You do get a better view of the form when you cut a piece in half. If you
look at the 'whole', you are distracted by finish and grain. When you look
at the cut edge of a piece you are seeing unadorned Form and can learn a
lot from it.

There are other ways of achieving the same thing, such as taking a
photograph with bad exposure, or holding it up to a strong back light.


You're seeing two dimensions of what was a three-dimensional piece. Not
sure if you should even call it the same thing.

Good point. I can imagine that some fine 2D profiles just won't work
when examined from different angles in 3D.

How often does anyone other than a woodturner bother to look at the
profile of a bowl? How often are they displayed at head height for
viewing in that mode?

Examining profiles is important, especially checking for flats that
might go unnoticed until the bowl is sanded and polished.


--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
http://chipshop.blogspot.com - a blog for my customers
http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com/TheToolrest/ - a blog for woodturners