Basket Illusion bowls

[Thom Sturgill]

A couple of months ago I turned my first attempt at a basket illusion, after many hours with my pyro pens and markers I produced my first bowl. I started on the back and was a bit too heavy with the texturing and it came out way too dark for my tastes. I lighted up on the front and I am pleased with the result. My wife loves owls, so I burned an owl in the center. Since it stands in a plate stand in a display cabinet, the back does not show.
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My brother, a paint artist liked it so much he asked me to make a shallower version for him. Since my house is well decorated with his paintings, I was glad to return the favor. The JDS in the center are his initials. Viewed horizontally they appear three diamentional due to the background and shadowing. While the lettering is not as neat as I would have liked, the effect is very good.

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Maple, about 7" diameter. The second is about 3/4" high compared to 1 1/2" for the first one. Beaded with D-Way beaders - love them! Colored with india ink from Tombow brushes. The first has a light coat of Krylon satin acrylic spray which will be applied to the second. The Krylon helps prevent smudges while not affecting the look of feel of the piece. Patterns are based on Hopi wound bowls modified to fit the turned format. While this might be considered 'cultural appropriation' I do not sell my art.

C & C welcome as always.

[Ronald Blue]

Very impressive work. I think you have nailed it Thom. Thanks for sharing.

[Allan Ferguson]

Looking great! A lot of work and time in these. Allan

[Roger Chandler]

Impressive Thom! That "artist" that has been lurking inside all this time is beginning to show itself! Nice work indeed!

[Art Mann]

I don't even own a lathe but I enjoy coming to this forum just to see all the beautiful things that you guys create.

[John Grace]

Art...If you're ever interested in just trying out turning, check the resources here and other places for a local turning club in your neck of the woods. They'll be glad to give you a spin on a lathe and see if you'd enjoy it. And while it is an expensive hobby to be sure...you can mitigate some of the start-up costs by starting small and used on something from Craig's List or other sources.

[John Grace]

See...this is why I'm hesitant to post my 'plebian' work anymore. All kidding aside Thom, that is a wonderful piece. Just curious...how many man-hours do you think you have in that piece?

A couple of months ago I turned my first attempt at a basket illusion, after many hours with my pyro pens and markers I produced my first bowl. I started on the back and was a bit too heavy with the texturing and it came out way too dark for my tastes. I lighted up on the front and I am pleased with the result. My wife loves owls, so I burned an owl in the center. Since it stands in a plate stand in a display cabinet, the back does not show.
DSC_2186.jpg
My brother, a paint artist liked it so much he asked me to make a shallower version for him. Since my house is well decorated with his paintings, I was glad to return the favor. The JDS in the center are his initials. Viewed horizontally they appear three diamentional due to the background and shadowing. While the lettering is not as neat as I would have liked, the effect is very good.

DSC_2189.jpgDSC_2190.jpg

Maple, about 7" diameter. The second is about 3/4" high compared to 1 1/2" for the first one. Beaded with D-Way beaders - love them! Colored with india ink from Tombow brushes. The first has a light coat of Krylon satin acrylic spray which will be applied to the second. The Krylon helps prevent smudges while not affecting the look of feel of the piece. Patterns are based on Hopi wound bowls modified to fit the turned format. While this might be considered 'cultural appropriation' I do not sell my art.

C & C welcome as always.

[Thom Sturgill]

Thanks for the kind words.

As to time, these are smallish so not as much as one would expect, also I am not doing Harvey Meyer's technique so the burning is much more free. I am a hobbiest, so I do not time myself.

Maybe and hour and a half to turn and bead - two with marking the radial lines. It took more time to design the layout.
Maybe an hour to burn the borders of the design, followed by an hour filling the pattern by brushing the tops and not trying to get into the cracks, probably three hours detailing the edges and into the cracks.
Six to eight hours filling in the background and another two or three doing the weave pattern on the rim.
At least an hour on the center initials, that is a fine grid of oblique lines for the background.

Most of this was done sitting at the computer desk with breaks to browse, check mail, etc.

Probably close to 20 hours over four days at this size. Harvey's technique would probably taken twice the time and is much less forgiving.

[John K Jordan]

I especially like the first one - makes me want to try this myself but yours looks too good.

Harvey Meyer is coming to our club for a demo soon, that should be fun.

JKJ

[David Delo]

Very nice Thom. The D-way beaders are probably my next tool purchase. Was just looking at them last night.

[Mel Fulks]

I don't see it as cultural appropriation at all, society can't be multi cultural without cross influences. The camouflaged owl in the center is especially nice in being 'woven' in.

[Thom Sturgill]

I have seen two different techniques used for making the Hopi bowls or hangings. Some merely start coiling from the center while others start by wrapping around a disk. Starting the coil without a disk reinforces the fact that this is a spiral which I can not do. Plus the disk in the center allows for my chuck spigot on the reverse. I used a set of small 1 1/2" jaws on these. I was able to bead down close tot he tenon before I had to part it off.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Well done Thom. Those are very well done. Thanks for sharing them!