dyed wormy maple

[David E Keller]

Here's a little experiment I tried with a 'freebie' piece of maple I got from Isaac Rapelje a few months ago. I used food coloring for the dye 'cause that's what I had... Tried to emphasize the quilt/curl with an accent color. It's about 7 inches across and a little less than 3 tall. Finished with food coloring, BLO, shellac, and then wipe-on gloss poly. I think it has an aquatic feel. As always, comments and criticism welcome!
wormy-dyed-maple-2.jpg

wormy-dyed-maple-1.jpg

[Norm Zax]

Lovely aquamarine gem!

[Allen Neighbors]

Beautiful form, and finish looks great, David! Did you streak the green after the blue, or vice-versa?
I've been enjoying some little dying experiments with food coloring, too.
Pretty cool! When you look at it close, it looks sort of like something off of a reef!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice form and a great combination of colors! Really like the aquatic effect!

[David E Keller]

Beautiful form, and finish looks great, David! Did you streak the green after the blue, or vice-versa?
I've been enjoying some little dying experiments with food coloring, too.
Pretty cool! When you look at it close, it looks sort of like something off of a reef!

Actually, I dyed the whole thing blue then sanded it back a bit. The green is actually yellow applied over the areas where the figure was evident. The old blue and yellow make green trick!

[David DeCristoforo]

That's really wild. Like the worm holes. Like the shape. Like the colors. Like the figure in the wood. So that's pretty much it.

[John Keeton]

David, that is an extremely interesting piece!! I love the effect you have achieved with the food coloring, and the worm holes are a perfect "texture" for that combination. Great piece!

[Roger Chandler]

David,

That is a nice form, and the coloring is very unique. You do nice work! I am surprised that you don't have a pearl on it somewhere

All good humor [certainly attempted ] aside, that is a nice work. I have not done but one piece of wood that had worm holes, and it was only a couple of them, so I turned them away, in my novice days, because I thought they were a defect, and shouldn't be left on the turning. Boy, was I wrong, because everyone on this forum seems to celebrate them and make them the prominent feature almost!

Turn some more and color them red, green, yellow, orange and purple, then display your rainbow collection..........you will be a great hit!

[Mark Hubl]

Nice form David. You did very well with the color. Looks great.

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a nice looking piece David.

[Bob Bergstrom]

The holes give it a porous coral look. Blues and greens are hard to beat on figured maple

[Steve Vaughan]

That's a cool looking, really neat looking! Question on the food coloring, do you or anyone know how well that does over time as far as fading?

[Mike Cruz]

I think that's cooler than anything!

[David E Keller]

That's a cool looking, really neat looking! Question on the food coloring, do you or anyone know how well that does over time as far as fading?

My understanding is that it does fade, but I don't know how much or how fast. I've done a few pens that are over a year out from finishing, and they look great. Maybe somebody else will have more experience with it.

[Baxter Smith]

That is a very distinctive piece! I hope the color doesn't fade too badly over time. Great shape and wood but the color sets it apart.