My first effort at a hollow form

[Mike Oliver]

So, this is my first effort at a Hollow Form. It is Pecan, 7" tall, 6" wide at the widest point with a 2" foot.

Since this is my first effort, I would like to have some honest critiques from some of you who are more experienced in the art of the Hollow Form.
I would really like to have your thoughts.
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Sorry, I could not figure out how to rotate these cell phone pictures.

IMG_1102.jpgIMG_1101.jpgIMG_1103.jpg

[John Spitters]

Here you go.

[daryl moses]

Mike, I'm not an expert, but I have made several hollow forms and really enjoy making them.
I think you did a good job on your first try. But I think your "foot" is about an inch or so too small. It makes it look a little top heavy.
I believe if the base was about an inch wider it would really make it more balanced.
Google the "golden mean" or the rule of thirds and it will give a good explanation of what a well balanced piece would look like.
I love the finish of your piece, overall for your first hollow form I think you did well. Much better than my first hollow form.

[robert baccus]

Great SW shape overall. A bit small on the base as mentioned and the lower 2/3 might have a bit of curve to it. Fantastic use of a really nice piece of wood.

[John K Jordan]

...But I think your "foot" is about an inch or so too small. It makes it look a little top heavy.

I think it is a great piece too, especially for the first!

I like a wider base too, maybe a bit of flare at the bottom if it will compliment the side.

But all this about form in art is "in the eye" of the beholder, can be very personal! People like different things. It might be interesting to see some of the forms a potter friend of mine makes just down the road from me. (He makes the largest raku-fired pots in the world.) These things sell for $4000-$15000.

http://www.paulmenchhofer.com/gallery.html

JKJ

[JohnC Lucas]

Well I do like it, especially for your first. I'll be different than John I would not go with a larger base. I would like to see a gentle curve all the way to the base. In the photos it looks almost like a straight line. I would like the neck smaller but that will come with comfort in hollowing.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Very nice work for your first effort! I agree with JohnC in that I would like to see more of a curve from the shoulder to the base. I also think the foot is fine but that the opening could be half the size it is. Not a big deal at this stage but highly recommend checking out the hollow forms others have turned. Take what design elements you like and go from there.

[Clint Bach]

I like the narrower foot. I has a shape and form similar to a hot air balloon. I seems to be ready to lift off the table and I love it. There is plenty of room to make turnings that don't have that clunky bottom boring woodturners' form. There are plenty of beautiful pottery examples found throughout history. One example is the classic amphora.

great piece!

clint

[John Keeton]

I think your form is very similar to the SW olla vases, and they varied considerably. The diameter of the base is more a matter of personal preference, though my experience is that folks do like to handle pieces - that is part of the attraction of a turned object - you want buyers to pick up your work. The tactile aspect of a sale is important. Unfortunately, folks are hesitant to pick up a piece that appears unstable. So, a larger base can help alleviate that perception. The upper portion looks good. The apex of the form is proportionately placed. I would have preferred the edge of the mouth to be a bit more crisp - not a sharp edge, but not "dumped over" either. It is a bit difficult to tell from your pics, but the curve going into the mouth perhaps could have been a bit smoother. Again, that is difficult to tell without handling the piece.

Otherwise, the most obvious critique I would make is that the curvature is lost in the lower portion. I think the most pleasing of the curves for a vase form are the catenary and the parabola. The attached image shows both and the choice of where to truncate the curve will determine the base more than a forced diameter. So, the objective is to have the curve come off the shoulder/apex and flow to the base in a continuous curve with no flat areas. The title of the attachment is "the tuck" as it was used in a post I made at one time on the artificial tuck that was popular a few years ago, and to some extent still is. I do not care for an additional rounded curve into the base of a vessel as it disrupts the curve. I prefer one truncate the curve at a point consistent with the overall dimensions of a piece and that can only be determined visually considering the height and width of the form. Truncate too high and the piece looks dumpy. Truncate too low and it looks unstable.

[John K Jordan]

Fortunately, in art there is room for zillions of options in interpretation and preference!

One option is no base/foot at all but curved all the way down. I've seen people make them to just lay on the side and roll around, others set them in a stand, tall, short, wood, metal, etc.

Have you seen the one David Marks did a couple of years ago? (This thing is huge! See the link, documents the making.)

http://www.djmarks.com/sensei/
david_marks_vessel.jpg

About the same time I did a small one on the footless theme, a box, not hollow form, - in this case I didn't want a base to detract from the curve.
African blackwood, cherry, dogwood, coke from a blacksmith, wire:
pod_box_comp.jpg

I'm so glad we all make things different. Life would be boring if everything was made the same or by some formula or another.

[Mike Oliver]

Thanks all for your input. I wondered about the size of the foot. My wife likes it, I thought it might be a little small.

[robert baccus]

I just spent two weekd repairing an urn purchased a year ago. It was a bit narrow(not this narrow) on the base--it was knocked off and busted top to bottom. Can you imagine the scene? It was spalted hackberry so I was able to repair it with black epoxy and I think it looks better. She is happy yeah.

[Mel Fulks]

I'm not a turner. I find the form fine. The wood is interesting but not Attractive. Would like to see it get a surreal paint treatment that tweaks and embellishes the natural shapes. Pic three has an arm and hand ....or perhaps an arm and what could be a face, I would start there.

[John Sincerbeaux]

My two cents. I agree with most of the critiques so far. Remember, everyone’s taste in art is different. And certainly everyone’s perception of the perfect “form” is different. I think in this form, the opening/mouth is way too large which makes the base look out of proportion. Generally, the diameter of the opening and the base should be the same.

Super great job for your first HF.