Milk Paint

Carl Ford - Studio Woodturner
Group, Al Stirt Class, 8/2011 A group showing the 3 major projects I turned in Al Stirt class at Center for Furniture Craftsmenship in Rockport Maine, 8/2011 Craters and the Sun $160 Off Center Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-3/8" x 8" x 8", 2/2012, Not for Sale Here, I discovered a new way to carve big bold craters between my lines of sun shine. Back of Crater and the Sun The pattern on the back of this piece mirrors the pattern on the front. However, the bowl sticks out rather being recessed like on the front. But it is sort of an optical illusion. It depends on how your mind sees the photo. The bowl may appear recessed to you. Bronze or Wood? $140 Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, 2 Power Carved Textures, 1.25" x 7.5" x 9.5", 12/2011 This time I experimented with just 2 textureds I really like. The result was a piece that gives you that "Is it Bronze or Wood" feel.
Back of Bronze or Wood? 12/2011 Rings of Rain Drops $140 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-1/4" x 7-3/4" x 8", 1/2012 Oh no! Yet another rainy day in January rather than snow. Back of Rings of Rain Drops The pattern on that back of this piece is one of my best simple patterns. Creature From The Deep $160 Off Center Sort Of Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Hand Carved Textures, 1-1/2" x 7-3/4" x 8", 2/2012 My motivation for this piece was I wanted to make something with spirals and big dots. When I was done it reminded me of a "Creature From the Deep". I then decided to try something new. Make the piece trapezoidal shape rather than truly square.
Back of Creature From The Deep On the back of this peice I decided to try out another new idea. If I decorate both the front and back of the piece so people can turn it over when they get tired of the front. Then I should make the pattern on the back different. So people get two for the price of one. Primitive Hieroglyphs $160 Off Center, Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-1/4" x 6-3/4" x 8-3/4", 3/2012 I decided I should try creating a bowl that looked like it was once part of bigger ancient bowl. I carved some primitive looking hieroglyphs to help with the illusion. Back of Primitive Hieroglyphs The back of Primitive Hieroglyphs features a completely different power carved surface. This is a two for the price of one bowl. When you get tired of front flip it over and enjoy the back. Good Morning Sunshine $140 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Texture, 1.5" x 6.5" x 8.5", 1/2012 I created this piece early one morning when the sun was flooding thru the windows of my studio, creating this great warm feeling on a cold January morning.
Back of Good Morning Sunshine 1/2012 African Wild Flowers $180 Off Center, Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Green Milk Paint, Acrylic Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-5/8" x 7-3/8" x 8-1/2", 3/2012 I wanted to try carving some flowers. Then, I carved bushes between the flowers. In 2001 I visited the Karoo Desert Botanical Garden in South Africa. This bowl reminds me of the beautiful wild flowers blanketing the desert between the thorny bushes. Back of African Wild Flowers The back of African Wild Flowers features a completely different hand carved surface. This is a two for the price of one bowl. When you get tired of front flip it over and enjoy the back. 2001: A Space Odyssey $140 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Texture, 1.25" x 7" x 9.25", 12/2011 I was thinking about space ships when I came up with this pattern that reminded me of a docking port on the outside of a space ship.
Back of 2001: A Space Odyssey 12/2011 Seaweed On My Mind $140 Off Center, Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Green, Blue and Yellow Mild Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-1/2" x 7" x 9", 3/2012 I was watching a Sea Otters program on TV when I got the idea I should try carving something with curvy lines that looks like seaweed. Back of Seaweed On My Mind The back of Seaweed On My Mind features a completely different power carved surface with a plant motif. This is a two for the price of one bowl. When you get tired of front flip it over and enjoy the back. Spiral Galaxy $140 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-3/8" x 6-3/4" x 9", 1/2012 I was listening to the Star Gazer radio show when I came up this spiral galaxy pattern.
Back of My Spiral Galaxy 1/2012 A Rainy Day in January $140 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-1/4" x 7-1/4" x 8", 1/2012 I looked at the window one day in January and saw these big waves of rain drops rather than snow. Back of A Rainy Day in January 1/2012 Mechanical Marvel, $140 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-3/8" x 7-1/4" x 9-1/4", 1/2012 I carved the rings on this piece with the lathe running. Then, I just started power carving in textures and ended up with this wonderful piece with a really mechanical feel.
