Second Birdseye on Pedestal, Please Critique

[Steve Schlumpf]

Since I am allowed 6 entries to the local Art Exhibition this June, I am once again asking for everyone’s critique and/or comments. This second version is different; overall darker in color, a different center of balance and is slightly taller than the first piece.

The hollow form is out of curly birdseye maple (endgrain) and is 4 ½” diameter x 2 7/8” high. It was stained with Watco Light Walnut Danish Oil to really make the birdseye pop. The pedestal and finial are out of cherry and have been stained with Varathane ‘Espresso’ Wood Stain to dramatically darken the grain. Everything has been sanded to 400 grit and at this time has no other finishes applied. The height of the piece with finial in place is 13”.

82181

Also, I once again ask for name suggestions.

I appreciate your input!

Thanks for looking!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful piece Steve. I really like the maple. The only thing and this is my preference is I think the pedestal is to long. Just me. Otherwise well done.

[Mike Vickery]

Once again another beauty Steve. I think it could use some transition elements on the spindle work (pedestal and final) but it looks great.

[Glenn Hodges]

Steve your work is amazing. I almost typed in simply amazing, but was afraid someone would think I had lost my mind in portraying your work as simple. Steve the only negative comment I could make about it is the base appears a little small for the piece, and it might make it appear top heavy. I might change my mind if I was to see it in person. Thanks for letting me see it.

[Tom Sherman]

Steve you are cranking out some great work, I like this piece very much.

[Sam Yerardi]

Steve,

You are doing beautiful work. There's something about the piece that reminds me of Salvador Dali. I've often thought about how I would approach doing something like that in wood and this is in that ballpark. The names of his paintings are way out in left field and sometimes humorous but always bizarre. I was thinking of a name like 'The World In Between'.
I think you have hit on something with the style you are pursuing.

[Rasmus Petersen]

very nice. I agree in the fact that you need to lok at the pedestal if anything. maybee a bigger foot, or even smaller.

[John Fricke]

This piece is simply..........."over the top"

[Tom Keen]

Its really beautiful!

Great: The HF is perfect and I really like the transitions off the bottom and top. The colors are complimentary.. nice!

My opinion: it looks "tippy". Maybe the base and stem could be a little more substantial. And I like to see a little more detail on the stem and finial.

You got real talent with these things.. I really appreciate your work!!

Thanks for sharing,
Tom

[ryan kelley]

Very beautiful. I have made a couple of these in the past. They are really fun to make, guess it is the combination of different techniques and imagination. you can see mine at http://chicagoturned.com. Once again very beautiful and graceful.

[Toney Robertson]

Once again WOW.

I just need to copy this response so that I can just paste it the next time you post a piece because I have never seen anything you put on here that was not WOW.

As far as a name - what about "Eyes in the sky"?

Toney

[Arlan Ten Kley]

Steve, your piece exudes quality! I really like this series you are producing.

One observation I make is that the finial has a bit more perceived mass to it than the pedistal creating a tension that in my eyes wants to be resolved. It is not uncomfortable, but if I concentrate I feel it. I like the length of the base showcasing the HF with elevation, but think it might set better if the pedistal had a bit more mass, not heavy though (I like the light feel it gives the piece), and the finial a little more delicate.

It is really pleasant to see a more subdued wood contrast between the HF and the supporting elements. Nice job. Have you thought about what kind of finish?

[Bill Bolen]

steve, another "blue ribbon" piece here. I think you will do very well at that show you were talking about...Bill...

