piece.

[charlie knighton]

that's very good, find what you like, you may continue to use all those diminisions but change just one of the dimensions ie foot either larger or smaller, how wide and where the largest width is in relation to overall turning, etc..... just experiment because otherwize all the turnings would be the same

[Tony De Masi]

Looks like it worked well Robert, but sounds kind of confusing to me also. I have heard of the rule of thirds but have never imosed it on any of my turnings.

I like the shape as is but I'm also trying to look at it without the lip on top. It would certainly give the piece a touch different flow but then again it would ruin the rule of thirds too.

[David E Keller]

Interesting topic. I often think 'one thirds/two thirds' when I'm laying out a project, but I have no idea which two elements of the turning are supposed to have that relationship. I usually try to make the widest point about 2/3 up from the bottom, but then everything else is feel for me. There are times when I don't like a piece I'm working on(a lot of times!), and I'd like to have a 'rule' to fall back on when considering design changes.

[Thomas Canfield]

I got lost with the math, but the look with the sapwood and general proportions worked well. Maybe I need to get my sliderule (I think I can find it somewhere) out and keep it by the lathe.

[Wally Dickerman]

When developing a piece with good, pleasing form, the rule of thirds is a good place to start. With this piece you've done quite well. The widest dia. is about 1/3rd from the top and 2/3rd from the bottom. Often the reverse works well. You missed a bit in that the base is a bit more than 1/3rd the largest dia. However, I think that your vessel has a very pleasing form.

I think that good form requires good proportions to achieve good balance. One essential for me is good curves. You've done well with this piece. The curve is continuous, without flat areas.

There are a lot of other things that go to make good or not so good form. The important thing is that good form will be pleasing to the eye and to the touch.

Of course, as they say, rules are made to be broken.

Wally

[Robert McGowen]

You missed a bit in that the base is a bit more than 1/3rd the largest dia. However, I think that your vessel has a very pleasing form.

Thanks, Wally. That is what I was looking for. I made the base 1/3rd of the height (1.75") and you are saying it should be 1/3rd of the largest diameter. (1.17") I told you there weren't any instructions!

I agree with everyone that it is really just a starting point, but it does help knowing where to start from!

[Alan Trout]

Robert,

Pretty much everything that Wally said is true. Particularly about the good flowing curve. I see this as one of the biggest problems with a lot of turnings. However you did very well with that and the overall form looks very nice. "The Golden Mean" for me is a general rule that is typically modified depending on the piece. With your shape vessel I try to put the widest point 2/3rds from the bottom of the vessel but on this piece IMHO I would have made the base just a tad smaller as I feel it would have given the illusion that the piece was taller than it really was. A smaller base would also added a bit of fragility to the piece which I usually find visually appealing. However overall I feel your effort was well done.

Alan

[Barry Elder]

Robert, the only rules written in stone are currently lost.

[bob svoboda]

At some point in time, someone tried to take that which is pleasing to the (his/her) eye and quantify it with a mathematical proportion. While I can agree the theory of 1/3 generally works, I don't feel bound by it as if it were a rule. What I like and what you like could be totally different, and we would both be right. Now, from the ground, next to my soap box I would like to say that your turning is VERY eye pleasing. The form, finish and the color and grain of the wood come together in a very appealing way. Nicely done!

[Baxter Smith]

Looks good to me. I also have wondered and measured various pieces when I was unsure about shapes and how to apply that 1/3 thing! Even get out my cellphone to do some quick calculations at times. Sometimes I follow them and sometimes not. I have wondered how that rule applies to finial heights as well.