Help Me Decide My PITH 2018 Entry - #29 & #30

[RickB]

One two... authors kneel before you (not looking like I'll be doing a prince for the carving contest but I couldn't resist).



All right so I'd made two of these with the hope that I'd get one right enough for PITH, and unfortunately I did a few things better on one and a few things better on the other. I know which one I think is better on the whole, but I could be swayed and am curious to see what other people think. Both are proportionally too big in the bowls, both are too chubby through the cheeks, and both shanks are off-round. Due to camera foreshortening, both look like they bulge out through the shank and stem, but I'm relatively certain that this isn't the case.

I'll forgo my usual huge rambling review post in this case so that this doesn't become a novel. Apologies for the out of focus pictures, dust and gunk on the shank faces.

#29
Grain orientation on this one is off because it was supposed to be the practice pipe. Shaping on this one better when viewed from the front/top.

















#30
Shaping from the side view is better on this one, plus a nice little spot of plateaux on the bottom. Shank leaves the bowl too narrow instead of tapering down from the button - not sure if this is a disqualifying fault or not.


















Thanks as always y'all.

[seamonster]

Rick,
I'm going to throw my 2 cents behind #30.
Overall, on that one the curves are a bit more fluid, more easy and continuous, particularly on the stem. I think the proportions are better,
obviously grain orientation is better. On the top view, #30, it looks as though the bowl bulges forward a bit, slightly more
oval and less dead-round, which is not a deal breaker, but depending on your laser-focus towards perfection, you know, it's a thing.
I also noticed that from the front view, both bowls seem a bit unsymmetrical. I picked up a little tool used for capturing profiles on tile or trim, http://a.co/gUfFWbz. it's pretty helpful for checking symmetry.

Overall shaping and finish look good, and while I think they both are quite nice, #30 is just nicer.
Congrats, man. Solid work.

Jeremy.

[RickB]

Thanks Jeremy. I've literally got one of those on my amazon shopping list right now. #29 is fairly close (the picture's a bit off but I'd checked another one by mirroring it in PhotoShop). #30 is way off but it doesn't seem as noticeable in person, at least to me. I think had I gotten that shank figured out sooner, #30 would have been the very obvious choice, as it is I just... I don't know man. It's like a reverse oval shank or something. Not sure if that's allowed or too goofy

[DocAitch]

I tend to favor #29. The fatter shank looks better, and the bowl is symmetric. The only thing that detracts is the irregular silhouette of the shank face.
#30’s slimmer shank does not appeal, and on the head on shot there is some asymmetry with the right side (of the photo) showing a more protuberant cheek.
Both are very nice and I am sure your recipient will be happy with either.
DocAitch

[RickB]

I appreciate it, Doc. What's interesting is that your eye seems to match mine in this case - in the various places I've posted, most people are tending to favor #30 - the better flow from the side and better grain outweigh the shortcomings for them. For me, the flaws in #30 are much more damning.

[Doug535]

I'm leaning more towards #30. I think the profile and curves look better. Not that my input means much at this point, I have yet to make one that I haven't jacked up on at least one thing on all of them.

[RickB]

...I have yet to make one that I haven't jacked up on at least one thing on all of them.

Ha, neither have I! I'm just not sure I'll have the time to get another one done in time, and even if I did, there's no guarantee it'd end up better than either of these.

[seamonster]

...I have yet to make one that I haven't jacked up on at least one thing on all of them.

Ha, neither have I! I'm just not sure I'll have the time to get another one done in time, and even if I did, there's no guarantee it'd end up better than either of these.

There should be a guarantee that the next one is better..... use what you've learned from these two, be deliberate and thoughtful, and the next will show it.

Sent from my bloopty-bloop, using hooty-hoo.

[RickB]

There should be a guarantee that the next one is better..... use what you've learned from these two, be deliberate and thoughtful, and the next will show it.

Should be, absolutely. I just know that I'm still at a point where I really struggle with consistency - even when I am trying to be deliberate and thoughtful. Big dumb meat hands and all that.