Working on Proportions - C & C welcome

[Brian Kent]

I applied the Golden Ratio (.618 or Phi) on some of the measurements of this chalice

Base to the bottom of cup = Phi x total height.
Cup height = Phi x height of base.
Cup width = Phi x cup height.

Problems:
The stem feels too narrow to me compared to the width of the cup.
As I used Vince's sanding system, I did not know how to sand up to the hard line at the base of the cup without having a less-sanded surface and without rounding over the line.
I forgot to trim the diameter of the base to match the diameter of the rim of the cup.

This is kiln dried cherry, 8" tall.

Thanks for your critiques.
Brian

[charlie knighton]

not sure the golden ratio meant for a chalice, my eyeball: make the stem just under the cup more narrow, it can be abrupt from the cup to stem, yours is tapered, the stem itself should be tapered as you have done

it is a very nice turning

[Roger Chandler]

I agree with Charlie a bit on the stem........it would be better if it had a bead to give some transition identity to the cup Vs. the stem......it would set it off as to form. You are on the correct path here Brian...........just a few tweaks and you will nail the chalice. Also taking a smidgen off the width of the base would improve it as well.......you want your base not quite as wide as the rim of the cup, but not to look tippy either........maybe 1/4" or less...perhaps 3/16ths less diameter.......you will be surprised how this improves the form.

[Brian Kent]

Here is what I had originally as the transition - seen a little better with this light - but I didn't know how to power sand without rounding it over too much.

[Thom Sturgill]

I agree that the change from stem to bowl needs to be more defined. Also lower. I also prefer the bowl rounded in rather than flaired at the rim, but that is personal preference. The stem should possibly taper toward the bowl rather than away, that would lift the bowl visually as your eye follows a taper. The diameter of the base compared to the rim or widest portion of the bowl is not critical, but it should be no larger than the bowl at its widest.

[Brian Kent]

I just turned another chalice and it is drying on the lathe right now. Thom, I hadn't thought about tapering smaller towards the bowl. I'll try that.

[Brian Kent]

I got more of what I was trying to do on this one:

Did a 1/3 to 2/3 on the cup to the stem.

Narrowest point of the stem is 1/3 from the bottom.

Rounded bottom on the cup sitting on a more defined stem.

I'll try some with the top of the cup going in instead of flaring out, but for now this is intentional, going for a tulip cup idea. This one is poplar.

[Thom Sturgill]

Much more elegant than the first one.

[Fred Belknap]

Brian very nice goblet. I think you just about got it, as if I was one to judge.

[John Keeton]

Well done!!

[Dennis Ford]

The second one is great.

[Rick Markham]

Brian those two are night and day. You nailed the second one! Well done. The first one the line interrupts the eye in the graceful curve of the bell, in your second one the placement makes a dynamic statement without interrupting the flow of the bell. The first one is nice in a different way, I would be tempted to make a third, but in a minimalistic sense, and make the whole piece fluid from top to bottom, the first one nearly has that quality. Very well done, I look forward to seeing where you take this.

Just a personal thing, but I find hand sanding much more controllable around delicate details. (sometimes getting creative with turning ordinary things into task oriented "sanding helpers" for hand sanding helps keep details crisp)

[Thom Sturgill]

If you haven't already - go to Google images and enter 'goblet' - examine the images for shapes that you like and analyse what the similarities are so that you can incorporate them into your turnings. Look for things like bell in or out and where is the maximum width, taper on the stem, how the stem meets the bell. These are all personal taste to an extent, but there are general rules that will create a vessel that appeals to a large portion of the populace making the vessel more appreciated.

On the other hand, developing a 'signature' within the parameters above is also good as it would distinguish your goblets.

[Brian Kent]

Thank you everyone for your experience and artistry. This is extremely helpful. I do think the second one works, and your comments are specific enough that it helps me to figure out why that worked better. This is about the 20th chalice working around a tulip shape. Sticking with a basic design has given me a way to practice tool technique. At first I broke most of them. Now they aren't exploding anymore and I am paying a lot more attention to form. I know that I'll also just be practicing basic tool work for a long time.