Color and Gloss

[Paulloseby]

I have just put this question on the 'Woodturning' magazine forum which is mainly used by UK turners. I would love to know what our friends in the US think. The AWGB seminar is the UK's symposium for the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain:

At the AWGB seminar last weekend, during the critique of the instant gallery items, Phil Irons, I felt, took unjustified criticism for his use of colour and gloss on one of his hollow forms. The two people making the critisism were 'Gods' amongst woodturners but who says that 'thou shall not use colour or gloss'? I felt that I did not have sufficient experience to argue the point but at least David Springett had the courage to say that he too likes this type of finish.

I have never seen a Phil Irons piece that I have not liked and that I would not love to have the ability to turn one day. No doubt Like us all, he does have his share that go in the bin but what is the statute where it says that this is wrong?

I have utmost admiration for both of the 'Gods' but knowing that they judge the work of others, do they only give credit to those who finish in the manner that they feel it should be done?

My own feelings are that if colour will enhance the grain of the wood, then go for it. Can anyone tell me why that is wrong?

Regards

Paul

 

[john lucas]

I guess the gods and I don't agree. We are all in this for fun or to make money. If you make a piece colored and glossy and you like it then that's all that really matters. Now if you enter it into a juried show the color and the gloss had better be there for a reason and most of all the form and function of the piece should be enhance by the color. There's a good possibility the judges will simply pass it by because it is colored. I don't understand this personally but I've seen it happen. We all have our own likes and dislikes. I grew up with sunburst paint jobs on guitars and even though I like natural wood I do like color.
I take a lot of flack from fellow turners for painting pieces. I do so because a lot of the wood I use simply doesn't have any interesting color of figure. I always enjoyed looking at and photographing flowers and part of this is because of the color. I think the use of color is perfectly acceptable but I realize that a lot of the old style turners don't like colored or painted wood. If you put a colored piece in a show with other work it will attract your eye just like a rose does in a field of green. When you get close to it however the piece will have to stand on it's own.
Glossy on the other hand is sometimes necessary to show off the color or the grain of the piece. Now there's "Glossy" and then there's Glossy. If your gloss is just a sprayed on thick looking plastic then I don't like it. If you make it glossy the finish had better be perfect, no runs, sags, or scratches.
I make a lot of Christmas ornaments and like it or not Glossy sells better than satin or matte. Consequently I make more glossy ones than satin.
I've also done the same test when I bring hollow vessels to work. They tend to like the glossy ones. Of course I'm not in the "art" market or trying to compete in a juried show so I make what sells and what I like.

 

[Barry Elder]

Perhaps the persons doing the critiques were just protecting their "territory". As has been said many times, "art" is in the eye of the beholder. When I look at a piece from one of our club members, the first thing I look at is the form. I tend not to look for color other than the natural. And as we all know, some wood cries out for some form of decoration to offset the ordinary-ness. As far as "gloss", that is an ageless marketing ploy which is applied to every facet of our daily lives. While I prefer a more natural look, "shiney sells", so if you like it that way, do it! Everyone is different, and that makes me happy.

 

[Joe Greiner]

It would be easier to reply if we had a verbatim transcript of the "criticism." It's possible it was merely good-natured needling, to provoke a debate, and watch the fire.

I have a horse's *** cousin-in-law, who originally took great delight in trying to yank my chain. Once I discovered it was only a game, I learned how to respond (without reacting), and we now have a high old time entertaining the rest of the family. Not quite up to the standards of Abbott & Costello, or Tom & Ray on Car Talk, but a lot of fun anyway. And good brain exercise too.

Never let anyone know where you keep your goat. Or keep them guessing about your hot buttons.

 

[Richard Baker]

A different viewpoint has been expressed by another well known and widely aclaimed artist who is generally put off by anything simply "brown and round".

It would be a shame if we all had to make exactly the same stuff.