The Electric Blue-ga-loo!!!

[Rick Markham]

The Electric Blue-ga-loo: 10.5" tall with finial, 3.5" diameter, Maple Burl dyed with trans tint dyes, (again with my process.) Blackwood Cap and American Holly finial. Finish is Woodturners Finish, buffed and Ren-waxed. The finial is actually finished in high gloss WOP (I have mixed feelings about having used it, I may redo this one (AGAIN!!!:eek: For like the 4th time... or maybe I'll just leave it alone...) Again this is another in my series "Candy Colors" all from a single burl blank. I hope you enjoy, Comments are welcomed and appreciated! Thanks for looking! (This one makes me think of David D, I know blue is his favorite!)

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[David DeCristoforo]

As I said in my reply to your purple form, this has a much more refined shape but I like the other finial better. The color on this one is... well I can't say it because I'm not allowed to use four letter words but blue is my favorite color and this is about as blue as it gets!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Rick,
The purple piece looks good but this one looks much better. After going back and forth, I believe I like the smaller bottom better. There are no right and wrong shapes just some that may be more pleasing to someone's eye than another. This one suits my eye. I also like the color better even though I do like purple. I'm pretty sure the "voids" in the surface disturb the color flow in the purple piece but not in this one. I see green in the voids in the purple color and in this one. However, the green seems to work together with the blue. In any event, they are both well done and nicely finished. I've found that in order to photograph high gloss pieces I need to get a light source high enough not to cause a reflection. That leaves a shadow at the bottom but the trade off works better for me. I have a tutorial by one of the members who is also a photography instructor. He specifically addresses photographing hi gloss pieces. If you would like it PM me with your email address and I will happily send it to you.
faust

[Doug W Swanson]

Looks nice, Rick. I like them both but I think the color is better on this one.

[Peter Blair]

Another beauty Rick!
Once all are finished I think it would be great to see them all in one photo . . .

[Baxter Smith]

Great form and color/finish Rick. A real knockout! The finial doesn't do much for me. Seems like too much of a contrast with its hard lines and angles compared to the sweet curve of your form.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Rick - the form and the color on this piece are exceptional! Very nice!

The collar and finial - at least for me - do not work. The collar because it is too bulbous and just sits on top of the form and the finial because of the flat top of the bottom element. That flat area stops the eye from following the curve to the top of the finial.

[Rick Markham]

Thanks guys! Keep it coming! I agree, while the concept of the three distinct components sounded good in theory. I see all of the points you guys are bringing up. These have been difficult for me to complete/conceptualize. These two particularly as I really went different with the finials. The next two have some more traditional flavor with an Art Deco flair added in, and I think they work the best! They are an improvement and further down the evolution of this idea than these two were.

There is an interesting phenomena going one between this one and the purple one, you guys have spotted it :) When I was discussing color in previous posts I mentioned that when the density becomes too great that the color begins to become translucent. The purple one is too heavy on the purple, which is why areas appear flat, while other areas appear to have depth. The blue one here, is just on the brink of when it will become flat looking. I managed to stop in time (this is all new to me too) and maintain the three dimensional appearance. If I had the chance to respray this and the purple one I would be more careful, (and have been since, not to overdo it) This one I am happy with, the purple will be revisited ;) However, its a good learning lesson! There is one drawback to this process and that is you only get one chance! There isn't any fixing any flaw in the color, it will destroy the effect.

[Jamie Donaldson]

This form and color/finish are great, but the finial elements are a disconnect as others have stated. A single diffused light source will better display the work without flattening the appearance of such a nice piece.

[Jim Burr]

The color on this is exceptional!! Not sure about the lid, but the finial is is really cool!

[Michelle Rich]

fantastic blue color.it's an eye-grabber

[Tim Rinehart]

Electric blue it is for sure. Can't wait to see the grouping of these pieces.

[Russell Eaton]

Rick that piece is SMOKIN'

[Roger Chandler]

The hf is beautifully colored and finished, Rick......superb work.........the collar and finial are a bit iffy.......I agree with Steve's assessment........that flat on the finial just breaks the flow and even though I liked the other finial better on your purple piece, both these forms could benefit from a collar that continues the curve up to the opening and then a different style finial....if you could do a form with that same flat on the shoulder and then this type of finial, then you might be in the neighborhood of a different style altogether........deviating from the norm that we see most of the time......perhaps an hourglass shape with a strong V shape both on the upper section and lower.......that finial might work then........

I do applaud your pushing the envelope a bit.....man you have a wonderful talent and this new secret process for a glass smooth finish is just outstanding. Bravo!!!

[Dick Mahany]

Rick, maybe it's just my lack of being an "arteest", but I find the form and the color as a stand alone would be incredible on it's own. The color and depth look like you could walk right into it. I have a passion about depth and color from a different chapter in my life and your work in this area is on it's own level. I keep looking at both your recent colored pieces and they make me smile.

[Rick Markham]

Thanks guys! I appreciate all of the commentary on both of these pieces!

Dick, that made me smile :D

[Kathy Marshall]

Amazing color on this one Rick! Just beautiful!
I agree with Dick, the form and color are great and can stand alone without anything to distract from them.

[Mark Hubl]

Nice. The form is very good. I appreciate what you are doing with the finial but find the contrast a bit off. The form is so off the top, your technique is producing wonderful results and colors. The finial shape is fine, your own, like it. I think the finial would be better if it was the same color as the collar. Wonderful work, thanks for putting it out there Rick.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful piece Rick. I do like it better without the finial. Don't know why but just do.

[Mike Cruz]

Rick, I like this form much better. The coloring and finish are great. Still not sold on this finial for this type of HF, but that is just me, I'm sure. Great job.

[Curt Fuller]

The Electric Blue-ga-loo indeed! That's some intense blue for sure. And I like that finial, very creative.

[Rick Markham]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to continue to mess with the Art Deco concept with finials, it has already evolved within this series, I think the next two finials more people will find to their liking. As they are more traditional with an Art Deco influence. Too me the work better than these. I'm working on homework when it's done I will get to finishing so I can post those :) Once again thanks for all of the critique!

[Doug Herzberg]

Rick, like everyone else, I love these finishes. I'm just blown away. I like the finials, too. On this one, the shape of the collar is bothering me. Maybe everyone else is right and the collar is ok, but the finial is wrong. I want to make it work, though.

[Mike Golka]

Rick that is some serious eye candy, I really like the form.

[Keith Christopher]

LOVE the color !