What's with hollow forms...?

[Doug Rasmussen]

Hollow forms...you know, the big round pieces hollowed out so the wall is very thin.

At the AAW show in Portland a few years ago I was at the booth of a well known turner who specializes in hollow forms looking at one of his pieces. The booth lady (maybe the turner's wife) said I could pick it up. It was a situation where you expect something to be fairly heavy so I used both hands and almost threw it in the air because it was so unexpectedly light. Of course this panicked the booth lady. I put it down quickly and apologized for my clumsiness.

I'm sort of a form follows function person. So, do hollow forms have any useful function except demonstrating the turner's skill? They can also serve as decorative objects I suppose, but decorative objects can just as well have a function too.

[Prashun Patel]

Doug-

To butcher a Walter White phrase, "If you don't know...you better tread lightly." Round these parts, hollow forms are hallowed forms!

I share your sentiment. I had a Monster hollowing rig, and after about 10, during the laborious process of shutting off the lathe a million times to excavate the innards of my eleventh, I realized it wasn't for me. I like instead impractical bowls that are too tippy or have holes in them.

[Roger Chandler]

Now, Now......you are a treadin' on the sacred there a bit, pardner!

[John Keeton]

Doug, there are hollow forms that are inspired by pottery forms from various cultures, including the SW Native Americans, and then there are more artistic forms with delicate pedestals and finials as noted by Roger. One can hardly say a Rembrant is "functional", so perhaps beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. If I were constrained to functional items, I would sell my lathe.

[Brian Kent]

Hollow forms are evil and should be avoided at all costs. Some of the reasons not to avoid them are:

1. I want to make something that has an opening under 2". For me, that was a pitcher.
2. I want to make something with extreme beauty that happens to be hollow.
3. I saw one and had to do it.

Other than that, avoid them.
Unless you can't.
But try.

[robert baccus]

Hollow forms are not necessarily thin by definition. How do you define thin anywho?

[Steve Schlumpf]

What’s with hollow forms? Good question.

To me, hollow forms are wooden sculptures that showcase form, whether historic or whimsical, as well as provide a canvas that really highlights the beauty of the wood. Many times when we turn a bowl or platter, we end up turning away a lot of the beautiful grain/curl/feather in the process of creating the final form. With a hollow form you can orient the blank to use what the wood has to offer and combine it in such a way as to enhance the form.

Does a hollow form have a function? I view good hollow forms the same as sculptures and paintings. By good, I mean not only must the skill level be apparent but the overall presentation should stir emotion and spark the imagination. The art world is slowly coming around to accepting turned art and it is really fun to see what some of our fellow turners create!

Turning hollow forms thin can be viewed as a sign of skill but it also serves a purpose – it minimizes movement and the potential for checking. Turning a form consistently thin takes concentration and intent and is a skill that comes into play when the artist wants to do any piercing or embellishing. Each turner has an opinion as to what constitutes too thin or too thick when it comes to hollow forms. To me it is all a matter of perceived balance – meaning before you picked that hollow form up at the symposium – you obviously thought it was going to be heavy and mentally was expecting that when you picked it up. That could have been because the walls looked thick, the overall size of the piece or any number of things you take in when visually checking something out. A good balance to me is when there are no major surprises. If a piece looks light – it is light. When the piece has heavier walls, well, you get the idea.

So, you being a form follows function kind of guy, you may want to give hollowing a try if for no other reason than you are copying forms – functional forms – from pots, vases and other containers used throughout the ages. Besides, when you create a hollow form, it is one of a kind – thanks to Mother Nature!

Have fun!

[Wayne Jolly]

I have always thought I was the only person that didn't care for hollow forms. Those tall ones that have a base the size of a dime and a hole in the top about that same size. I suppose the are all arty farty, popular (for some reason), show good wood grain, and turners skill for sure. But I like more practical and usable items. I especially like things were a turner has taken a nasty ratty looking piece of crap wood and turned it into something downright beautiful, and yet still usable and won't tip over and break when an earthquake hits.



Wayne

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Hollow forms do not have to be thin......

[John Keeton]

Thank the good Lord that folks are different. Wouldn't it be boring if we all turned the same thing?? Each to his own. As to "form follows function", that may work for things that have a particular purpose. But art is art, and form comes first in those situations IMO. There simply is no function that follows except to enjoy the artistic expression that was created. If it isn't your thing, then find something that is.

[Alan Trout]

I am a hollow form turner. When I started turning I wanted to make absolutely useless items. Why? because they are not useless, they make me happy to look at them. I have found a pretty strong market of others that feel the same way. Just because something does not have a function does not make it useless. An object the stirs emotion can be very useful. Many of my influences are based on my childhood I make objects that remind me of a simple time and that makes me happy. Art is in the eye of the beholder. I often say that I make for myself and if someone else enjoys it that is just a bonus.

[Dan Forman]

They can also serve as decorative objects I suppose, but decorative objects can just as well have a function too.

The primary function of a decorative object is to delight the eye one who gazes upon it.

Dan

[Peter Dougenik]

I personally really like turning hollow forms. I enjoy the challenge of cutting walls by feel and intuition when I can't see the end of the cutter and result of something that not only looks nice but makes non-turners ask "how the heck did you do that?". OP seems to be in the other camp, the one in which my wife unfortunately resides. The first hollow form I turned I proudly brought upstairs from the shop to show her and the response was "what's if FOR? what does it DO?" .

to each his own I guess

[John Sincerbeaux]

Hollow forms have been crafted and highly valued for 30,000 years. They have been crafted from anything from clay to gold and adorned with jewels to intricate artwork. I'm sure their origins were more function than art but it didn't take long for artistic expression to become part of a vessel. Look at the amazing vessels that have been found in ancient Egyptian royal tombs.
I'm not sure how long humans have been making hollow form vessels from wood? Maybe David Elsworth was the first? But I think modern day wood turners are only continuing a centuries-old art form.
Personally, I was drawn to wood hollow forms from the first time I saw them in a gallery in Santa Fe.
They are the ONLY reason I purchased a lathe and all the tooling needed.
For me, the degree of difficulty increases exponentially with the size of the vessel being created. And the larger the vessel, the fewer turners who are interested in creating them. Why? Because it requires big tooling and big effort.
The upside.... Like centuries past, people with money desire large beautifully sculpted vessels and pay A LOT of money for them. I know of no other product from a lathe that can be more lucrative than a medium to large, perfectly finished
Hollow Form Vessel😀

[John K Jordan]

Thank the good Lord that folks are different. Wouldn't it be boring if we all turned the same thing??

Ha, I've been saying that for decades but never heard it from someone else! I say if everyone liked the same thing life sure would be boring. Food, music, vehicles.

JKJ