|
Three basic elements make up a bowl
|
No doubt you have seen hundreds of bowls in your lifetime, but have you really considered what elements make up a bowl? Before you try to turn one, you should. At breakfast, take a look at your cereal bowl. Then line up all the bowls in your home, ceramic, glass, wood, metal, and figure out which ones you like; then ask yourself why you like them.
A bowl has three basic elements: a rim, a body and a base. Once you begin to critically consider the elements of bowls, you'll find that you have more control over your own creations, and I dare say have more fun making them! When designing a bowl, I find it helpful to draw or sketch different forms. Determine the size of the wood you will be using, then consider each of the three elements - rim, body and base - in terms of how they fit together in concert with the size and shape of your bowl blank. In many ways, this process is a bit like putting together a puzzle, but it's a puzzle of your own design.
Considering the Rim
When designing a bowl, the rim is very often overlooked by woodturners, yet it is a critical segment. A rim can be thin or thick, narrow or wide, natural-edged or finished. It can also be curved or flat, concave or convex, and can flow toward the inside of the bowl or slope outward. An inward flowing rim invites the eye into the bowl, an outward sloping rim leads the eye out and away.
When selecting a rim for your bowl, considering function will help narow your choices. A natural-edge bowl with the bark left on does not function well for eating popcorn. It does, however, look lovely as a decorative item on a shelf.
Body Building
Wide, Short, Tall or Round
|
 |
| A wide bowl with a narrow rim invites the eye into the bowl and the contents within. This stained ash example is a very practical shape. |
 |
| This 8" wide bowl is taller than the example above with a more defined base. It is bleached maple ... a light-colored wood made even lighter. |
 |
| Tall, narrow and inscrutable, this osage orange bowl features concentric rings or beads to break up its long body. Its base is very mimimal. |
 |
| A shape that is somewhat between the bleached maple bowl above and the osage orange bowl. Notice how the symmetrical groove details stop, bringing focus to the rim of the vessel. |
The body of a bowl is the prime focus of our turning efforts, where the majority of the wood will be removed to create the cavity of the bowl. The scope and variety of possible forms and shapes for this section are vast, with some shapes more personally pleasing than others. The size of the bowl blank often limits your options for the body of a bowl. I prefer curved, round bodies for bowls. Curves in wood often show off grain patterns better than flat surfaces and are organic and sensual. Flat, straight sections are seen as formal.
Once again, it's important to consider the purpose or function of your bowl. If it is to contain fruit or popcorn, a curved body is more compatible. If your bowl is purely decorative, anything will work. Curves can be slight or exaggerated; one- or multidimensional such as an 'S' curve. As before, the size of your blank will constrain your options.
For flat or straight bowl sides, consider the look of an outward sloping side versus an inward sloping side. One is inviting, while the other gives the feeling of protection and secrecy. Often, a beginning turner will attack a bowl blank and cut straight in ... leaving no option but to have a flat-bottomed bowl. While this design isn't bad, many beginners who end up with straight-sided bowls did not really want a flat bottom. A great way to overcome this tendency is to shape the outside profile of your bowl first, then remove the wood on the inside of the bowl. You will not be breaking any secret turning laws.
The Lowly Base
Here's an important tip ... don't overlook the importance of the base of your bowl! Even though the bowl may not be picked up and closely examined, its base determines how the bowl will be presented to the viewer. A fun exercise to try is experimenting with different bases quickly made from leftover pieces of wood. Pair them up with those not-quite-good-enough bowls you'll likely have littering your shop. (You'll find them in my shop!) Start with a tall, thin base and then a very tall, thin base. What would it look like with a tall, thick base instead? Consider a wide, thin base. (I'm sure you can see where this is leading.) As with a bowl's rim and body, bases can slope inward or outward, be straight or curved, convex or concave. You can model some of these shapes by cutting profiles out of 1" lumber using your band saw. These three-dimensional visual aids will give you a fair idea if the shape works well with your design.
But, after saying all that, your bowl could actually look quite elegant with the body serving as the base of the bowl ... sort of a bowl-with-no-base. This type of treatment is particularly useful when your bowl blank is not very thick, and it is easy to achieve with just a bit of sanding (off the lathe) or by reverse turning. I find this type of base very functional in large offerings like a popcorn bowl. It sits in your lap comfortably, as well as on a table, and
it feels welcoming in your hands.
Designing and Turning with Intent
Here's an example of how I'd approach making a salad bowl: My client likes color and carving on kitchenware, so I will make a medium-thickness rim. It functions well, and it also leaves room for a small amount of decoration. I can either paint the rim and/or carve it. I will make this salad bowl slightly larger than I think will be needed: tossing a salad, especially for messy folks, requires plenty of contained space. (I know that the recipient of this bowl tends to be a bit wild when tossing a salad.) So, I will make a bowl body that is round and slightly curved inward to help contain the greens, peppers, mushrooms, onions and olives as they are enthusiastically prepared. It's only after this thought process that I select the wood, sketch a simple form and proceed to the lathe.
|
Actually putting a knife to wood is the second or third step in creating a bowl. After going through the design steps related above, the author shapes a bowl from a cherry blank.
|
A quick aside about wall thickness: By now the turning community is fairly well in agreement that thin-walled vessels and bowls are not necessarily a measure of perfection. I prefer to think in terms of intent. If your intention is to make a thin-walled, even-thickness bowl, then strive for that ... but if you like thick walls, make them that way. I think the goal is to "make it look like you meant to do what you just did"! To do that, you need to carefully consider your options and create with intent. But while you are doing that, don't forget to have some fun!