Proportion advice

[Jerry Lawrence]

Just fooling around with a few left over pieces of wood I had lying around, and there's just something about the form that's not hitting my eye just right. I know the pics are horrible, (so horrible you can't even tell that the top piece is maple) but I'm really just after advice on the size/proportions. None of the pieces are completely finished, nor are they stuck together, so adjustments can be made. Overall height is about 4 3/4", top and base are both 2 1/2", widest point on body is about 2". Foot is ebony, 'pedestal' (for lack of a better word) is tulipwood, body is walnut, brass neck and maple top. All turned on my little Atlas metal lathe.
Thanks for any help you can come up with, even if it's "scrap it and stick to flatwork!".

249370 249369

[neil mackay]

I think for me the top is the main problem the neck and rim are far too big for the body. I'm not so sure about the metal neck set either, but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder

[John Keeton]

Jerry, the metal band might work for this purpose, and the general concept you have shown is a good start. The form you have is basically a Greek amphora.
249380

IMO, there is too much going on with all the species of wood. I rarely think more than three colors/textures, etc. work, so were it me, I would probably do the whole thing in one species (walnut might look better with the brass over time?), or at the most, an ebony base w/the other specie.

As to form, IMO, the body needs to be much larger with more shoulder, the top higher (thicker from the band to top), and the overall piece needs to flow "through" the band. With what you have, the band is an interruption - the curves on either side of it are not mirrored, nor do they reflect continuous "movement" through the piece. The band may look better on a larger vessel, but as you can see from the image, the neck of an amphora is normally tapered, whereas the band is cylindrical.

The tulipwood inset at the bottom appears too long proportionately (perhaps a bit less detail there), and I might consider bringing the detail at the bottom to the transition point for the base.

The edges of the brass band need to concealed, such that it appears to be a part of the form.

These are just my thoughts, and certainly do not mean it is the right way! There are many adaptations of the amphora, and you have a good start on one of them.

[Allan Ferguson]

Lower the top, decrease the diameter and curve the profile of the top and I feel that you will be a happier man. This should continue the flow that is in the body of the piece. Good luck and happy turning. Allan.

[Dennis Ford]

To me, a smaller foot and a slimmer and shorter neck would improve the proportions