Want to show you work to the world? Want a place to post photos of your work and solicit the opinions of those that have gone before you? Post your work here.
I am new to this forum, and I am honored to be here. I started making pipes back in 2003, and the first several were from pre-fabbed kits. Last fall I took a leap and started working from scratch. This horn represents the first "standard" pipe (standard referencing a one piece stummel and a stem) I have made from scratch.
Since this is my first post here, I hope I am inserting the images correctly.
Image is now visible - Thanks to my student Jake... Sometimes he is my teacher and I his student.
I hold an MFA in visual arts and I am accustomed to critique. I constantly strive to refine all of my art studio practices. Please be honest with comments.
Last edited by RobEsArt on Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:46 am, edited 3 times in total.
Welcome to the fray!
When you start the process with the "new topic" button you'll see a series of buttons across the top of the box. To insert a pic, click on the IMG button. The exact URL of your pic's location goes in between the bracketed letters. Before you post it you can check to see if it is going to appear correctly by clicking on the preview button. Where you insert the brackets is where the pic will appear in your post. I usually type my message then stick any pics at the end. If you have multiple pics you use the above insertion method for each. Putting spaces between each address line puts corresponding spaces between the pics. Single spacing butts the pics together.
My internet provider allots me space to do with as I please so I use FTP software to upload my pics to that space and link to that rather than out of a web based picture display site. There are other ways of doing it. This just happens to be the one I like to use.
Chas.
I use imgur. After selecting the picture, choose large thumbnail at the bottom. Select BBCode (message boards and forums). Copy and paste the link here. Done.
Try it and preview it before submitting. You may have to go back and select small thub or original. If nothing looks good< I go back and re-size the original with my editor.
FYI, on the BBCode line, if you click on the icon to the left that looks like a couple of sheets of paper it copies the link to your clipboard.
BTW, I like your pipe. I think you did a great job on it. If it were me, I would have personally preferred the top of the bowl to be a bit darker... but maybe that's just the photography.
Adding to what BobR said, pixel width of the image is best for here between around 750 to 1000. Like I said before, there are multiple ways of doing picture posts
Chas.
BobR - Thank you for the comments. I chose the lighter top to compliment the natural color briar end cap on the stem. As for the body color... There is about 4 layers of underlying stain and 2 different stain apps to achieve the top color.
As for the finish, I am currently using tripoli, white diamond and carnauba.
What is an appropriate pre-buffing sealer I should consider?
It is my opinion that horns tend to look better with a simple tapered stem so that the lines continue to flow seamlessly. I think the cap and stem adornments detract from this flow.
On land, at sea, at home, abroad,
I smoke my pipe and worship God.
Nah, the stem is right for this one. The rounded end on the shank is reflected in the profile of the stem, so while it doesn't "flow" with simple, curved lines like a normal horn, I think this pipe achieves a shape of its own. I'd be interested in seeing it from several different perspectives, though. The color contrasts are particularly well done. I think I would have thinned the button down a little, though.
Overall, the finish is good and you've done a decent job with the shank end accent. The stem work also looks pretty good, but you should cut down that button.
That being said, your stem is over bent by a lot primarily because it meets the shank at an awkward angle. I'm not sure any bend in this stem would look right because of the angle at which the stem meets the shank. The shank face needs to be tilted more towards the bowl instead of away like it is now. If those issues were fixed it would be pretty ok.
The stem looks too long for the pipe, too. I'd cut it down by 1/4 of its current length, if not more.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the two tone approach. You did a good job executing it though.
Thomas Tkach, Literaryworkshop, and d.huber, Thank you for the critique. Much appreciated.
The rounded unstained briar cap is actually part of the stem, cut from the same block as the stummel.
I agree that there is too much bend in the stem, have been considering straightening it out to almost straight.
As for the button... My wife bought me an Ascorti (hand signed by Robert Ascorti) which has an acrylic stem with an oversized button. Since I've destroyed a few stems during the "chomping" years, I decided to be gentler on my bits and only hang the pipe from the button behind the front teeth.
I like how the Ascorti's oversized button "sits" behind the front teeth, so I thought I would give it a go. Ive also played with a P-Lip stem on a recent pipe...it's ok, but the wife says, "P-Lip, looks more like a tiny brindle penis. Are you actually gonna put that-yep there it goes. You put it in your mouth. Wow!" Finding the appropriate button shape and size will be a fun endeavor.
I also agree that the stem is too long. When I stuff a fluffy, I can enter the heel, but I only have a quarter inch of pipe cleaner hanging out of the button. Makes fluffy extraction a little challenging sometimes. Since the stem accent was married to the shank during shaping and sanding, I'm not inclined to remake a stem, but as mentioned, I am still considering straightening it out.
This pipe was also the first I've stained, and I jumped right in with contrast staining. (I use a similar staining process when I create stained intarsia-inlaid wood images.)
