two new spalted beech forms

[cornucopia]

hello folks
here are two new pieces- one was made a few weeks ago and carved/textured today- the other was made today and will dry out over the next week or so.
sorry the pics aren't great as it was dark by the time i left the workshop so i've had to use artificial light.
both forms are about 6" wide by 5 or 6" tall

 

[Lightweeder]

Absolutely lovely. I like them both equally, but the second one lent itself to texturing more, maybe :? Lovely.

LW

 

[Bodrighy]

I really like the 2nd one. Reminds me of a sea urchin, don't know if that was your intention. What did you do the dimpling with, a Dremel type tool?

Pete

 

[wizer]

I like both but one thought that struck me was that the texturing should be on the other one. The second one has much more going on in the grain and I'm not sure it needs the texturing. Whilst the first is a little calmer in it's figuring and would probably take well to the texturing.

Small points tho, I like them both. You've done a great job with the texturing and the opening is a nice touch.

 

[duncanh]

That second one is fantastic. It looks really tactile.

Did you choose to texture and carve it because the wood was too soft to get a decent finish or was it you intention from the start?

 

[CHJ]

As Pete comments, second one very Urchinesque, treated that way much more to my liking than a plain form, I think it's because it has in depth interest that draws my eye back whereas the the plainer form is passed in a simple glance by me.

 

[Harlequin]

like the second one a lot.
the spalting makes the piece busy anyway and I have often thought that any further texturing could have a negative effect - not so ,looking good

 

[Ad de Crom]

My favorite is defenitely the first hollow form, beautifully spalted beech.
Will show very well on my mantelpiece
Ad

 

[Bodgit & Sons]

Love the first one. Dont really like the second one when looking at it from the side but think it looks great when looking down at it. Then the hole and carving all seems to work.

 

[Steve Jones]

Both excellent forms George but my preference is for the first one.

Regards

Steve

 

[Jenx]

Beauts, George... And another 'nod' for the similarity to the Sea Urchin from me... thats what it reminded me of too ! ... great pieces ! 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

 

[richburrow]

Hello George.
As other people have said I like them both, but I prefer the first one.
Lovely shape and the patterns and markings are fantastic.

 

[Santos]

Cornucopia, love them both; your work with hollow forms never stops to amaze me.

 

[cornucopia]

thankyou for all your comments

Pete: yep dremel tool with a ball burr

tom: your not the only one to have made the same comments- the photo isn't very good- i'm looking at it now and you can see all of the spalting through the texture just like the texture wasn't there.I'm not sure wether i'd use the vertical ribs and the texture on the same piece again though.

duncan: no if its too soft i bin it- life's too short
here it was the day it was made and before it moved (the reason i experimented with it)

the textured piece was made from a whole limb which i don't often do- i centred the pith and removed it but the growth rings weren't concentric and as it dried it bulged on the reaction side of where the pith was- this looked awful and so it was scrap- so i though i'd use it to mess about with- i had to make the hole larger to remove the bulge- then i tried the ribs to see if with a thinner wall thickness the effect would work, it did. then i could=int be bothered to hand sand it so tried a few different textures and settled on this one- i'm hoping to get the guinevere system for xmas i'm hoping that will make sanding easier.

i still like this textured piece and i'm glad i spent a couple of hours messsing with it.

 

[Paul.J]

Both lovely pieces George
I like the form of the first,and the finish on the second.
How long did it take to do the second :?:

 

[mikec]

Hi George,

Like both pieces, the first is clean with nice form.

The second is really interesting, having an "organic" quality to it. I think the comments about the spalting and texture together may be valid but would like to see a plain textured form before deciding. Either way its a very well executed piece.
Keep them coming

Regards,

Mike C

 

[hog&bodge]

Fantastic finish on the second...I like the first best.
You never know what grain pattern your going to get
with spalted woods but not been disappointed yet.
I am wondering how long you spent on the second bowl.
Thanks for showing your work....
alex

 

[cornucopia]

thank you for your comments

the carving and textureing took about 4 hours to do

 

[mark sanger]

Hi George

I always love your hollow forms ( not you mate, just your hollow forms) lol.

I admire them as turning once, thin walled vessels is a fine science which involves a great deal of skill and knowledge of the substrate.

How have perfected this type of work.

 

[cornucopia]

How have perfected this type of work.

eh :?: