While all of those books are an excellent addition to the Christmas list and
the library, I think it is you as an individual that will help you compete
better with the "Far East". People with a personal connection to your work
will spend more money and will buy it. The Far East product, while
completely utilitarian, is not purchased by the same crowd that buys bowls
from an artist who exhibits at a gallery or a fine arts show. The Far East
products don't have the same classic shape as what you would do, nor the
variety or wood and shape that you are able to achieve.
All of those books, as well as any on Indian pottery (or any pottery)
Southwestern Pottery, Anasazi to Zuni is a good choice too) are great
templates. Once you can copy a masters work, then you can venture out on
your own. All the books with give you theory and design principles, show you
how to achieve author specified aesthetics, but cannot teach you to turn,
nor more your hands and tools on the lathe. They will all show you what you
may want to see, what is a classic line, shape ideas, but it is you who will
put those shapes into your own work, with it's own personality.

--
Steve Worcester
www.turningwood.com
Better Woodturning through Technology
(And a hell of alotta practice)



"Arch" wrote in message
...
Books for beginning turners have been well discussed here, but there
hasn't been much opinion and advice re books for we 'a little
fa(u?)rther alongers' who want to enter the 21st century. (or at least
the last half of the 20th) I hear footsteps from Walmart's cheap
imported salad bowls so I need to move onward & upward. It's gift
_receiving_ time and I'm considering four fairly current books to help
me compete with the far East:

Hosaluk's "Scratching the Surface"
Darlow's: "Woodturning Design"
Robert's: "Masterful Woodturning"
O'Donnells': "Decorating Wood"

Perhaps these authors consider different aspects, but I'm not likely to
be gifted with all four. Maybe my old Raffin classic on bowl design is
sufficient, but somehow buying it didn't make me an artist. I just know
one of the above will. Your unbiased reviews? Opinions? Advice? Other
book suggestions? Incredulous laughter? Arch

Fortiter,