How do you mark your work?

I use different techniques for different products. Bottle stoppers are fitted to hang cards with thin elastic lace. Spurtles, dibbers etc have small cards attached by crochet cotton. Weedpots just have a peelable price label on the bottom, then go into a labelled box when they are sold.

All bowls have name and other details burnt in the base with a pyrography tool. Bowls finished with danish oil will accept a peelable price tag. Bowls finished with mineral oil / walnut oil / wax will shedd adhesive labels, so I give each bowl a unique number, then put a tag in the bowl with its number and a peelable price tag.

Woodburner. Butane-powered soldering iron with a modified tip, in my case. Allows additions at customer request.

I use sticky price tags or drop a card inside with care instructions and the price.

Years ago, when I had access to the university's jewelry lab, I cast a brass brand of my logo with initials. I use a propane torch to heat it. Dan

Hi Alun

I mark all but the smallest of my turnings with a pyrography pen, my name, wood used, year finish turned, and number that correspond with a photograph, if the price sticker disappears in the store or gallery a new one will be no problem as al the pertinent info goes with the photograph, and it gives me a memory and recall. The ones that are to small for all of that do get a number and a tag on a string, ribbon, etc.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

I like your system. At first it looks elaborate. I would benefit by knowing at what MP you are taking the picture and what type of storage to you use. I am having a problem with unwanted shadow. I wander how it can be solved without using too much light. As for the pyrography pen I have one but it does not work fast. You may have a special one. TIA

Denis.. try either or both of these "tricks" of the product photo trade:

Use an exterior flash, and take multiple shots with the light bouncing off different places.. (ceiling, wall nearby, wall behind, etc.)

Use you zoom (optical, not digital, please) You'll get better depth of field and more even lighting effects if you back off the subject a bit and then zoom it... I had 1 client that hated the pictures of his demo model planes, as they all looked like they were lopsided and had one wing that was much larger than the other.. We took the shots from across the room with a big zoom and the perspective/depth of field was right on..

Yes and no. Depth of field is inversely proportional to the focal length of the lens, but proportional to the distance. Theoretically, zooming from a distance, at the same f stop should be a wash.

Shortening of perspective with longer focal lengths is yet another matter. There, the longer focal length is your friend, especially when photographing chubby aunt Maude, or for those pictures where folks are sitting. You can keep the elephant knees (or larger wings) in better proportion to the face with longer focal lengths.

Interesting example of shortening is the center field camera at baseball games that makes the pitcher look closer than the batter, because our eye interprets smaller as more distant.

Read before you click. Of course it's batter closer than pitcher.

photographing

Thanks for the feedback. If I read correctly. Use of the 35mm camera produces better picture of detailed craft-work. I still have my two 35mm cameras. I'll try the bouncing flash method. Too bad I do not have any of the Agfa film left. Processing of the 35mm is not that expensive its just that I have to go to the photo lab.

Hi Denis

My wife takes the photographs, not digital pic's and they are in a folder with the info sheets so that we can get at the info anywhere anytime, and remember it is only for my personal information and recollection. The pyrography pen and wire I got at Lee Valley the power supply we made from an old amplifier transformer, or it came out a radar console, I'm not sure, its not very hot, but I'm not a production turner, I just do a bunch if I feel like it or need to fill up the gallery's supply.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Denis Marier wrote:

===================== Glad you cleared that up! I usually figure what you say is pretty accurate, but that had me going. :-0

Ken Moon Weberville, TX

though I hardly remember how to use one, 35mm with a good lens..and a good operator, would probably be better, but digital is a lot easier.. Also, with digital, you can "shoot like the pros" and shoot 100 shots if you want to, then pick the perfect one.. crop it, add text, whatever.. Lens is really important.. we got our digital about 4 years ago and the reason that we picked the particular camera (Sony dsc something?) is that it had a nice Carl Zeiss lens, which I was familiar with from the 33mm days.. We get great shots at 1200 and good shots at 640, which most digitals really suck at..

Thanks for all the suggestions folks. The jury is still out on what method to use as I have no experience at all with pyrography (pens) or whatever. My handwriting isn't that good at the best of times, and I suspect that using an unwieldy writing instrument as well would make the end result worse, thus somewhat negating the point of marking my work at all! The idea of using a very fine marker pen and finishing on top of it appeals, but I wonder whether the finish (depending on what is used) might make the writing run.

wow.. exactly what I told my wife... something like "nobody can read my writing, so why burn it into something?"

I figure that I'll worry about it if I ever make anything that I feel is work marking... assuming that doesn't include leg lifting.. lol

Alun, Be forewarned! The ink in those so-called permanent marker pens like "Sharpies" is fugitive. That is, it will bleed given enough time. Also, not all are fadeproof. If you want to go the pen route, pick up one of those 'paint pens' sold at hobby stores. Dan

I use a .05 pen labled archival to write my name, bowl #, and type of wood on the bottom of my bowl. Glenn Hodges Nashville, GA

I've had several brands of "permanent" markers, including Sharpie run when exposed to alcohol. Imagine ketones would do the same. Don't count on it staying sharp if you'll be adding finish, though writing on the finish seems fine.