Back of Mechanical Marvel 1/2012 Heavenly Tracks $140 Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, 3 Power Carved Textures, 1.375" x 7" x 9", 11/2011 Here I was experimenting with a new radial pattern and a new moon creater texture. Back of Heavenly Tracks l 11/2011 Star Shield $160 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Burned and Power Carved Textures, 1-1/2" x 7-1/4" x 7-1/2", 1/2012 I found a new star stamp I wanted to try out and I had a new idea. I should make my pieces two sided. When people get tired of the front they can turn it over and enjoy the back for a while. The back of this piece really reminds me of a worrier's shield so I decided to call it Star Shield.
Back of Star Shield The pattern on the back of this piece mirrors the pattern on the front. Visions of the Southwest $160 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-3/4" x 6-1/4" x 9", 3/2012 I love carving triangles in rings. Some times they remind of a sunflower other times they remind me of the sun. Back of Visions of the Southwest The back of Visions of the Southwest features a pattern that is similar to the front yet different. This is a two for the price of one bowl. When you get tired of front flip it over and enjoy the back. Almost Square Bowl $140 Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, 3 Power Carved Textures, 1.5" x 7.75" x 8.25", 11/2011 Here I was experimenting with different carving textures and the appearance of slightly rounding over the corners on a square bowl that I screwed up by knocking the corners off.
Back of Almost Square Bowl 11/2011 Dangers of the Deep $160 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-1/2" x 7-1/2" x 8-1/2", 3/2012 I decided to try carving some big bold craters in the bowl of this piece in addition to those on the rim. I came up with this pattern that reminds me of some mysterious dangerous sea creature from the deep. Back of Dangers of the Deep The back of Dangers of the Deep features a completely different power carved surface with a sprial motif. This is a two for the price of one bowl. When you get tired of front flip it over and enjoy the back. Glorious Red Jellyfish $160 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Oxblood Red Stain, Power Carved Textures, 2" x 6-3/4" x 9", 3/2012 I wanted to carve some wavylines and then I added cratersat the junctions. When I got done it reminded me of a Jellyfish.
Back of Glorious Red Jellyfish The back of Glorious Red Jelly features a completely different power carved surface with a spiral sea creature motif. This is a two for the price of one bowl. When you get tired of front flip it over and enjoy the back. Groovy Grooves, $120 Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Lathe and Power Carved Texture, 1.5" x 7" x 9", 12/2011 I wanted to try something new. First I carved lots of fine grooves while spinning on the lathe. Then I power carved big bold grooves over the little ones. Back of Groovy Grooves 12/2011 Great Grain $140 Square Bowl, Natural Cherry Wood, Hand Carved Border, 1-1/2" x 7" x 9", 11/2011 Sometimes the grain in wood is just way to nice to cover it up with Milk Paint. Hand carved rim front and back.
Back of Great Grain Clean and simple! Stand for Square Bowls Stand, 2-1/2 x 4" x 6-1/2", 2/2012 I needed a stand for taking photos that would look great and not get in the way. I came up with this stand that I am going to include with all of the square bowls I sell. My square bowls look different when you rotate them or flip them over. This stand allows you to easily reposition a piece or pick it up for a closer look. Square Bowl, Al Stirt Class, 8/2011 (Sold) Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, 4 Power Carved Textures, 1.25" x 8" x 8.5" Turned in Al Stirt class at Center for Furniture Craftsmenship in Rockport Maine, 8/2011 I did this bowl to experiement with the 4 power carved textures Al demonstrated in his class. Back of Square Bowl, Al Stirt Class, 8/2011 The back features Al's little coves inside of big coves and my own improvised design for a stand made out of brass gas welding rod.
