Nice Pics of Woodturners

A very interesting site.

On a purely personal note, I would be very interested to know if the quality of the photography contributed (if at all) to sales / interest.

Thank you Ruth. We're just starting out after 1.5 years of planning, structuring and trying to get all the bases covered. The website was just launched a couple weeks ago - it's good to see there are folks finding it.

As the intro page says, our focus is on the business of woodturning with lesser discussion of techniques and how-to's with making the stuff. Our first speaker is scheduled for July - a SCORE member who will address artist's co-ops and a start-up art business overview. It's finally looking as though all the time and effort we've put into this idea is beginning to pay off. We're kinda at a make it or break it point but the recent swell in interest, since launching the website and putting out our marketing materials, by both woodturners and galleries is good to see. We're still in a mad email scramble to settle previously unconsidered questions that are cropping up by those who are interested, but it looks like we haven't blown it yet.

I think, for an AAW chapter, it's uncharted territory - making brochures and posters and focusing on the business aspects. Interestingly, the AAW launched it's professional section at about the same time.

On a side note, my tall, thin candlesticks shown in the gallery sold at this weekend's Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts - to the mayor of Lake O! I was a little sad to see them go but now that I know they've likely found a good home I'm feeling better about "losing" them.

If you're speaking about the PN Woodturning Guild's member gallery then I want to make sure you know there are no sales through the Guild itself. We're all individual sales people handling the specifics of our own marketing and sales. Our purpose was to come together to pool information and knowledge specific to marketing and sales - and to present a source of information about turning to the people who sell our work to the general public.

I think the quality of the images is *very* important to a viewer's impression of the work presented. I say this as a former advertising photographer but also as someone who puts his own turnings out there for others to see. One can hide any number of unattractive qualities with a work as well as practically turn a spotlight on them through the photography.

If you revisit the Gallery section, just look at the presentation of the work by David Williams. The work stands out, the background is plain, neutral in color, the lighting is soft and wraps the work without creating hotspots - nothing calls attention away from the subject. BTW, David's photos were taken by Dan Kvitka, if that name rings a bell for anyone. :) I took my own photos using painted muslin backgrounds left over from my pro-photo days - I think the cool tones bring out the warmth of the wood. Two very different looks presented in David's work and mine just through background changes.

Whether or not any of this has affected sales I can't say - let me ask you, as someone who hasn't seen the work in person, the feeling you get from viewing the gallery?

Your question is both fair and interesting.

Accepting that you can hide a multitude of sins via the power of Photoshop / Photopaint - we would generally use it as a starting point. It helps exclusion moreso than inclusion although gives little clue as to what the piece will actually look like irl. I would strongly lean towards something photographed well - believing that I had more information go go on.

The Tony Boase Tribute selection was an intersting case in point. Our selection based on web imagery was only 50% accurate - that down more to colours and how they appeared on a screen.

Does a well photographed piece imply a higher cost? I would say no - as it will take little extra time to photograph something well once you have mastered this particular area - although hot spots are always going to be a problem and require particular care. It would be too sweeping to draw the comparison between piece and photo quality - but there is some correlation.

I think that if something is photographed well, it shows an inner desire of the maker to present his work in the best possible light. If the turner takes the extra steps (minimal though they are) to present his work as best he can, then that drive for high quality would likely be present in his turned work. In other words, a sloppy turner likely won't expend the extra effort to have photographs of his work exceed the quality of his turnings. By the same token a turner who puts all his skills and attention to detail in his turnings would likely strive for photographs that generate the same sense of pride when the same turnings are illustrated through a 2-D medium.

Owen, I totally agree with you. I've been to sites, seen prices on various works and wonder how they can sell anything because the picture is either out of focus, there's background (tools, table, windows, etc.) or the angle leaves too many questions about the rest of the piece.

Some pictures say "this is an expensive piece" or "my work is worth what I'm asking" and other pictures say "look what I did in my spare time" or (in Eeyore's tone!) "I made this, it's not that good, but I tried." Well, I guess pictures are worth a thousand words! (maybe I shouldn't have my website as a sig, I just might get called on my picture taking!)

Ruth

I agree...nice site. My only suggestion would be to either make the images larger....or clickable to a larger image.

mmi

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote:

Hadn't checked on your site in a little while - some very nice surprises there. I like the tree bowl - it looks like it warped a little bit. I think it could be even cooler if the edge warped a lot. I also llike the cattails - and that staghorn sumac is pretty striking.

