Natural Edge Vessel Critique

When I demonstrate I try to integrate three things, no matter what the subject of the demo.

1. Things I wish I had known when I started turning.
2. Lessions I wish I had learned sooner when I started turning.
3. Advice I wish I had taken when I started turning.

Let's do a bit of that here.

As with most advice, dos, and don'ts; these represent my opinions, and there are exceptions to most rules.

1. Forget the knots.
2. Think twice about including bark. The bark edge is an obvious exception and the flow of the bark on the side works in this case, but more often it just adds nothing to the composite whole.
3. If you absolutely must include a crack, DO something with it! Period. Explanation point! Full stop.
4. The piece is not done until the tool marks are gone! I eventually realized I was always in such a hurry to have the work finished that I would trick myself into not seeing what needed work. I will still sometimes stop short of the best I can do in the interest of moving on, but it is a conscious judgement decision to make the best use of the time available to me.

5. Just as artistic embellishments should not compete with natural figure for center stage, photos should caputure light and shadow to help the viewer to take in the whole form and guide the mind's eye to the focal point of the work. The backdrop should, in its best role, "disappear."

On a positive note, I still feel this form is pretty ok without flat spots or "elbows" to detract from the curves. The proportions seem decent, if you mentally include the bottom of the vessel hidden in the deep shadows.

There is more that could be said. Please feel free to add your opposing views and suggestions to aid other turners in improving their ability to look critically at and improve their own work. I will not take it personally, but rather as an opportunity to collectively mentor another generation of woodturners.

Rick Urban said:

I eventually realized I was always in such a hurry to have the work finished that I would trick myself into not seeing what needed work.

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Good stuff here.....this comment ^^^^^ reminded me of something in the thread about the writing on the walls of your shop that went something like this:

If you think "it's good enough"......it probably isn't!

This thread here:

Rick Urban said:

5. Just as artistic embellishments should not compete with natural figure for center stage,

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^^^^^ Yes.....absolutely!

-o-

I have signs in my shop. One says, "Do it now!" The other says, "Don't do it!" I will probably open a new thread with the details on their origins.

Rick Urban said:

I have signs in my shop. One says, "Do it now!" The other says, "Don't do it!" I will probably open a new thread with the details on their origins.

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Hey......"Do it now" was the first thing I ever put on the wall of my shop! My thinking on that, was when you have an idea, you must act on that idea right away.....because the chances are you'll never get back to it later.

-o-

My thought, at the time, for Do it now! was...
Sharpen the gouge.
Pick up the nub on the floor.
Move the tool rest.
Etc.

But I like yours too.

I don't like the shadow towards the bottom and neck, secondary light? mirrow? Light behind potographer?no blue?cracks happen

helpful hints for this newbie—thanks.

Rick, your comments are spot-on. We were all beginners once and, more or less, made the same mistakes.

• I've observed that beginners aim for the largest turning that they can make from a chunk of wood rather than the best turning they can make, typically, a flat-bottomed bowl with vertical sides.
• Knots and bark inclusions aren't necessary and sufficient conditions for a masterpiece.
• If the ugly hunk of wood "speaks" to you, don't listen because it has a wooden brain.
• When photographing your finished masterpiece, fingers, toes, and a messy shop might not be the optimal photo background.