two wood ID's + critique on bowls please (updated with comp

[miles_hot]

Below are two bowls which I turned for Alex S from some wood that he gave me. The odd thing is that for the bowl below and my comp entry we don't know what the woods are. I a fairly sure that the bowl below is some form of Mahog substitute - it turned out to be a very light wood.


The pot below is elm.


2nd mystery wood (my comp entry):


Any comments on any of these bowls would be very welcome, for instance I am not sure that I got the right shape for the calabash type pot - maybe the sides go into much?? Wood ID would also be nice!

Many thanks

Miles

 

[cornucopia]

hello miles

I cant help with the wood ID on the top bowl- but i do like the form and proportions of teh piece very much.

as for the calabash bowl- i would have prefferd a similar proportion but with a more rounded apperance- so from top to toe the curve follows similar lines to this piece (maybe with the top dia being slightly narrower to aid flow)but is more bulbous and rounded if that makes sense.

 

[miles_hot]

hello miles

I cant help with the wood ID on the top bowl- but i do like the form and proportions of teh piece very much.

as for the calabash bowl- i would have prefferd a similar proportion but with a more rounded apperance- so from top to toe the curve follows similar lines to this piece (maybe with the top dia being slightly narrower to aid flow)but is more bulbous and rounded if that makes sense.

Thanks for the comment on the top one - means a lot. I'm surprised by the smaller mouth comment on the elm bowl; I was thinking that I'd made it slop in too much rather than not enough! Still got a lot to learn

Miles

 

[skeetoids]

Hi Miles,

I think your first bowl is very utilitarian, in other words I can't imagine anyone not liking it. Simple, classic flow to this piece, nice little foot and a good overall thickness. Looks to be well finished too. If anything the wood is slightly on the dull side and not much grain figure but this is nothing to do with your technique or style.

The second bowl for me is almost opposite, the wood has a very nice figure and colour. However, like GW has stated, I also feel the shape needs to be more bulbous to capture what you want. Perhaps the curve near the bottom of the bowl just needs to be made bigger to create a more outward and rounded line to the piece.

I would be very happy to have made both these pieces, excellent execution and finish.

Cheers,

Lee.

 

[miles_hot]

Thanks Lee - I will have to have another go at the shape some day taking your's and George's comments into account. Mind you Priority 1 has to be the candle and the probable allowance for at least 2 failures as I've never turned anything stick like before!

Miles

 

[skeetoids]

Hi Miles,

I think you're underestimating your skills.

I have made 2 candle sticks in the past and I enjoyed both of them very much. I found them very enjoyable to produce and not very difficult, although my designs where fairly simple.

I'm sure you'll crack it first time, no pun intended :lol:

Cheers,

Lee.

 

[miles_hot]

Thread updated with my comp entires if anyone would care to comment on it
Thanks
Miles

 

[myturn]

Hi Miles,

Your comp. entry has a lovely shape but I think it would have been better fully hollowed so the inside reflected the outside shape.

Mick

 

[miles_hot]

Hi Miles,

Your comp. entry has a lovely shape but I think it would have been better fully hollowed so the inside reflected the outside shape.

Mick

I needed to retain a wide rim to show off the tiger stripes and I fear that if I'd hollowed it out it would have become more of a hollow form but maybe more of an undercut would have helped?

Miles

 

[skeetoids]

Hi Miles,

The wood is stunning and is showed off very well with a nice finish.

Have you thought about loosing the foot, this may give the base a simpler, cleaner look and be less of a visual interuption to the grain.

Trying the 3trds guide on the bowl may work better, say 2trds bowl 1trd rim, this would give a deeper wider bowl but still provide a substantial rim to suit your grain choice.

You've chosen an OG curve for the outside profile, which is well done, but perhaps mirroring the bowl interior may have created a more unified piece.

Take a look a some Richard Raffan pieces, he uses a lot of OG lines both exterior and interior to great effect. Also, lots of entries in the comp show excellent examples of both types of bowl.

Where did you get the wood btw? Very nice indeed.

Cheers,

Lee.

 

[miles_hot]

The wood came from Alex S who now has the bowls however we don't know what sort of wood it is!

 

[Lightweeder]

Sapele?

 

[miles_hot]

Sapele?

The really stippy one?
Miles

 

[Lightweeder]

The first one. Certainly very like it.