Searching for something different

I've been known to make an observation which seems to hold here.  This is my latest varnish effort.  A violin player had a certain colour in mind for her next violin so we collaborated at the colouring stage.  What you see is the end result and it's not even close to the colour we had in mind.  In fact, it's not even close to the colour we had achieved before I added 2 coats of clear varnish.  Nor is it the colour that you would see under different lighting.  This supports my belief that a violin will end up being the colour it wants to be.

Having said that, I think it's a great looking violin and probably the closest I've come to achieving a traditional colour.  That's part of my angst.  I always try to push the envelope on the cosmetics.  I like lots of texture as well as a shading and colouring pattern that create visual interest by giving a nod to traditional colours and the wear process over time.  But I'd like my colours and shades to be a bit "different" and I'd like to be in control of the outcome.  I definitely want to avoid looking like a factory or workshop model violin.  Luckily, this violin has elements that are starting to become hallmarks of my work.  Oil varnish, amber hues, hand rubbing, tool marks and surface textures are the common themes emerging in my finishing process.  I look forward to further experiments with colours so that there will always be an element of surprise in the final visual that suggests the maker is still a wee bit out of control.