off centre textured bowl.

[wider]

Progress so far on my Nick Arnull off centre bowl. All the turning completed and the texturing to get on with. It is 8x2” in size. the texturing completed tonight and i am very happy with the outcome. all comments welcome.

[fuzzyturns]

I am not quite sure what to say to this, to be honest. I can't see any fault with the turning or the texturing, but to my eye the whole thing doesn't hang together very well. In particular I am not really keen on the black/purple disc. But, heyho, it takes all sorts to make the world go round, so if you like it, then good on you.

[APH]

to my eye the whole thing doesn't hang together very well.

I'd have to agree.
I think the aesthetic problem lies mainly with the choice of timber. In Nick's original work* the base timber is very plain without figuring, so the design elements relieve that plainness. On this piece there's some heavy figuring that fights visually with the additional textures and additions so it all becomes confused.
It may just be the photography, but that disk just looks like a lump of plastic too and the colour doesn't harmonise with the timber at all.

For me, it would have been been far nicer without the decoration as the off centre bowl in the plate works well with the figuring.

* http://www.nickarnullwoodturner.co.uk/Gallery.aspx

[Bryan Milham]

I like the bowl, the shape, the off-center work etc., but there it stops.

The beads look like and in fact are cheap necklace beads, you can see the holes through them, the purple and black disk is (I think) an off-cut from one of the resin blocks that are up for sale in some turning shows.

Don't get me wrong, I can see what you are doing and what you are trying to achieve but I think you're going about it wrong. Go look at some of he work Les (Gwintog) had posted. He makes his own stone cabochons from local stone and being a natural material they work well with wood. Likewise a few small ones like Pete (bodrighywood) uses on his goblets would work better than the beads.

All the good work you've put into the bowl is lost by the application of cheap decoration, which unfortunately brings the whole thing down. A little rework and it will lift it enormously.

[wider]

thank you all for your comments. have you thought that for some of us it is a case of use what we can afford. we try and do as best as we can at what we can afford and if it is the cheap beads that we us then this is what we do. i cannot make my stones and if the disk is from one of the turning shows so be it. i am trying with new ideas and open for help not criticism.

[Les Symonds]

....open for help not criticism.

....that's a shame, because Bryan makes a fair point, and after all, in your post you do say

all comments welcome.

It doesn't need to come down to cost, though. If you search ebay for round stone cabochons, you will find that you can buy 5mm stones for as little as 30p each and even the larger stones that I sometimes use are available for just a few quid each.
A point which hasn't been made yet, is the interruption of the scorch lines by the texturing. Normally, scorch lines are used to define an area and you're absolutely right to use them to make a clear margin between textured and plain timber, but then you've let the texturing run onto the lines, putting breaks in them. That really doesn't work for me.
Les

[bodrighywood]

The cabuchons I use are literally pence each and made for this sort of work as they are flat backed. Bryans comments are not meant to be nasty but valid critique as what you are aiming to do is good, just, as my grandmother used to say 'don't spoil the ship fpr a 'alfpence of tar.' Of all the turners on here I am probably the most tight fisted and use a lot of things I get from all sorts of places ranging from charity shops (a good source for bits of jewellery by the way) to the beach and roadside for odd bits of wood stone etc. You obviously have ideas in your head just perhaps need to do them justice.

Pete

[APH]

have you thought that for some of us it is a case of use what we can afford.

No and nor should we, unless you specifically add some caveats to your request for comment.

if it is the cheap beads that we us then this is what we do.

Maybe it's worth considering if using second rate additions is worth it at all ? I don't think it would make much difference to the artistic impression of the piece if you had used real gem stones.
The plastic insert would certainly be less contentious if it had been polished to a high gloss to contrast with the texturing.

open for help not criticism

Every criticism here has been followed by some sort of constructive comment to help you improve the piece.
It's only by knowing what is wrong with something and how to improve it that we grow as craftsmen and artists. If you don't want that sort of comment best to say so when you post an image here.

[andy44]

Hi Dennis
The turning and the texturing look fine to me fella, like Fuzzy, Bryan, Les and Pete the stones and the insert let it down for me personally, but if you are happy with it then alls good, as for the comments mate I would sooner have 4 people telling me what can be improved on than just 4 people saying ooh that's nice, for me I'd take the constructive comments on board and make the next one better fella
all the best
Andy

[wider]

please accept my apology for the outburst yesterday. i wasn't to grand with my self and the comments seemed to be get to me. i do listen to your comments and i do feel that i have got better from them in the turning. but what i lack is the artistic fines.  if when you commented on the point that the beads were wrong to use that you guided me to were and how to get the items that would make this better. this would help as you have done in the comments this morning. i will be doing this again and hope that i can implement your comments in this.

[bodrighywood]

If you go to this site. Go to the section on beads and cabs and you want cabuchons. They have plenty of  different types, semi precious, glass, imkitation tortoise shell etc even plastic if that takes your fancy.

Pete

[dubturner]

I'd have to agree with all the comments.
Everything was said in the context of constructive criticism.
Rather that than a "mutual admiration forum"
How can anyone improve without such good advice.
Pat

[Mike313]

As a new-comer, I have read a few similar threads where people present their work and invite opinions/criticism. What I love is that people who respond are honest and, where appropriate, are prepared to say what they think is wrong with a piece whilst doing so in a constructive and respectful way. For me this is gold-dust. I hope it never changes.

[wider]

after all the comments on this  bowl i decided to remove the beads and re turn another disc. they are just laid in place at the moment but hope this is better than i initially did. and please give your comments as to if this is better ore not.

[bodrighywood]

This has a definite celtic look to me and don't ask me why but whereas the first edition looked fussy and too busy this has a much cleaner more refined look. This one looks planned as opposed to stuck together? Whatever it works a lot better for me.

Pete