How are the eyeglass stems configured to attach to the frames and ear pieces? I was disappointed to see that wonderful coffee scoop relegated to the "Not My Best Turnings" page - I have always liked that turning. Do you have any for sale?

It's good to see the CLTL stuff - good times, good times. My CLTL hat is my fancy, goin' out, hat of choice - I've got others for my down and dirty, sweatin', dog-playing, yard-workin' activities. I may have to order another as a candle dripped wax all down the back when the hat was hung over a cabin's fireplace to dry out. Can't have a fancy, goin' out hat with pink wax dripped all over it.

How is CLTL doing? Never sent that pic to you...

Owen, Thanks for all the compliments! (aw shucks)

The "tree" bowl, piece of maple, got black spots, painted it white, spots bled, I like to draw trees (ie CLTL logo),started painting, couldn't stop, use it for my dog's water dish, we love it!

The eyeglasses are a 3-piece frame, I just turn the stems, optomitrist (sp?) drills tiny hole with jeweler's drill, ear piece goes 1/3 way in, front stem (stubby little piece) goes 1/3 way in, other piece is whole front that holds the lenses. I turned him 10 sets, he made me a pair of prescription glasses with my turned stems in exchange.

My webmaster son, Michael, typed that name for the 2nd page of turnings and I forgot it was still on the site. Coffee scoops are still one of my best sellers along with bottle stoppers and mushroom toothpick holders (you should see the cool ones I'm turning now! or did you see them on WoW?). I always have coffee scoops in stock for sale.

Yes, you do owe me a picture. I just got one from Richard Raffan and Jimmy Clewes is supposed to be sending one, too. CLTL is holding its own since Packard Woodworks picked up the full color and The Wood Turning Center (Phila.) sells the shirts with the outline logo.

*my apologies to those here who are totally not interested in any of this.

Ruth

Agree. Point well made. TomNie

Ruth All restuarants sell "sizzle", not just steaks. You pay for the ambiance and perceived value. Owen's thoughts of the quality of the photos matching the perfectionism of the artist makes perfect sense. From a marketing standpoint I wouldn't do it any other way. You're obviously moving up to a higher price point and need to bring the ambiance with you. TomNie

Owen, I loved them. Probably a dumb question by a newbie, but how did the "cracks" get there so perfectly?

TomNie

Thanks Tom - they aren't cracks but carved relief, the candlesticks are stylistic representations of lily pads with flowers growing up from the center. (YES, I KNOW LILY PAD FLOWERS ARE LOW WITH NO STEM TO SPEAK OF - BUT HELL, I'M THE ARTIST AND IF I WANT MY LILY PADS TO HAVE STEMS WITH FLOWERS ON TOP, THEN DAMN IT, THAT'S JUST THE WAY I'M GOING TO MAKE THEM.) Anywho, thanks again.

did i leave my meds over at your place?

By the way, you seem like a good candidate to enjoy the World of Woodturners. It's a private group that was an idea a past newsgroup participant came up with to share photos, get and offer critiques if desired and just post about woodturning. There are hundreds of members from novice to professional and thousands of pictures. To participate you need to be invited by a current member - but anyone is welcome to join. Be forewarned though, if you are a bad site citizen you'll be kicked out by the cops.

Tom, if you or anyone else within the sound of my tic-ticking keyboard would like an invitation drop me a **private** email at my address above. In the email indicate a real email address for you to receive the invitation with your user name and password.

Owen wrote: the candlesticks are stylistic representations of lily pads with flowers growing up from the

center.

Of what wood species(if any) are the candlesticks made? Tom

African Blackwood with bone inserts where the candle would go. I chose a very dark and almost featureless wood as I wanted the form to really stand out and not be in competition with the wood. From across the room they look ebony-black but if you're holding them in your hands they have a beautiful yet very dark black and brown swirling grain in the bases.

Acquiring this wood was the first time I ever bought wood sight unseen. I have to put a plug in for James Griffin of Griffin Exotic Wood in Colorado. He runs an ad in the back of the AAW Journal and is a very pleasant guy to talk with. He's a turner who knows what's required in quality wood and this Blackwood was fantastic. I chose "IQ2" - near instrument quality for this project and plan on ordering some more in the next couple days as he's got a July sale going on. The wood certainly wasn't inexpensive, but when I get an idea of how I want something to look, I don't mind paying the price to get the materials to carry it off.

Portland has one of the West's largest specialty wood importers and they had no Blackwood bowl blanks (used for the bases) or had any desire to help locate some and their spindle blanks were marginal in quality. If you haven't gotten the message yet, I highly recommend Griffin!