3 chalices looking for critiques

[Stephen Hibbs]

These are three ironbark eucalyptus chalices I made this week from a branch knocked down by a classroom on wheels. I am trying chalice designs I like, and hope to get good at one to the point where I can make sets. The shiny ones are finished with Zinsser french polish, and the middle one is just a few coats of danish oil- I left it as-is at the request of a family friend who preffers the wood feel. I'm looking for advise on my form and technique, so please tell me your thoughts. The tall flute-like one is my least-favorite, and has an inconsistency in flow, but I had already thinned the stem when I noticed so it wobbled too much to risk fixing. For what it's worth, they look way nicer in person.

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EDIT-hieghts are 5" thru 7", and ~2-3" wide at mouths

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Evening Stephen: They're all nice, but I believe that the one on the right is the best. It has defined lines, a slender even stem, and a very good finish.

The stem on the first seems to be a little heavy and the transition on the second from the stem to the bowl doesn't flow as well.

All in all, though, a good effort. Much better than some I've done.

Bruce

[Mike Vickery]

I think they are all nice as well. My favorite is the one on the left, the middle one the cup looks a little to small to me and the botton of the cups curve looks a little off ( This also is where the background meets the table in the picture and their is a shadow so I can not be sure if it just the picture). The one on the right the cup looks to wide in proportion to the stem and base, but the shape looks very nice. This is all just my amatuer opinion so take it with a grain of salt.

[Corey Hallagan]

They look very nice Stephen. The wood is pretty. I like the first and last one. I like the shape myself on the first one. If it was me and your taking your photos, try to place them flat on the table so the angles dont get as distorted and so they aren't tippy. The last one I like alot too but a stubbier stem would have fitted better I think. Your stems are nice and consistent in diameter though. The middle one is hard to tell but it looks like the rim is angled. Perhaps the face of the blank needed faced flat before it was hollowed out? Light cuts on a scraper will flatten that out if that is the case. Good work Stephen you did great. I think it is good you are experiencing with the shapes.
Corey

Corey

[Henry C. Gernhardt, III]

Stephen, they look quite nice. I like the last one the best of the lot---I think you have a good form, a nice stem-to-cup "fillet" (the square sides match the cup shape), and good balance in it.

The first one looks like it has a good start going. Were it me, I would either straighten the angle of the sides and ad a fillet at the base of the cup, or lengthen the cup and steepen the curve a bit, making more of a champagne flute out of it.

Keep it up, you're doing great!