First platters

[Alan Tolchinsky]

I did these about a month ago using cherry and pine I had around for the accent stripes. I was wood challenged and just wanted something to do. Comments and suggestions welcome on work and photography. I'm still trying to learn. Thanks!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Looks pretty good to me! Nice clean lines - good color contrast! Approx sizes? What did you use for a finish?

Photos are always hard to critique... About the only thing I would change would be the background. Understand that the background influences the color of the item you are photographing - that's why most of us try to stick with neutral colors - white or a gray variant.

Everything looks good! Keep turning! Looking forward to seeing what's next!

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks Steve, the stripped one is 9" and the other 8". I used wipe on gloss poly but am trying "danish oil" type finishes on future things so I can Beall buff them. You comments on color back ground for photographing are much appreciated. Alan

[Richard Madison]

Alan,
Until you buy something expensive you could try a double layer of ironed, heavily starched white sheet. Not as nice as the commercially available graduated background, but works reasonably well. Nice platters BTW.

[Richard Jones]

Neat idea there, Tarheel.

Critique? You did ask, so here goes.

I would make the foot as well defined as you have the rim, which is excellent, especially on the left one. Looks too rounded for me, not crisp enough. Foot size is fine, depending upon what it is, but I would make them crisper. Adds much more of a touch of "professionalism" to me, for sure. You might also add some embellishment within the foot, so that viewers can tell that you put in as much time on the back surface as you do the front. No need to clean out the entire area within the foot, looks more interesting with center "button" Also, where's your signature? You gotta sign it...........

Again, a neat touch with the two species, I'll have to try that, for sure. I assume that the pine sanded much differently than the cherry? Did it ripple due to the large growth rings?

Rich (ex-Tarheel, or can there be such a thing?) in VA

[Bernie Weishapl]

Those are some good looking platters. Well done.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks guys and Richard, I like your ideas. I'm going to use them on the next ones I do. You know I thought the same as you did about the sanding but it was no trouble at all. It all sanded very nicely. Thanks again!

[Eugene Wigley]

Alan, those are nice looking platters. I need to try some of those.