Stuggling with shapes

Any book on pottery. Depending on your definition of "classical," you might want to check Greco/Roman styles. They're the ones we're most accustomed to. Amerinds, who didn't have the wheel, made theirs differently.

If you're using "angular" to describe a curve that isn't fair throughout, there's probably no better way to get there than practicing continuous cutting. If you have to stop to adjust the tool, it's more difficult to get the curve faired.

John Hunnex (UK Turner) has produced a book full of shapes for bowls and dishes, unfortunately I cannot remember the full title or the publisher!

Regards Peter.

I have the same problem as I am artistically challenged. When my wife went to Crate and Barrel, a place with dishes, plates, vases etc. I would sit outside and read my book. Now I go inside and look at the bowls vases and legs on the tables. You can pick them up and turn them around and picture how they would look on your lathe.(I know kind of hard with the table still attached to the leg) Also at an art/craft store like Michel's they had small vases and what would be weed pots. I thought about getting them and filling with sand so they would be heavier and maybe not tip over. Raffin suggests turning shapes and painting them black and putting them on a shelf for reference. The black paint helps you from being distracted by the grain. Also I guess it would give you a small history of what level you are at. You could see what you liked in the past and were you are now. I don't know if this is any help.

Bruce

william kossack wrote:

John Hunnex - Woodturning: A Source Book of Shapes Pub: Sterling - ISBN: 0946819459 "A full-color guide that features 188 superb lathe-turned shapes that will inspire all turners. "

Richard Raffan -- Turned Bowl Design...

I do the same about looking at things in the store when accompanying my wife. However, my wife or as I call her my design consultant sometimes does not like the shapes.

I've seen the 500 bowls book at the local book store but not the Hunnex book.

Bruce Fergus> I have the same problem as I am artistically challenged. When my wife

Hi William There's Dale Nish, Ernie Conover, Mike Darlow, Richard Raffan and many more, that have books out and show shapes and give tips on how to improve the way we look at shapes, we seem to see shapes all day long but don't seem to be able to bring that to the wood in a 3 dimensional way, and see the weight of a shape, and even see something that we like but don't know why, some people have a natural feel and others don't, but we all can improve. If you go to the Lee Valley site, it has a number of books there, and you might want to get some, I have a few books and like to peruse them once in a while, I feel that their ideas and others and mine will mingle and I come up with other shapes and ideas, and yes they do get shot down sometimes, but other times they're "heeeey nice".

A more generic answer...

When I was first starting I had a customer who formed glass vases into natural edge bowls while hot (he had me finish only the outside of the wood so the inside could be soaked with water prior to place the hot glass). He observed that the bowls he spotted in the store (through which we made contact) didn't have a consistent curve. They essentially had a flatter bottom area and flatter sides with a point of transition with greater curvature. I guess I hadn't really noticed. So I made my bowls for him with a more consistent curve. From then on this has been an important criteria.

How can you get better at the consistent curve.

1. Keep moving your body as you hold your bowl gouge against your hip. Cutting with a freshly sharpened gouge helps keep the gouge going where you're pointed.
2. Look at the silhouette of the bowl with an eye for consistent curvature.

I'm in complete agreement with Bill Grumbine on this... most "classic" or "warm & fuzzy" shapes are ancient and pretty much patterned after fruit.. *g*

Apple shape bowls, etc.... Also as you get some more lathe time and hopefully buy a dvd or 3, you'll notice that your tools flow more along smoother lines and your body shifts without you thinking about it, and the shape will get smoother and nicer... also, most new turners are hesitant to remove a lot of wood, so they end up with more boxey, straight sided bowls... If you look at your favorite china bowl, you'll SEE the shape.. it's that shape because over time that shape is a proven seller.. *g*

I would really suggest Bill's DVD on bowl turning... I wish that I'd watched it a few times before I tried to teach myself.. YMMV

Mac

=============== If the Hunnex book is out of print, You can try some of the on-line sources for used books for a copy. It's worth the effort.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX.

The Lowest price I saw was $49.95! Original retail $19.95.

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I don't think I paid that much for my copy, but it was years ago, so I may be wrong (the wife says I'll wrong eventually) ( :-)

Ken Moon Webberville, TX.