The Beautiful pen contest

[ldb2000]

Welcome to the The IAP Birthday Bash .
This is a contest to find the most beautiful pen made by a member for this contest . It is open to all members and there are some great prizes to be won . I have tried to keep the rules as simple as I can so that everyone can compete on a equal basis .

The rules for The Beautiful pen contest are ;

1 - It must be a Ballpoint kit pen . No cap style or kitless pens will be accepted .
2 - The pen must be made for the contest by the person entering the contest and not have been shown before Feb 1 2011 .
3 - Only one pen per person , so make it your best work . Take the best pictures you can because the quality of your pen will be based on what we can see . Keep your backgrounds and props simple so they do not distract the eye from your pen . To keep the thread to a manageable size I ask that you only post two (2) pictures per person please .
4 - Winners will be chosen based on the Fit and Finish of your pen . A panel of judges will choose the top 5 pens in each contest and the final 3 in each contest will be chosen by an open poll .
5 - Prizes will be awarded for first , second and third places .

Feel free to contact me by PM if you have any questions .

Now let's see some Beautiful pens !!!

 

[mrcook4570]

When is the deadline?

 

[ldb2000]

The contest opens on February 1 , 2011 at 12:01 AM and closes on February 19 , 2011 at 11:59 PM . No entries will be accepted after this time , NO EXCEPTIONS .

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Well I guess someone has to go first. I have been working on this idea for some time now. Blew up three blanks trying this last month. Got the day off yesterday and could really spend the right amount of time with this. The center inlay material is blue fleck celluloid. You can see some of the color in photo #2. The celluloid has aluminum on each side of it and on the outside of the aluminum is (as Eagle would say) blue Colombian wood by-product. It is a six sided Celtic knot on a 55 degree angle in maple. Wanted to use a light and plain wood to show off the knot. All dressed on an Aero. Thanks for looking - Mike

 

[Ankrom Exotics]

Very nice pen, Mike...... as you can tell from our avatar, website and my tattoos (if you could see 'em) I'm a big fan of Celtic knotwork. Been meaning to try my hand at some of these myself when I can find some time.

 

[rsjimenez]

Wow, that pen looks really nice. very well executed.

 

[bnoles]

Very serious WOW factor in that pen Mike.

Awesome job!

 

[ldb2000]

Mike , that is a perfect way to start the Beautiful pen contest !!! You have set the bar very high .

 

[EBorraga]

WOW​

That turned out Awesome. Fit and finish look phenomenal!!​

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Folks looks like the gauntlet has been thrown down by Mike so if I can ever get back to the shop who knows I might try....er not

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Heck that ain't nuthin. I know a little English rodent that could put that to shame in his sleep.

 

[randywa]

Beauty in the eye of the beholder

It's not worthy, but I like it. It has a blackwood cap, a holly body, a Majestic Jr. body, and a buch of ******'s, and ****s.

 

[ldb2000]

It's a very nice pen Randy but I'm sorry to say it is not eligible for the contest . If you read the rules you will see the contest is only open to "BALLPOINT PENS" , capped rollerball and fountain pens are not allowed . I set this rule so that everyone could enter a pen and not have to try and compete with the expensive pens like the Emperors and Majestics .

 

[randywa]

It's a very nice pen Randy but I'm sorry to say it is not eligible for the contest . If you read the rules you will see the contest is only open to "BALLPOINT PENS" , capped rollerball and fountain pens are not allowed . I set this rule so that everyone could enter a pen and not have to try and compete with the expensive pens like the Emperors and Majestics .

Read the rules? After the crossword, I can't read anything. Thanks though, I'll look around and see what else I can find.

 

[randywa]

Gatsby Holly

Black T/N and rhodium with holly Gatsby.

 

[Rmartin]

Here's one I did recently. Pink Ivory on a TiGold Cigar

 

[louie68]

Rose Petal Casting

A Real Red Rose Petal Casting Monet Pen

 

[CaptG]

Maple from back yard

Elegant Beauty in Maple from a tree that came down in the back yard last year in a wind storm. End trim in pick guard and bloodwood. IAP logo done with my laser. (last minute idea ).

 

[Toni]

Sierra Elegant Beauty Violet Rose Millefiori Pen

 

[ldb2000]

I'm sorry Toni but I think I'm gonna have to disqualify your entry NOBODY can compete with the beauty of your pens !!!!!!!!!!!!!




Just kidding about the disqualfied part :biggrin:..... but not the Beauty part !!!!!! Boy am I glad I'm not one of the judges for this contest !!!!!!!!

 

[Ruby pen turning]

I loooooooooove the Celtic knot is perfect I tried with copper sheeting and aluminum but the bit caught the copper and that blan was history and have not tried again. I think I need thinner copper anyhoo
Tony`s pen is as beautiful as ever. I understand I think how it is done with the base clay and thinly sliced cane but how do you get the depth? YOU BOTH WIN!!!! contest over

 

[Toni]

Toni`s pen is as beautiful as ever. I understand I think how it is done with the base clay and thinly sliced cane but how do you get the depth?