Sunshine and Crosses (Sold) Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, 2 Power Carved Textures, 1.33" x 8 x 8.5", 11/2011 I gave this bowl to my mother for Christmas 2011. Back of Sunshire and Crosses 11/2011 Patterns In The Sand (Sold) Off Center Square Bowl, Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Power Carved Textures, 1-1/2" x 8" x 8-1/4", 2/2012 This piece of wood had a knot in it that I converted into a feature. The carved patterns remind me of ridges and bumps on a sand beach. Back of Patterns In The Sand 2/2012
Carved Platter, Al Stirt Class, 8/2011 Maple Wood, Black Acrylic Gesso, Power Carved Pattern, 1.25" x 9.25" Turned in Al Stirt class at Center for Furniture Craftsmenship in Rockport Maine, 8/2011 I did this bowl to experiement with the techniques Al demonstrated in his class. Back of Carved Platter, Al Stirt Class, 8/2011 The back features Al's little coves and my own improvised design for a stand made out of brass gas welding rod. Milk Painted Bowls A group of 3 Milk Painted Bowls. I took this photo for a "No Sanding Demo" I did for my local woodturning clubs. The photo shows 3 different colors of Milk Paint I like. Black, Tavern Green, and Salem Red over Marigold Yellow. And it shows 3 different surface enhancements. Beads, Coves and Power Carved Rim. Green Milk Paint Bowl, Al Stirt Class, 8/2011 Cherry Wood, Tavern Green Milk Paint, Slant Carved Rim, Coves inside and out, 3" x 6.25" Turned in Al Stirt class at Center for Furniture Craftsmenship in Rockport Maine, 8/2011 Al had never used any color Milk Paint other than black or yellow. I tried Taven Green and decided it is a real winner!
Barn Red Milk Paint Bowl, Al Stirt Class, 8/2011 Cherry Wood, Barn Red Milk Paint, Grooved Rim, Coves inside and out, 3" x 6.25" Turned in Al Stirt class at Center for Furniture Craftsmenship in Rockport Maine, 8/2011 Red & Yellow Milk Paint Bowl, Al Stirt Class, 8/2011 Cherry Wood, Salem Red over Marigold Yellow Milk Paint, Vertical Carved Rim, Beads on outside, Coves on inside , 2.5" x 6.25" Turned in Al Stirt class at Center for Furniture Craftsmenship in Rockport Maine, 8/2011 Yellow Milk Paint Bowl, Al Stirt Class, 8/2011 Cherry Wood, Marigold Yellow Milk Paint, Grooved Rim, Coves inside and out, 3" x 6.25", Finished 9/2011 Finished at Home, Turned in Al Stirt class at Center for Furniture Craftsmenship in Rockport Maine, 8/2011 Early Black Milk Paint Bowl Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Wild Carved Rim, Beads Outside, Covers on Inside, 4" x 7" This was one of the first bowls I turned after Al Stirt class. I came up with this wild looking carved rim by accident and decided I really liked it.
Inside Beaded Rim Black Milk Paint Bowl Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Beaded Rim, Coves Inside and Out, 3.73" x 6.75" Here I was experimenting with Beads and Coves on bowls. I decided this bowl was a failure. The rim does not stand out because the beads blend in to much with the coves. This bowl often stops turners in there tracks when they notice the Beads are on the INSIDE of the rim. Not just on the outside. Not easy. Wild Rim, Black Milk Paint Bowl Cherry Wood, Black Milk Paint, Matching Power Carved Wild Rim Inside and Out, Beads Outside, Matching Coves Inside, 3.5" x 7.5", 10/2011 After the Al Stirt class I got to thinking about the bowls I did in the class looked great on the outside but you see more of the inside then outside when they are sitting on a table. So, this is the first bowl where I pioneered two new techniques that are may become my signature style. 1. The rim is carved inside and out. 2. The coves cut on the inside mirror the beads cut on the outside of bowl. Wild Rim, Green Milk Paint Bowl Cherry Wood, Taven Green Milk Paint, Matching Power Carved Wild Rim Inside and Out, Beads Outside, Matching Coves Inside, 3.5" x 8", 11/2011 I made a very similar bowl in black. It looked great so it was time to try it in green. Blue Milk Paint Bowl, Spiral Tool Rim Small Bowl, Cherry Wood, Federal Blue + 50% White Milk Paint, Sorby Spiral Tool Rim, Coves inside and out, 3.5" x 5.5", 9/2011
Natural Cherry Bowl, Carved Rim Cherry Wood, Clear Poly, Matching Power Carved Rim Inside and Out, Nice Foot, 3.5" x 8", 11/2011 I started out turning a bowl that I was going to Milk Paint. But the grain on this one was just way to pretty to paint! The Foot on Natural Cherry Bowl, Carved Rim Cherry Wood, Clear Poly, Matching Power Carved Rim Inside and Out, Nice Foot, 3.5" x 8", 11/2011