Flourish: Pyro on a Plate

[Jim Underwood]

260945260947260949260946260948

Beech, 10" diameter. Pyro. Unfinished. Still needs design on the bottom and a maker's mark.

I turned this with the idea of putting the pyro on in Cynthia Gibson's pyrography class, but didn't get the chance to do it at the time. Good fun though! Y'know, fire, smoke, good food, good friends, turning, and art!

The repeating pattern was inspired by a carved plate I saw in a carving book I bought in the past year (I'll give reference to it when I figure out which one). I'd like to refine my own pattern a bit and do some more of these. This is a lotta work though. My respect for Cynthia Gibson grew by leaps and bounds as I did this evenings and lunch hours. Her fine control and delicate lines are amazing!

Suggestion on how to finish this, design for the bottom, and whether to continue the pyro down to the bottom of the v-groove welcome.

Also, looking for name suggestions.

[charlie knighton]

really good work, Jim


Suggestion on how to finish this, design for the bottom, and whether to continue the pyro down to the bottom of the v-groove welcome.

Also, looking for name suggestions.

leave it unfinished, or no finish
something under the rim, if you put something on base i would be afraid it would be messed up with handling
no
unless you put something in the center, which i do not suggest, no name comes to mind, nothing comes to mind when i see Cynthia's work either, i think no name comes to mind because the detail is what strikes me, not spalting form or such

just my .02 worth, really like it Jim

[Wally Dickerman]

That's beautiful Jim. I've done a lot of pyro but never got really good at it. Made a lot of smoke though. I'd love to take a class from an expert like Cynthia.

I've never taken turning classes and I wish I had. I'm too old now. I get in a lot of shop time but I have to stop and rest every so often.

[Thom Sturgill]

Lovely work, Jim. More involved than I have attempted yet, but along the same lines. Like in carving you need a stop cut, or in this case a stop line. If you can burn one face of the V groove without burning the other, it might give you a little bit cleaner edge.

[John W Dixon]

I just absolutely love this! Nice work.

[Richard Madden]

Excellent work, Jim. Sorry, no suggestions for a name. I wonder if an oil finish (danish oil) would work. What about the finish schedule Jim Adkins suggests in his tutorial? I use that same four step finish on basket work.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful Jim. Don't know about the name but most of my pyro gets lacquer.

[Alan Trout]

Jim, that is a wonderful piece. I really appreciate the scroll pattern. I come from a high grade shotgun background and always love deep relief scroll engraving. This reminds me of that. Beautiful piece.

Alan

[George Morris]

Very nice! I think it looks perfect. G

[Scott Hackler]

Very nice. Like Alan, this piece instantly reminded me of the scroll work done on high end firearms. Very nice work.

[Jim Underwood]

Thanks for the compliments folks. It means a lot coming from such a group of talented people.
I do like the comparison to the deep relief scrollwork. I've admired that type of relief carving more than once. It seems some of it must have rubbed off on me.

[Jim Underwood]

Y'all might help me solve a debate... My wife thinks I shouldn't put anything else on the bottom of this plate. Cynthia Gibson thinks it needs a little surprise on the bottom. I didn't plan for a design on the bottom but the idea has merits.... if done correctly.

If a design is burned here, where should it go? I was initially thinking it should go on the rounded part between the foot and the raised area near the rim. And then I wondered if it should cover that whole area, or leave white space on each edge. Then I though, perhaps I should put it on the raised area near the rim - not ON the rim, but near the rim.

What do you all think?

[Roger Chandler]

This is not true in most cases......where you should listen to your wife..........in this case, I think Cynthia is correct.......she is the master at this sort of thing, and I would certainly trust her eye and judgment! Hope your wife won't get mad! :eek::rolleyes:;)

[Bob Rotche]

That is really outstanding pyro work, Jim! I'm sure it was very time consuming but the end result is worth it.

[steven carter]

First off, kudos for the job you have don on this platter, it is amazing. When thinking about the bottom of the platter, how about using the same pattern but opposite, like a photo negative, have the fronds burned and the background unburned and palce it opposite of the pattern on the front? I know that would be a lot of work, but I think it would give a great surprise.

[Richard Jones]

Jim,

Gorgeous work. Very similar pattern to the ones I used years/eons ago for leather work, Al Stohlman era stuff.

Beautiful, wherever it came from.

[Len Mullin]

Jim, I like it as it is now, and personally I don't think that the underside needs any emblishments. What is your preference? You stated that you had no intention of doing any work to it, so, why now do you think it needs the extra work? Is it because your not satisfied with what you have now, or, is it because of what someone else may have said? Please yourself, you can't please everyone?
Len

[Marc Himes]

Wonderful work! I would like to see the grooves on either side of the pyrography be black. As for the bottom I agree that it would be nice to have something there as well. This pattern is really outstanding!

[Jim Underwood]

Thanks again for the compliments. They are encouraging.

This idea was inspired by a small photo of a carved platter that I saw in one of my carving books. See attached photos. I didn't really copy the design so much as I used the idea of a repeating pattern on a plate. The interweaving pattern repeats three times (an odd number seems to look better). Also I tried to incorporate the golden mean into the proportions and divisions of the plate. The pattern itself just grew out of several sketchings and erasures.

261593

261594

I did carefully burn the edges right down into the bottom edges of the bead. It came out well I think.
261595

[Jim Underwood]

261597And here is evidence that I actually put thought into this before committing to burn. And that this is something I drew as opposed to copying something out of a book or from a pattern. The second photo shows attempts to draw something for the back side that is in keeping with the front. You may judge for yourself whether any of these do. As will I before I commit.
261598

[Eric Holmquist]

Beautiful design on the burning, reminds me of the sort of amazing engraving found on high end shotguns and heirloom tools

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Nice work Jim. I've only done a little bit of very basic burning so I can appreciate all the work you've put into this. Keep at them I'd like to see more.

[Jim Underwood]

263607
I worked on this for about 12 hrs yesterday. Still need to do some shading and touch up. But the majority of it is done. I did realize that the back took longer because there's approx ten more sq inches.

[Richard Madden]

Jim, you've done a terrific job! Glad you listened to Cynthia instead of your wife. You should be proud of this fine work.

[Jim Underwood]

I just realized I never posted final pictures of this... So I made some better pictures: