Ugly, with a capital U

[Curt Fuller]

I've seen ornaments made from sea urchin shell that are really pretty. But when I tried it, mine looks like some kind of something from outer space. Somethings just aren't right.

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb319/clfuller1_2007/nobbyurchin1.jpg

Oh well, next ugly turning contest we have, I'll have a winner.

[Richard Madison]

Curt,
Some of us think the "outer space" look is extremely cool. Your ornament will place a distant "last" in any ugly contest.

[Neal Addy]

What's wrong with it? Judging by what teenagers wear these days, spiked is in!

[Jim Becker]

I think that you got caught by an overly endowed sea urchin...I guess this is a technique/type that may be best with a smoother shell. But it will make a great gift!

[George Guadiane]

I've seen ornaments made from sea urchin shell that are really pretty. But when I tried it, mine looks like some kind of something from outer space. Somethings just aren't right.

Oh well, next ugly turning contest we have, I'll have a winner.
If you had taken the time to turn then carve that from wood, instead of finding "just the right thing" to save you the time, you could charge BIG money for it... Personally, I think it is VERY nice.
If I were inclined to be critical, I would say that the finials are still a little heavy, compared to what DOES bring the big bucks. Other than that, WAY COOL!

[Nancy Laird]

Curt, your idea of ugly doesn't jive with mine. I really like that!

Nancy (100 days )

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My wife would love that ......she'd buy it in a flash! I like it too!

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Curt, perhaps your finial is a little too busy to compliment the shell. A simplier, thinner finial might be the answer. I'm just guessing. I think you're being a little too hard on yourself.

[joe greiner]

Looks great to me, Curt. But I agree the finial is somewhat overworked.

Joe

[Terry Quiram]

Curt

I like urchin ornaments and I really like the mix of wood in this one.

My only suggestion would be to make the dark portion of the finial a smaller diameter than the upper part. Cindy Drozda states that a successful finial should not have elements the same size. Are the urchins fragile? How many urchin shells have you trashed trying to get a good one.

Terry

[Glenn Hodges]

I think it is very attractive.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

I like it alot. I don't think that it is ugly at all. Great Job!:)

[Barry Elder]

Hi Curt,

Your skill and technique levels are far beyond mine, but, I would make another urchin thingy with a very delicate wood component and price it at double what this one sells for!

[Curt Fuller]

Curt

Are the urchins fragile? How many urchin shells have you trashed trying to get a good one.

Terry

They aren't terribly fragile but you wouldn't want to drop it. This one is bigger than most so this ornament is about 8" long. This also has a post through the center so the shell doesn't have to hold it all together. The hole in one end (the top) is always quite a bit bigger than the other. I didn't have a piece of blackwood big enough in diameter to make the top finial so I made it in two parts from apricot and blackwood. Then I broke the bottom icicle so I decided to make it two pieces too. So this was pretty much an accident recovery. There are shells that are smaller and not nearly as obnoxious as this warthog egg looking thing.

[Bill Wyko]

I like it. I think it's cool.:)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Curt - I Like It!

My wife just happened to walk into the room when I pulled this up and she thought the finial was to long - but she's a knitter!!!

Nice work - looking forward to the next one!

[Kevin McPeek]

Sorry, but I'm not seeing the ugly part of it. I would have made different finials...mostly because mine are pretty bad. ;)
I want to find one of these things now and give it a go.

[Bill Lantry]

Curt,

You're selling yourself short again. That ornament is WAY cool! ;)

Thanks,

Bill

[Mike Ramsey]

Curt,
That's a great Ornament! The only change I would make is that the finial's
would look better if you stuck with one color wood, either the brown
or black would work IMHO only...

[Dick Strauss]

Curt,
I agree with Jim...you got a very pointy shell!

Another thing to take into mind is that your eye goes to the lighest (closest to white) part of the object. This piece might work better with some holly/maple at the ends to keep your eyes from focusing so much on the shell. You could even stipple the surface of the holly/maple slightly to make the shell not seem so angular.

Regardless, I think it is a neat piece and I'd be proud to own it!

Dick

[Bernie Weishapl]

Curt I have to agree with Nancy. Your ugly and mine are definitely not the same. That thing is cool. Well done.

[Tom Sherman]

Curt I just had to say that your "Warthog Egg" ornament is actually very cool.