Yes you are correct!! The depth comes from layering the flower slices

 

[bitshird]

Gary you cheated LOL and Toni should be disqualified none of us can get close to them. Mike and Linda shouldn't be allowed to play because they should be taking a snow day, but none of that would help me though, These pens are setting the bar pretty high, but we've yet to hear from the Steel Rodent ,, watch out it'll be a killer.

 

[LarryDNJR]

Can it be a ballpoint we've already made prior to Feb 1st, but never shown anywhere?

 

[Buzzzz4]

A homebrew Black and Diamond Mini Pine Cone Blank on a Hybrid Cigar.

Thanks for looking!

 

[LarryDNJR]

A homebrew Black and Diamond Mini Pine Cone Blank on a Hybrid Cigar.

Thanks for looking!

Dude... that is just flat out awesome looking to me for some reason! goodjob!

 

[ldb2000]

I realize that with all these storms we've had lately some of us can't even get to our shops let alone complete a pen in time for the contest . So I am relaxing the rules a little and any pen that hasn't been shown before is ok for the contest .
In keeping with the spirit of the Bash , if you can create a new pen , by all means please do but if you have to , a unshown past work will do . Also remember that you improve with each pen you make , so a past work may not be your best work , and with the competition shown so far , your best work will be needed to finish well .

 

[LarryDNJR]

I realize that with all these storms we've had lately some of us can't even get to our shops let alone complete a pen in time for the contest . So I am relaxing the rules a little and any pen that hasn't been shown before is ok for the contest .
In keeping with the spirit of the Bash , if you can create a new pen , by all means please do but if you have to , a unshown past work will do . Also remember that you improve with each pen you make , so a past work may not be your best work , and with the competition shown so far , your best work will be needed to finish well .

Thanks for the quick response Butch. Part of my issue is just recently setup shop again in a new space. Still getting things to flow together and have been running out of worthwhile pen kits to work with until Tax Time I'll see what I might have to work with making something new but I have a few slightly older ones I might like to try with. Picking only one of course.

 

[terryf]

My entry is finished - I'm just hoping my pen kits arrive from the states in time!!

 

[wizard]

Ancient Mars on Copper Cigar

Thought I would try and participate...Made it this A.M. It's Ancient Mars, my favorite of Dawn's Magical Blanks, on a Copper Cigar Ballpoint Pen. Thanks for looking! Doc

 

[joefyffe]

That Celtic sure makes me proud to be Mikes father in law! Now if I could just talk him out of some private tutoring!! Mike, your Malachite inlay was beautiful, but this time you have outdone yourself. Very PRECISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[turbowagon]

Huon Pine Burl w/ Gabon Ebony accents

Here's my entry:

Huon Pine Burl from Tasmania with Gabon Ebony accents.
Sienna-style ballpoint pen with black titanium plating.
CA finish

- Joe

 

[turbowagon]

Here's a closeup:

- Joe

 

[MSGMP]

A homebrew Black and Diamond Mini Pine Cone Blank on a Hybrid Cigar.

Thanks for looking!

I absolutely love that pen! Fantastic.

 

[phillywood]

Now, realistically, how are the newbies supposed to compete with these pros.? like we would hae much of a chance?

 

[terryf]

C'mon Philip, give it a break know, its getting a little monotonous!

You give it your best shot, like any other competition and if you dont win, learn from the experience. Nobody ever got better at doing anything by competing against people equal to or less than themselves.

See it as the ultimate challenge and stop winging about how many BB comps you're going to lose!! I diont expect to win any but its got my mind going and my adrenalin pumping knowing that Im up against the best on IAP and that only my very best effort will stand even a remote chance!!

And my very best it will get, hopefully raising my game in the process :biggrin:

And please take this as constructive criticism :wink:

Now, realistically, how are the newbies supposed to compete with these pros.? like we would hae much of a chance?

 

[ldb2000]

Now, realistically, how are the newbies supposed to compete with these pros.? like we would hae much of a chance?

Phillip , This is the Beautiful pen contest and is for the general membership and as such will have the finest pens the membership can produce . I have limited this contest to the use of Ballpoint pen kits to try and level the playing field as much as I could but there is only so much I can do and still have a contest that will please everyone .
There is a contest for new pen makers , The Beginners Beautiful pen contest , which is for people who have been making pens for 6 months or less and this is where the newbies should be entering their pens .
By the 6 month mark you should have gained enough skill to hold your own in the other contests that are running here in the Bash . Some have complained that the 6 month rule is arbitrary and since there is no true way to tell if someone who enters has been making pens for longer , there will be some who cheat but I like to think that the members here are Honorable people and will not enter that one if they don't truly qualify .

 

[splinter99]

I haven't poated any pens on here lately so I thought I'd give the bash contests a shot.
This is Manzanita burl that I cast in burgundy acrylic. It is on satin nickel atlas hardware. Finish is ca. Thanks for looking

 

[joefyffe]

Satin Nickel?

 

[joefyffe]

I like the cast. Great color combo. Makes me think of Hawaii instead of all this snow we have here in Indianapolis!