Been a While

Vaughn McMillan

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I finished turning this piece last time I was back in LA...February, as I recall. I finally got around to processing the photos. :rolleyes:

This hollow form is maple, dyed black, sanded back, then dyed turquoise. The opening was burned and textured with a pyrography pen. The finish is rattle-can lacquer, wet sanded with 400 and 600 grit paper, machine buffed with Don Pencil's PL compound, and finished off with buffed Renaissance Wax. It's roughly 6" in diameter and 3" or so tall. It was hard to photograph because the lacquer came out glassy smooth and gave me fits with the glare. (I also didn't have my photo tent and lights available, so this was photographed outdoors under overcast skies.) The glare also gives the illusion of a sharp corner at the shoulder, but if you look at the profile, you'll see it's actually rounded. Comments and critiques are welcome. :thumb:

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That is quite gorgeous! What do you do with a piece like that?...

Thanks, Roger. I used to get that question from time to time when I was doing shows. My stock answer was: "Pretty much the same thing you do with a painting or photograph." :D In other words, it's made to look at and display. ;) The vast majority of what I turn is intended for decorative purposes, not practical ones.
 
Ooooh shiny :D :thumb:

Starting to come around on the whole dyed thing :rolleyes: It certainly does bring out the grain in an interesting way on some of these pieces.

I am curious about your decision to burn the rim instead of ust dying it black? Is it because of worries about control of the dye (bleeding back into the blue) or do you feel that the increased texture adds value in setting the contrast between the inside and the outside?

I generally like the shape a lot. Nice curves. I'm not 100% sure about the transition to the lip around the opening, I think I'd like either less or more curve at that point - it sort of feels like you couldn't decide if there should be a delineation or not.
 
Well I was hoping you had got a lathe set up in NM...I've got a lathe in my garage/shop and have turned about as much as you lately. :(

At any rate...this is a beauty! :thumb:
 
Thanks for the kind words, guys. :thumb:

...I am curious about your decision to burn the rim instead of ust dying it black? Is it because of worries about control of the dye (bleeding back into the blue) or do you feel that the increased texture adds value in setting the contrast between the inside and the outside?...

I've been on a "burn the rim" kick for a while, but mostly on mesquite bowls. I decided to try it on this piece and it came out a lot more textured than I really wanted. It does kind of add some visual and tactile contrast, but I probably won't do it again, lol. I've done similar dyed maple hollow forms without the burnt rim, and think I prefer that look over this one.

If I had dyed it instead of burning it, I wouldn't have worried about the bleed over because I'd have applied the black dye first, then the blue. (That's how I did the outside, anyway.)

...I generally like the shape a lot. Nice curves. I'm not 100% sure about the transition to the lip around the opening, I think I'd like either less or more curve at that point - it sort of feels like you couldn't decide if there should be a delineation or not.

I agree. Good eye. :thumb: In hindsight, I wish I had made the transition a bit more pronounced. My eye wants the lines of the profile to be firm commitments, not mere suggestions. ;) Thanks much for the honest critique, Ryan. It really is appreciated. :yes:

Leo, I like the "guitar finish" term. I've always used "grand piano finish", but the guitar analogy is pretty fitting, too. :thumb:
 
Thanks for the info on the opening design.. My dying experience approaches zero so any info on where to worry or not is helpful :D Considering trying some on some blanks I have roughed out, this was a nice kick in that direction.
 
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