Monday, July 30, 2007

you learn something new every day....

today's lesson: A bead looks intentional - a subtle cove need to be part of an overall design. A subtle cove on an otherwise straight section doesn't look like a cove - it looks like an accident.

The other day I turned a pen - an El Grande Fountain Pen (Berea Hardwoods kit, from Lee Valley). I have turned my previous pens with a pretty straight barrel - or an extremely subtle 'swell' in the centre. I thought I'd play a little with the latest one, so I left a slightly larger swell at the 1/3 way mark near the bottom of the cap, and added a slight cove. It looked good at that point, but I think the sanding flattened the swell and didn't much affect the cove - changing the proportions.

I wasn't sure about it.

I was torn between leaving it (it was hard not to play with it - pleasing to the fingers) and "fixing" it (visually it looked like I screwed up.) I was able to disassemble the cap of the pen, and remount it. So I fixed it.

I'm happy I did now. There was enough material I was able to change it from a gentle swell with a subtle cove to dead ass straight. I left the gentle swell on the barrel, as it feels comfortable when using, and is subtle enough it doesn't look out of place with the straight cap.

*Photos will be coming as soon as I can get my digital camera back.

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