Prototype Ribbon Form

[Richard Madison]

After starting a new open stave ribbon form, it was necessary to prototype the thing to get the desired shape. So the prototype became a project of its own with a completely different shape than I was going for. But think I know now how to get there from here.

Meanwhile here's the prototype from scraps of pecan and pallet oak. The nondescript wood needed some embellishment, and the woodburned "ant" motif was "borrowed" from a wonderful 1963 woodcut by M. C. Escher, at the suggestion of my gallery owners Shiila and Dan. Hope you can see the ants in the picture. The piece is made from 10 half-bowls and 8 quarter-bowls. Comments always welcome and thanks for looking.

[John Fricke]

If this is the proto.........can't wait to see the real mccoy

[Steve Schlumpf]

Richard - very impressive! You are getting pretty good at this stuff! Interesting form - great looking joinery! Looking forward to seeing your next version!

[Mark Placek]

Richard.. one word comes to mind "Superb"
I've seen only a few artists using this technique, you've succeeded in making a visually delightful work of art.
The ants are cool too!

[alex carey]

wow, very impressive, how exactly do you do something like that? Is that carving?

[John W Dixon]

OK, uh, WOW!

John

[Norm Zax]

Very impressive! Is that actually over ten similar bowls turned and then sliced in half?! Lots of work indeed.

[Thom Sturgill]

August Ferdinand Möbius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Ferdinand_M%C3%B6bius) would be proud!

[Jeff Nicol]

Richard, That is very very cool!! The ants are fun too! Just another thing to put on the list of things to try and attempe some day! I like to be challenged!

Great piece!

Jeff

[Scott Lux]

Very nice. I'm sure Escher himself would have liked it.

[Gary Herrmann]

That is very impressive.

I like the ant too.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Impressive Richard. Like others have said if that is a prototype I can't wait to see the real thing.

[Richard Madison]

Thanks everyone for your generous comments! It's not a true mobius, which if I understand it correctly has only one side. This piece has two sides (with ants also on the side not visible in picture). It is all turning, no carving. Simply make seven identical bottomless bowls; cut five in half and two in quarters, clean up cut edges on sander and reassemble. So easy a caveman could do it. Or maybe not.

[Thom Sturgill]

It sure looked like a Moebius strip to me. Trying to follow the edge at the bottom is difficult. A moebuis strip has one edge and one surface and is created by placing an odd number of twists in a strip and forming it into a loop. If I recall correctly, the reference to ants comes from moebius' description and Escher incorporated them into his painting.

[Richard Madison]

A moebuis strip has one edge and one surface

As I said, my piece has two sides (surfaces) and hence is not a true Mobius (Moebius if you like) form.

[Jim Kountz]

As I said, my piece has two sides (surfaces) and hence is not a true Mobius (Moebius if you like) form.

Well I dont know anything about all that but I do know that thing is awesome!! I love it, I think this is the neatest thing Ive seen in quite a while.
Congrats on a job well done!!

[Mark Norman]

Well I dont know anything about all that but I do know that thing is awesome!! I love it, I think this is the neatest thing Ive seen in quite a while.
Congrats on a job well done!!
I agree with Jim,
I'll try to remember to give that a try when my skill level is up to it.

Awesome work Richard, something to be proud of there!!

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

So Richard, you call this a prototype; is it your intention to do this same shape with an open design, much like the Escher piece? It’s great to see people experimenting with the "ribbon" concept. I had thought of doing something along these lines someday. Instead of burning the ants onto the surface (which would difficult to do on an open surface), why not create the ants as separate three-dimensional constructions? I look forward to seeing where you go with this.

[Richard Madison]

Thanks Jim and Mark. Malcolm, the piece I had visualized was actually something like the spiral simulation on Bill Ooms' site. This one just kind of took on a shape of its own, and meanwhile I realized it will take "bowls" of different diameters and (maybe) different slopes to do what I want. Even if Bill would allow use of his software, these days I probably lack the math and programming ability to use it. Have not written any "code" since the days of punch cards and Fortran IV, a whole lifetime ago. Had (and still have) 5 finished open-stave "bowls" when I started this "prototye". Am a bit discouraged at the moment, and I really appreciate your support and that of others.

[charlie knighton]

very nice...

[Richard Madison]

Thanks Charlie.

[Marc Himes]

Very pleasing. This must have taken many hours. I like the way it all comes together. The design and the wood compliment each other very well.

Nice work!

Marc Himes

[Mark Norman]

I could only imagine the variants you could come up with using different diameters and slopes. Richard, you have expanded the possibilities of possible artworks in my future.

Great stuff! I cant wait for the next installment.