[Kurt Bird]

Steve,
My thoughts were very similar to Arlan's, even before I read his. I feel that if you were to simply thin down the finial, so that it was more similar to the base, it would resolve the feeling of tension, and would be more in balance. IMHO, of course. I like this one better than the first, but the first one should still be called Birdseye Spire. Nice work on both!
Kurt Bird

[Philip Duffy]

Steve, Put that beauty on top of the pile in the front of the table and stand back and watch the judges go; OOOooooooooo, Ahlhhhhhhhhhhhhh! OK, next time make the base bigger but I doubt that the dramatic affect will be so great if you do! BZ! Phil

[Ben Gastfriend]

Wow.......... (he is overcome with a feeling of amazment)

[TYLER WOOD]

One of these days Steve is going to learn how to turn something really nice. I guess we have to put up with this stff until then:D

Sorry, if your gonna make me feel bad, and completely useless behind the lathe. It's waht ya get!!!

Another splendid piece. How much time are you spending at the lathe?

To me I would think something about rain drops for the name.

[robert hainstock]

looking at the piece in person, after reading so many comments give one a new sense of the piece. It looks right to me, as I could see so much more of the details. The subtle reverse curve of the transitions that do not show up in the pix, the fact that it realy does not look out of perportion. I love the way the color makes the figure "POP". It is a neat, well thought out art piece. and as you said, we all need to concentrate on ouir photo technique because we are loseing so much of detail of the piece in our poor efforts. Attaboys a bunch.:D:D:D
Bob

[Curt Fuller]

Steve, that's a beautiful turning! But I agree with what Arlan has said. The finial, at least in the photo, appears to be larger in diameter than the pedestal. To me that gives it a little bit of a top heavy appearance. Whenever I see an ultra delicate piece like this I think of how one little bump or slip and it would be broken. The practical side of me thinks a stouter base would cure that worry and remedy the top heavy appearance.

But Man, that pretty!

[Brian McInturff]

Hey Steve,
Awesome piece. I have nothing to add as far as the critique goes. It's already been said. How delicate is it? Looks like it could snap easily. Beautiful piece though!!!

[Greg Ketell]

I agree with the "tippy" looking. The base is too small for the overall piece. IMHO. My only other comment (being a symmetry liking guy) is that the shape of the base supporting the Closed Form (?) should match the lid. Actually, in my preference, the lid should be made to match the base because I like the shape of the base better (and IT matches the shape of the pedestal "foot").

If you wanted to go for something that would make the "dinosaurs within us" happy, make the lid/spire 1.618 times as long as the height of the CF itself. And maybe make the stand/pedestal either match that or be 1.618 times the combined total of both of those.

Nature loves 1.618 (aka phi) and so things made to the proportion of 1:1.618 just "feel" right.

Heck, you could make the diameter of CF be 1.618 times the diameter of the base and it would "feel right".

GK
GK

[Dave Stoler]

Truely art in my eyes.To critique it would do it a injustis(sp?).
The one word that comes to mind otherwise is "fragile".

[Steve Schlumpf]

Thanks everyone for all your kind words and great ideas! It's hard to try to explain what I was trying to achieve with this piece other than to create a certain 'Wow' factor. The pedestal is intentionally very thin and non-descript as I wanted it to almost disappear - allowing the viewer to focus on the hollow form and finial. I wanted the illusion that the hollow form looked somewhat suspended in the air.

As for the finial - the first one was thinner, the second thinner yet - but they broke while applying stain - even though I was being very careful. Something about very narrow facegrain that just doesn't bend well! I am paying attention to everyone's concerns and observations about balance.

Greg mentioned 'phi' and just out of curiosity I took some measurements. The main focus of the piece - that I was trying to achieve - was at the largest diameter of the hollow form. From the table to that point it measures 8 1/4" and from that same point on the hollow form to the top of the finial I measured 4 13/16". Using the golden ratio I find that the finial was short .286 inches. So, I think the overall division of height between the pedestal/hollow form and the hollow form/finial works and that the out-of-balance mentioned was caused more by the bulk of the finial than anything else. Something to remember - thanks!

Once again - I appreciate everyone's input! Thank you!

[George Guadiane]

Sorry I didn't get to this sooner, I've been otherwise engaged.
I like it overall. The only "improvement" I might have suggested is a gloss on the pedestal and finial parts, but just those.
NICE work!