Second Hollow Form....first try at a finial

[John M. Smith]

Here are pics of my second hollow form. Hollowed with a monster articulating arm. It is a maple burl with an african blackwood finial. Hollowed thru a 1" diameter hole.Hd a little trouble getting it hollowed around the hole, until I put the slight raise around the hole. I think it actually improved the look. 5" diameter, 4 1/4" high, 8" overall height with the finial. 4 coats of spray can lacquer finish, then buffed. Used Mylands friction polish on the finial. Someday I hope to get a photo tent to improve my pictures.

All critiques and comments welcomed. If I don't here what I need to improve on, I can't improve.

[Kim Smith]

Looks like a keeper to me!!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

That for a second is well done. Looks the the monster is working well for you.

[Marty Eargle]

The form, wood, and finish on this piece are great...for a second HF or a 100th. If I had to give a critique, I would say that either the size or orientation of the large bulb on the finial makes it look a bit out of balance for me. It kind of looks like two halves of separate finials that were glued together.

Great job though....a find use for that maple burl.

[David DeCristoforo]

The form is great. Perhaps a slightly smaller footprint but this is very close to a "perfect" form.

As to the finial, there are a number of "schools of thought" there. One of them dictates that the elements of the finial decrease in size from bottom to tip. Another suggests that if you create an imaginary line that continues the sweep of the form all the way to the tip of the finial, all of the finial elements should be tangent to that line. Your finial has not followed either of these. The replication of the form overpowers the rest of the finial elements and immediately pulls they eye to that point rather than letting the eye arrive there by following the "flow" of the form up into the finial.

I also think your finial has "one too many" elements. I would eliminate the ball, Increase the size of the cove and reduce the size of the "embellishment". Both of these would serve to bring the embellishment down and allow you to elongate the "onion". From there up, you're looking good.

[Ron Stadler]

I think it looks really great, the form is beautiful, well done 2nd.

[Scott Hackler]

The HF looks very nice to me. Very pleasing shape and the finish looks good as well. The finial just looks too "busy". Like David said, I think there are a few too many elements. To my eye, if one or both of the bottom "beads" were eliminated and the larger bead was moved down....it would better balance the finial. I would also concider reducing the overall size (diameter) of the large bead.

For #2, you did pretty darn good. :)

[Jim Burr]

I really like the form. From what I know of finials...the bulb really weights the finial down. Good taper over all and some nice accents.

[Tim Rinehart]

John...geez, 2nd HF...looking good! The comments from DD and others on the finial are ones I'd suggest as well. I find finials very hard to pull off well, but here's a look at what simplifying this one and stretching a bit would do. I hope you don't mind my taking liberties to edit the finial...:)
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From a proportions standpoint, the finial I've photoshopped could be a bit taller or a bit shorter, but typically most folks work to the notion of the finial being about 2/3 height of form, or form being 2/3 height of finial...and there are always exceptions. This one being about same height as your form, actually looks good to my eye.
When all is said and done, if you like it, stick with it. There's a lot of canned impressions of what a finial or other form should look like and be designed around, sometimes that gets in way of creative expression.
Look forward to seeing your work progress...you're off to a super start!

[Baxter Smith]

Great finial and great fom for numbers 1 and 2!

[Mike Cruz]

Love the form! Spot on. Yeah, maybe the foot could be smaller, but I've found that just leaves you with less room to sign it! :D Finials are subjective. If you love it...GREAT! If you don't and want advice, you got some good stuff to work with....

[Thom Sturgill]

Great HF and the comments on the finial are spot on!

[John M. Smith]

Thanks for all the great comments as well as what I could do differently. I think I may have put too many elements in from my experience turning for furniture. Love traditional, victorian, and queen anne. They tend to have quite a few elements.

DD- Liked your explanation of the sweep for a finial. I did not draw the finial first but just kinda created on the fly. Thanks for your input. I will keep this close when I do another one.

Tim- thanks for the photoshopped finial. it really gives me a visual what everyone is talking about.

Again, thanks for all the input.

[Ronald Campbell]

John I do like the finial that Tim Reinhart did with photo shop. But for your first I think it looks great
Ron

[Roger Chandler]

Ditto on what David mentioned........his points about lines that continue the form and the busy-ness of the finial are spot on, and the decreasing size of the elements to keep the flow going to the tip...........with his experience........you would be hard pressed to find a better artist who could share his knowledge with you.........he is in a league with the best!

[John M. Smith]

I am going to try to turn a taller more slender with fewer details finial for this.............but it's going to have to wait because this piece, along with two others, are going to Chicago tomorrow for TOC instant gallery.