Your opinion on my first vase.

[Tim Brooks]

I need your opinions on my first vase. Up to this point, I have only turned pens. But when someone mades a request, you naturally must oblige them. Wouldn't you?

Anyway, I want your honest opinions. It is canary wood finished with friction polish. I only used the standard tools that come in the Harbor Freight Tools lathe tool kit to complete it. There were a number of lessons learned for me with this one.

What do you think... good and bad...

[Nancy Laird]

I think it's very pretty, nice form and beautiful wood. Question: is it hollowed all the way to the bottom, or did you stop halfway? I like it.

Nancy

[Tim Brooks]

I think it's very pretty, nice form and beautiful wood. Question: is it hollowed all the way to the bottom, or did you stop halfway? I like it.

Nancy

It is actually hollowed all the way down to the top of the rings. That is as far as my tools would reach.

[Mike Vickery]

Tim,
You did some beautiful detail work on this one and I like it but something seems a little off on the form. Everyone has a different opinion on form and this is just mine but I think I would look better with a wider diameter at the top (think of a flower opening up) and a little wider and rounder near the bottom bead work.

[Tim Brooks]

Tim,
You did some beautiful detail work on this one and I like it but something seems a little off on the form. Everyone has a different opinion on form and this is just mine but I think I would look better with a wider diameter at the top (think of a flower opening up) and a little wider and rounder near the bottom bead work.

Interesting thoughts... I started with a piece of canary wood that was 3"X3"X12". So making it wider was not an option. I suppose that will be another lesson learned--start with a larger piece of wood.

Are there any other comments? Come on experts give me your thoughts... With 149 views and only 2 comments, I am beginning to think it is pretty bad and that is okay but I need reasons so I can improve. Because this is a first for me I am looking to grow in my abilities and input from others is a component of that.

I found myself thinking it was too busy so I turned many of the little designs off except for the rings you see. Have I made it too bland?

Thanks for the input...

[joe greiner]

Looks very good to me. The rings are at a good proportion of the height, and stopping the hollowing at that depth leaves some ballast material in the bottom.

Joe

[TYLER WOOD]

Well I would have posted earlier, but....can't get computer at home to dial up pictures fast.

I love it and would be proud to display that!!!

[Brian Weick]

Nice Job Tim- I like the detail and the finish- keep on turning :)
Brian

[Paul Engle]

Tim , take a look at some grecian art work from oh say 2 to 4 thousand years ago, they seem to have found the " golden " shapes for most any size vase, the magic " S " is what one would be looking for . I have seen some done based on a facial profile and they are very interesting indeed. Yours makes me think asian influence western orient ( Japan, VN,Cambodia,Laos,Thailand,Burma,Mongolia etc. Sometime their patterns to me at least dont flow ,if that makes any sense ( now dont you wish you had taken art class ???). Nice work on your vase tho, wood can be premium and sometimes the smaller pieces need a bit more ..... ah .... research maybe (?) to bring out their best. By all means keep at it , after all ... trying , is 90% of the journey, failing is 9% and success is 1%. ;)

[Montgomery Scott]

While I like the quality of the turning you've created I don't really like the form. The foot is not subtle enough and the beading in the middle crates a discontinuity in the form, disrupting the visual flow of the piece. I agree with Paul's comment; look for information on the Greek and Mycenaean vessel forms of the golden age and prior to that.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Tim, sometimes it's hard to critique something without knowing what the turner was trying to accomplish. Your form is close to several different ones I can think of that I've seen before, but doesn't quite get there so this will just be different ideas. And of course this is just me.

I'd like to see the flare continue to the top without the straight up part. A small bead is okay at the end of the flare so long as it is in line with the flare and doesn't take it a different direction. The foot would be okay if the part just above it were sort of an upside-down bell shape starting a little lower than where the top of the middle beads are, and with a little smaller throat than what you have. I'd eliminate the beads for that form though.

Another variation would be to flare it equally from top to bottom with no foot... and maybe a bead at the top and bottom, and another dead center, and with a smaller diameter in the center.

