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Thread: Nuther Black Cherry Vase

  1. #1
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    Nuther Black Cherry Vase

    Hi All,
    A friend told me yesterday, with a very nice illustration, how my last vase might have been a tad on the chubby side . She was absolutely right, so I wanted to try a more slender approach. This was made from a badly checked blank, but it was an experiement so I didn't mind too much. It stands 7" Tall. The finish is my BLO/DNA/Shellac cocktail. Criticisms are much requested as I'd like to get this form as pleasing as possible.

    Thanks!!
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    ~john
    "There's nothing wrong with Quiet" ` Jeremiah Johnson

  2. #2
    John, in one of the turning books by Richard Raffan he suggests turning shapes that you are considering in some scrap or otherwise undesirable wood and painting them flat black so that you can evaluate the form without the distraction of finish or grain. I look at your vase here and it is hard to evaluate it because my eye is drawn to the checks and grain. I kept asking myself what are those dark lines. I finally had to finish reading your post and then evaluate the shape as you requested.

    That said there is something about the form that is not quite right to my eye. The proportions at the top and bottom are not quite right. I want the top fuller, just the opposite of what your friend said, and I want the curves to be more continuous. There appear to be some areas where the curve straightens out. Again this could be deceiving because of the shine and wood grain distractions. I think it has a lot of potential. You certainly do imaginative work. This piece is a candidate for a number of experiments such as bleaching, dyeing, texturing all of which would dramatically affect the way one looks at it.
    Big Mike

    I have done so much with so little for so long I am now qualified to do anything with nothing......

    P.S. If you are interested in plans for any project that I post, just put some money in an envelope and mail it to me and I will keep it.

  3. #3
    John, could you take a profile pic against a white background with the vase backlighted? I tend to think the same as Mike about the curves, but it's a little hard to tell from this angle.

  4. #4
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    Good idea Travis. I've been trying to see what Mike was talking about and I'm getting lost in the grain too. I think he's right though....My curve seems a tad flat. I'll go do that now and post in a few minutes
    ~john
    "There's nothing wrong with Quiet" ` Jeremiah Johnson

  5. #5
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    I like it a lot John! That cherry is really nice stuff!

  6. #6
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    Travis and Mike are right on the money about the curve straigghtening out.

    However, I somewhat disagree with Mike about it needing to be chubbier. In my twisted way of seeing things, I'm not too critical of the girth of a piece like this as long as the curves are consistent. That's not to say it has to have the same radius throughout; just that if the radius needs to change it changes at a consistent rate. I think.
    Only the Blue Roads

  7. #7
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    You guys have good eyes!!

    Ok...here's the backlit silhouette. I'll be danged....It's Flat!!!
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    ~john
    "There's nothing wrong with Quiet" ` Jeremiah Johnson

  8. #8
    Well, John I would not say it is flat but it does have some flat spots. Each to his own but I like slightly fuller curves flowing down to the bottom. Think of an upside down truncated tear drop that has had the pointy end cut off. I am sure there is no one answer to this question but John I believe that continuous fair curves make a difference to the eye. We need Mark Singer's eye and opinion on this as he probably has forgotten more about good form and design than I will ever know.....
    Big Mike

    I have done so much with so little for so long I am now qualified to do anything with nothing......

    P.S. If you are interested in plans for any project that I post, just put some money in an envelope and mail it to me and I will keep it.

  9. #9
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    This is so much fun guys. One thing it shows is how different we all are in how we see things. I for one have never had any formal art training and I don't even know the 1/3-2/3 rule or what ever it is. The form/shape of a piece is always subjective. All that being said I personally like this form with only one thing I might do different and that would be to make the base a tad bit smaller. This kind of critique helps all of us become better turners.

  10. #10

    Thumbs up

    Thanks John, that makes it a lil easier to see. Just taking a shot, I think it would flow better into the base if it was a tad shorter-maybe an inch. Then the base smaller to let the curves of the sides flow smoothly into it.

  11. #11
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    Ya know....I think I just figured out what bothers me about this piece. First off, I agree that the curves need to be curves...no flat spots. Secondly...the bottom...I agree that it needs to be smaller.
    But my big revelation...If the top had a lip, then the shoulder width would be fine as is...but since it has no lip, the shoulder width should be narrower as well as the bottom, with a graceful curve throughout.

    But then...this is coming from a guy who has ZERO artistic eye! (Which is why I need so much help from y'all)
    ~john
    "There's nothing wrong with Quiet" ` Jeremiah Johnson

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Travis Stinson
    Thanks John, that makes it a lil easier to see. Just taking a shot, I think it would flow better into the base if it was a tad shorter-maybe an inch. Then the base smaller to let the curves of the sides flow smoothly into it.
    Shorter? I was thinking taller! I gotta think about this. Coming from you Travis, I have to take this very seriously...your work is awesome. Time to go to the thinking chair methinks.
    ~john
    "There's nothing wrong with Quiet" ` Jeremiah Johnson

  13. #13
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    I actually like it better now, although I cannot explain why.

    Part of my trouble with trying to cut these lines is that quite often my mind and eye recommend something to my hands and the hands don't get the message; so the gouge does what it was gonna do all along!
    Only the Blue Roads

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andy Hoyt
    I actually like it better now, although I cannot explain why.

    Part of my trouble with trying to cut these lines is that quite often my mind and eye recommend something to my hands and the hands don't get the message; so the gouge does what it was gonna do all along!
    heh heh....me too Andy...me too
    ~john
    "There's nothing wrong with Quiet" ` Jeremiah Johnson

  15. #15
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    For what it's worth, sometimes I will open up Paint or Photoshop and start drawing curves. It allows me to experiment easily with ideas. I recently bought a dry erase board for the garage so I can do the same thing.

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