Wip

[Mark Sanger]

Often I am asked where I get the ideas from for my work/textures etc.  All of the techniques I use are time honored that have been used in art, sculpture and crafts since man was painting on walls in caves, indeed I have to date, not found any woodturner or maker that is not using such techniques or variations of.

How concepts and designs are compiled is also time honored through the structure/principles of the 'creative/design process' being used in just about all industries from cars, hoovers to producing the packaging that entices us to buy a product.

Something I hear often is 'nothing is new' which I have to say really grinds my wick. Concepts and techniques 'may' not be new within our field but unique designs and ideas are still out there for us to create, it is happening in industry and other design fields every day.

For my work I tap into many sources of reference/inspiration, industry, food, nature, history, music, art to name a minute sample. One of the sources that I am concentrating on at the moment are textures found in nature, in particular from macro photographs I take and pictures from scientific microscopes available in reference books and online.

below are a few pictures that I have taken over the years of shells.

Being able to see textures and ideas in things around us is a skill that is very useful.

There are numerous books on the subject but some that you may fond interesting were written in the early 70s by Kurt Rowland 'Visual Education and Beyond' and his series on 'Looking and seeing' shapes around us/development of shape etc.

These books are now out of print but can still be found on amazon second hand if you search. 



 

[ChrisF]

Another terrific piece in the making, love it.  Originally didn't see the egg/sperm connection, looked vaguely Moroccan / north African in design, not that it matters one iota.

I find that often people are more interested in the techniques for how to physically produce the work rather than learning about creativity or the design process itself.

Once we understand how to create and the process of design we are off. This is I feel one of the big issues woodturning has as a craft, its often all technique.

'twas ever so in all arts / crafts.  The number of times I've been asked (about my photography) what camera I used, what settings, what lens, when the appeal of the image was actually all in the composition and the settings / equipment made very little difference.  I actually think that the creative side, the process of something approaching original thought, is often much harder and scarier than learning process & technique (I've known someone sell all of their Canon camera equipment and buy all of the Nikon equivalents because they actually believed it would make the crucial difference).  It's easy to go and buy a new piece of equipment, it's much more difficult to come up with an original idea (that works).  Ask any artist, the creative process (as opposed to the technical process) is what gives them the hardest time and the most angst. 

[Mark Sanger]

You have clarified it perfectly Chris.

[Mark Sanger]

so I have after what seems a marathon of texturing and finishing finally started to on the initial stages of colouring.

Here the base is stained with numerous coats of Chestnut spirit stain after which I will start applying numerous layers and shades of artist acrylic pains using brush and sponges.

[Mark Sanger]

Further on with the colouring by adding further base colours and gold highlights. Very difficult to see the subtlety of colour here as it was a quick snap with the cameraphone. It will be allowed to dry after which more colour and highlights will be added.

[andy44]

looking good Mark, certainly a labour of love, cant wait to see it finished.

[Mark Sanger]

looking good Mark, certainly a labour of love, cant wait to see it finished.

Thank you Andy, there is a lot of work and refining to do.

[bodrighywood]

Can we see the other side please LOL?
Pete

[Derek]

I know you say there is more colour to be added Mark but the last two pictures still make it look good and certainly pass muster for me. Can't wait to see the overall effect once it is completed.

[Mark Sanger]

Can we see the other side please LOL?
Pete

Hi Pete

the other side is pretty much the same, I will later on take some decent pictures from various angles. I tend to do my photography now in one go when I have several pieces to snap as the set up can be a pain.

[Mark Sanger]

I know you say there is more colour to be added Mark but the last two pictures still make it look good and certainly pass muster for me. Can't wait to see the overall effect once it is completed.

Thank you Derek. The colour from this stage on will be very subtle so probably not noticeable with my photography skills :-) but I will carry on working on the piece and update when I can. 

[edbanger]

Looking Good Mr Sanger Sir 

All the best

Ed