Evolution of Revelation: "Awakening"

[Rick Markham]

This was a piece I turned as a final project for my design class. Our project outline was merely that we create something that was a "creative color wheel" in that it must use all twelve colors of the color wheel. Well naturally, I had to turn and dye something! This is the first emotional painting I have done on my work using my signature dyeing process. This is one of the two pieces I took to show John Beaver at the Symposium, it is only right I show this to the creekers too!

This is a small Maple burl form with African Blackwood collar, 4.25" high, 3.5" in diameter. Finish is GENERAL'S WOODTURNERS FINISH! :D Transtint dye colors used: Bright Red, Blue, and Lemon Yellow.

I ain't perfect (Hey I was rusty! too busy building a shop around a lathe ;)) but I LOVE IT! :o (This is also the first piece photographed in my dedicated studio, I'm going to be trying some diffurnt things this is the first of those) Comment's and Critiques welcomed and appreciated as always... Bring it on! :D



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[Michelle Rich]

I love color, so this catches my eye.

[Roger Chandler]

I see the formation of earth.....as the continents were coming forth, being separated from the seas...although the colors are earth tone.....not blue.......of course I lean toward intelligent design by our Creator.

This is a very nice work, Rick. I think your finish is first rate! good form with flowing curve and the collar is a nice touch.....well played!

[Rick Markham]

Thank you Michelle and Roger! I wish when the picture was converted to a JPEG that it didn't limit the color palate, there is quite a bit more variation in color, that is lost in the JPEG conversion.

[David Reed]

Very nice form but spectacular coloring and finish. Would enjoy seeing it up close and personal especially if it shows off more color.

[Marc Himes]

I like the form finish and the way the collar works with the piece. The way you used color is interesting, with different areas sharply demarcated. More views would be nice, as I enjoy looking at it and want to see more of it. I really like the way the figure shows through the dye and your excellent finish. Very well done, Rick!

[Mike Cruz]

Rick, the colors are vivid, the wood is pretty, the finish is glassy...what's not to like! I'd like to say that the curve is smooth the whole way, but honestly, I can't tell! The black piece that the HF is sitting on, while neat, is distracting for me. Also, like I said, it disturbs the flow of the HF's lines. I have a feeling the curve is quite continuous. I can't even tell if you tucked or not, though...

[Dennis Nagle]

That is a truly beautiful piece Rick. What is your dying process?

[Mike Cruz]

Dennis, you are as likely to get that out of Rick as you are to see Wally's beading tool...

[Peter Blair]

Rick, this is spectacular! Just what we all expect from you. Thanks for sharing.

[Rick Markham]

Mike, I agree with the turned base being somewhat distracting. I tried shooting this at an angle to catch the lip of the vessel, I think that is accentuating the base and adding a slight visual distortion (it's shot with a 60mm macro lens too). I will reshoot it at a more perpendicular angle, and repost it. (It's a no tuck)

Marc, I will take a few more shots of the rest of it. That's just my favorite view of it :)

Dennis, Over last summer my "voice" found me ;) It's a process that I've been playing with based off of a theory I had regarding the physics of light (remember our perception of color is based off of the reflection of light); color theory, and the physics/physiology of the wood ( the medium) itself, in an attempt to create the illusion of a 3 dimensional surface based solely on the structure of the wood itself.. and it works! :D For now this is something I'm holding on to, but it will be shared with the woodworking community eventually. :) In the meantime I always welcome a good discussion on color though. My hope is by sharing my work that it leads someone to their voice too.

[Rick Markham]

I think this angle worked much better, here are some other views:

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[Dennis Nagle]

That is beautiful Rick. I also like the high gloss. After building custom harleys with Ron Finch for 20 years, I am use to this level of gloss and finish. I am experimenting with House of Kolor two part epoxy clear then buffed and waxed.

[Rick Markham]

Dennis, that's interesting that you mention the House of Kolor two part epoxy. I have been contemplating trying some PPG DC U 2000-2 Clear coat. I need to order some and give it a try! I'll be interested to see how the two part epoxy clear coat comes out. Woodturner's Finish is great stuff, but I would feel better with an automotive clear coat. I have a feeling it will outlast our traditional polys.

[Dennis Nagle]

I.ve never used the PPG, but if it's like the HoK you can use it as a one part or two part. The first spraying I use just the first part (intercoat). That is very sandable. So I can wet sand down to 400 grit and get it like smooth like glass. Then I spray the two part (with hardener). That flows really nice then buff and wax.

[jwjerry w kowalski]

That's a beautiful piece Rick, I imagine it looks even better than the pics can show, a rainbow of interesting alive colors, seems like this would take quite a high degree of skill to get right. Great job.

[Rick Markham]

Dennis, that's super cool! I am going to have to give the House of Kolor Clear a shot too. Supposedly the PPG is one of the nicest clear coat polys to spray, It's used on high end restorations and custom paint jobs. I've been told that it's the perfect viscocity and it goes on thick but sticks perfectly.

The HoK has definitely piqued my interest though and I will have to try it, It sounds like a slick way to finish. I would think that the epoxy finish would be more durable as well. I'll keep you up to date with what I find, I need to go place an order now :D

jwjerry, Thank you!

[Dennis Nagle]

They just released a new two part clear. I like the finished results a little better, but it stinks horribly and is really sticky to work with. I would start out with the tried and true version first.

[Dennis Nagle]

Hey Rick, What I do when dying is mix the dyes with DNA, dye the piece in the pattern I want with hard butt up lines, the take a rag with straight DNA and blend the colors. It erases the hard butt line and make a new color with the combo. Here is my rough gouge handle I did like that.

[Rick Markham]

This piece I painted with a watercolor brush :D

The Transtint dyes were dissolved in water. I've used both alcohol and water and other than drying time it's really a wash for me. Water is cheap and I don't mind the extra drying time, I'm not in a hurry.

[Dennis Nagle]

I agree, water or DNA, for the most part work the same. When I am soaking dye from the inside out, I think DNA works better. Some people don't like water because it raises the grain, but I end up sanding more anyway so there is no diff. I am working on an White Oak bowl at the moment and will use steel wool soaked in vinegar to blacken the bowl, then I'll sand it and hope to just end up with black strips where it soaked into the grain deeper.

[Lee Alkureishi]

Rick,

This is a really beautiful piece.

Too often, wood colouring and dyeing is used to add interest to an otherwise bland or unremarkable piece of wood. To see it done well, as it is here, on an already stunning piece of wood, is a killer combination. Outstanding.

I need to finish mucking around with metal so I can get back to the wood!

Lee

[Rick Markham]

Thank you Lee :o