Anyway, those are just a couple of ideas, however if this were my first vase, I'd be very proud of it. You've done some nice tool work.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Tim I like the design you have and you did a great job on it. If it were me and this is just me I would have flaired the top out like Ernie said instead of straight. I also would have probably parted it of just below your rings and that is where you said it was hollowed out to. I would have flaired the foot a little and with the rings just above the foot would have been nice. That's IMHO. Keep'em coming Tim.

[Tim Brooks]

I want to thank each of you for your analysis and critique of my vase. I actually created this without looking at anything for a reference; really, I was using each tool to see what its purpose is and how each work. I am brand new to turning (as my vase probably shows) and have only turned maybe 30 or 40 pens. While I enjoy the satisfaction of turning a nice pen, I have found myself quickly gravitating toward bowls and HFs. Before I start my next project, I suppose I will do a little more research and ask each of you more questions.

Thanks again for your advice and I will keep 'em coming.:D

[Steve Schlumpf]

Lots of good suggestions for you Tim!

I find myself agreeing with some of the others about having the top flair out compared to the neck of the vase. I also like Bernie's suggestion of parting off the bottom of the vase at the ring level - would give it a little more proportion. I like your detail work and the finish - forms come with experience and practice.

Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

[Jason Slutsky]

Tim,

I think you did a fine job. I also think you got some great advice from the people above.

Ron said well above in that "sometimes it's hard to critique something without knowing what the turner was trying to accomplish". This being your first vase, I'm sure you were more worried about tool use than form. The form will come a bit later.

You have nothing to be ashamed of. I'm sure you gained a lot of experience by doing this.

As Bernie says..."Keep 'em comin'!"

[Joe Mioux]

Tim,

I am not a turner. I like your vase for the turning techniques and the finish.

I look at vases every day (365 days a year) all day long. It's the nature of my business.

You received some good advice regarding looking at Grecian vases, and also studying the Golden rule.

I would like to add that you also do a search and study on Scale and Rhythm as it relates to design.

Focus on the Rhythm of the vase.

I sincerely hope my comments are helpful.

Joe

[Lee Kinkade]

I think the reason the form is not as pleasing as it could be to most is that is not one thing or another. It is neither feminine, with full curves, or masculine with straight lines. It is neither severe or highly ornamented. If you had chose to keep the subtle curve, and left out the beads, that might have pleased more, or made it straighter or curvier, that might have pleased more. It also does not look like it follows any one artistic tradition, so many viewers don't know how to judge it. I don't see that as a negative though; you have done something fairly original and that itself is not easy. Most people never seem to manage it.

[Don Eddard]

I agree with Jason's comments above. You did a fine job for a first endeavor of its kind, and got good advice for the ones in the future. To add a bit to Bernie's suggestion for making it shorter, sometimes you're better off to get two smaller pieces from a larger piece. It all depends on the proportion of the chunk of wood you're starting with. Also, a lot of new turners strive to keep as much wood as possible, and sometimes the better looking piece is hiding a bit deeper in the wood. ;) If a piece looks too tall or too fat, don't be afraid to shorten or thin it a bit more. It's only wood, and the stuff literally grows on trees. :)

[Mark Cothren]

Well I don't know squat about vases...:)...but to me it looks like it needs a little more of a "neck" - narrowed down some more closer to the top. I understand you couldn't make it any wider, so narrowing down the neck more, to my eye, would help better establish the base and the top. But that's just another opinion...

Here's my question... how much do you like it?

[Tim Brooks]

Well I don't know squat about vases...:)...but to me it looks like it needs a little more of a "neck" - narrowed down some more closer to the top. I understand you couldn't make it any wider, so narrowing down the neck more, to my eye, would help better establish the base and the top. But that's just another opinion...

Here's my question... how much do you like it?

This might sound strange but I found myself indifferent to it. I marked that feeling up to it just being me. I think it was the fact that I felt this way that I posted the question here as I have. I was proud at the fact I actually came out with a finished product in one piece. I honestly didn't know so much went into the development of the shape. BOY was I wrong. :o

I will admit, however, for the inexperienced, it seems to be a real gem as the new owner is very pleased. Go figure... I guess I dodged a bullet with this one but I realize next time I might not be so fortunate. I will continue my development.