Thread: my latest clock

Constructive criticism is extremely hard to give. People study for years to try to do it right. Sensitive feelings. Terminology that can get lost in translation. Critics have to hide in dark caves because they can never please everyone. In this environment, where we are all just "friends" it is even more difficult. Hows that old saying...No on likes a critic. But we are, in a funny fumbling way getting somewhere, aren't we? consensus seems to be there is something not quite right with the "clock". IMHO it is because it is neither one thing or the other. The piece of wood is too strong in itself to carry other things. You said yourself Weisyboy that you couldn't ask the tree to be different, but I don't think it wanted to be an ordinary clock.

Dali clocks are the best designs, dont think picasso had the expertise to do a good one.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...rocess=default

I don't think Picasso even tried to make a clock, but he had a pottery phase and a hell of a lot of the plates and objects he decorated had faces on them. This is what I was referring to. There is also a cows head (I think it is ) made out of a bike seat and handle bars. It is very funny, and is art. Just because Dali put a few melting clocks in a painting doesn't make him the bees knees in wacky clock design. Only that someone else has made a squillionn copying them.

Originally Posted by tea lady

So Wiesyboy, what was your aim with this piece? The success or otherwise of the finished piece can only be judged against what you were aiming to achieve. .

Another voice heard from!

I think TL has hit it spot on--what did you mean for it to be when it grew up? If as a humorous piece, it succeeds quite well and in fact the different colour dials are an asset, not a liability. Makes it look a bit cock-eyed and adds to the effect.

But if meant as a traditional clock cum barometer cum thermometer it doesn't make it for reasons already outlined by Zed et al.

Personally, I would freely categorise it as humorous and probably sell it straightaway.

Originally Posted by weisyboy

1) what makes it unbalanced

Think about standing on a see-saw. If you have a big weight, you put it closer to the middle and you stand on the far end to balance it. Same goes for light, colour and composition. Here you have put the big weight (the big dial) right in the middle, and then you've stuck the little weights (the two little dials) right out on the end of a the fattest bit of timber so it just looks as though it wants to topple over.

That's what makes it unbalanced.

2) the THREE DIFFERENT dials dont compliment each other, they are diff sizes, diff colours

i have said that i need to find matching parts

If you had composed them differently you might have gotten away with it though.

and looking closely the triangle they form as apex points are scalene which as you know 3 uneven length sizes and angles,

Yep, but the two big sides are so close to being equal that it looks like a mistake. Anyone can drill holes at random, and that's what it looks like. If you'd thought about balance (and I'm not having a go, I understand you weren't aware of the concept until now) you might have further offset the two smaller dials a bit more to make the triangle look more deliberately offset.

i dont see a problem with this. if everything is even and symetrical i find it boring.

It doesn't have to be symmetrical, but it does need to be balanced.

4) a strange shaped bit of wood doesnt mean interesting

no and a nice square board joined in the noicest posable way can still look bland and boaring

You can have an irregular shape without it being boring. OK I've gone to an extreme in my example, but yours has too many elements fighting for attention, the knot, the "ears", the "chin". If you just want to look at an interesting piece of wood, why bother with the clocks and stuff?

If you want to make a clock, then the bit of wood should not dominate, the clock should. If you have a look at yours, the dominant bit is the dark bit round the knot, the "nose". If you look at my example, your eye is drawn to the clock first. Try to work out why that is?

Both are at the same scale by the way, so you can see I've just trimmed a bit off the ends to change the proportion drastically.

5) i am not a photographer and i couldnot care less if the picture was upside down and only half visable it makes the peice on worse or better. not to bad for a $30 woolworths camera thow.

but it does make a big difference to everyone's impression of the piece. With a $30 camera, you can still make sure you get a light above it or take it outside.

6) the hole/knot/rip also distracts

what am i suposed to do about the hole?

Think about it. If you'd put the big face over it, it would have fitted better in the widest part of the board as well.

8) a large roman face is "FORMAL" NOT abstract!!!! rules dude rules!!!

who said it was suposed to be abstract? its a bloudy clock.

I'm not overly concerned with that one, but zeddie is right, you have selected a very informal piece and the formal clock face could jar a little.

there is always a reason you dont like sompthing you cant just say its horrable without a reason.

Well you've got my reasons Carl, I agree that to my eye as well it looks as though little thought has gone in to it. Just as you quite correctly want your critics to have a reason for their criticism, you should be able to provide the reason for your design decisions.

Why for instance did you leave the waney edge on the left hand side? If find that just as distracting as the "ears".

Why did you put the big face so low in the piece where it barely fits, making the surround look very weak visually?

Why did you decide to mount it pointy end down?

You asked Astrid what she'd do, so I thought I'd have a play myself. I wouldn't actually build a piece like this as it's not my thing, but I'd fair the edges a little, not so much that they became "manufactured", I'd can the ear's and then to balance it all a bit better I'd crop the "chin" a bit. I'd mount the big dial over the knot, leaving plenty of meat around it's perimeter so it looks like it was meant to be. Then I'd mount the smaller dial, then the middle one below it.

To my eye, it all balances now, and looks as though I've thought about it.

I'd be curious to see if others who were critical of your piece agree.

I have to say that I wasn't going to buy in to this. I agree with the critics and I figured you didn't need another knocker, but hopefully I've explained enough to give you an appreciation of why we don't like it.

If that's not good enough, well I guess I won't bother taking the time in future!


Cheers,

P

well done midge :clap
one question?
what did you do with its nose?

Astrid

Originally Posted by astrid

what did you do with its nose?

I put a smile on its dial.

P

Astrid, you still havnt given us your theory on the design basics as to why you dont like the clock.

I'm still not convinced. The wood is still asymatrical. The various dials and faces need to reflect this not just march down the middle. Will do a drawing myself in a minute. Just work out how. Back soon.

Originally Posted by Lignum

Astrid, you still havnt given us your theory on the design basics as to why you dont like the clock.

UM ER because its horrid
Actually i have, about 1/2 1000000 posts ago.
go back 1/3 to two thirds ago

Lig why dont you give us your honest assessment instead of being a SA
I make a pretty good living from my talent and thats not selling crap at craft markets

Cheers

Astrid

Astrid try the Golden Ration of ratio = 1.61803399 next time you make something, it gives a nice balanced look.

Just ignore Lignum, he is trying for the job of forum grouch.
Try and include the word "Festool" into the conversation and he settles down.

there is always a reason you dont like sompthing you cant just say its horrable without a reason.

Actually, you can. You asked for an opinion and that was Brickie's honest opinion of it. It's an objective thing, a personal opinion.

People can say that they think the colour purple is horrid. When asked why, they won't be able to express it in words. None the less, the colour purple will still make them puke.

As in the case for me with this barometer thing.

Originally Posted by Brickie

Astrid try the Golden Ration of ratio = 1.61803399 next time you make something, it gives a nice balanced look.

Thanks Brickie,
thats the one i was looking for, it might make the barraclock look less bendy when wiesy makes the next one 30m high

Astrid

It's Still Upside Down!!!