first drawing but shading

Hi,
i started yesterday with the dvd of lee griffiths and this is my first drawing of scrolls but I have no Idea how to make the shading. I think its terible What can I do to make an natural shading what is also posible to engrave.
thx a lot
Chris

Hi;
I think you have the shading pretty well figured out. The dark spots are in the right place especially around the flowers and top leaves.Your shade lines are following the contour of the leaves as they should.I think most would tell you that it is more difficult to draw shading lines than to cut them. It's hard to taper a pencil line. You should try cutting the pattern, you will probably find that when you taper your shade lines you will greatly reduce or eliminate your need for cross hatching.
I'm still learning myself so take what I tell you as my opinion only. Others may correct me if I am wrong.
Good luck.
Don

Thx a lot Don,
I was a little confused about the lines. Where they should start and end so that it all looks natural and is still posible to engrave. But I think this needs practice in drawing and cutting.
Practice now is only possible in drawing I have to save a lot of money to get the classic set from lindsay with footpedal. I think thats the right System for me. I have a few Handpush Gravers for setting and my vice is on the way But I think I´ll wait till i can start with the airgraver. If I can wait
Since I´ve seen all the beautifull images in this forum it burns like a little fire inside
thx a lot
chris

You have the "Right string but the wrong yoyo" as my dad used to say. I think you are doing what most anxious budding engravers do and that is to tackle complex designs too early in the process. There are certain things here that work well. Others that don't work at all. The problem is that it's too much information to digest all at once.
If the goal is to learn to engrave guns or other objects, avoid sketching on a blank piece of paper. Start with a border or defined space to fill. Once you learn to properly fill an area with well formed scrolls, then it's time to start adding elements like leaves and tendrils. Once they are right, then shading can start. Every single element is built on the last. If any one of them break down then the next one can't be done successfully. The overall form of most of your bottom scroll here is correct and that's the foundation of any good design.
Great start and remember the pencil is the single most important engraving tool you own. Cutting will be the easiest part of the journey.
Cheers,
Layne

Good effort but no cigar. You are trying to run before you can walk. Just about all beginners go straight to the complicated stuff before they even understand the basics.

Shading is a natural progress in the drawing process. Don't worry about it as it will come with observation and practice.

What you really need to do is concentrate on the scroll and leaf work and try to get them perfect. The shading will follow on from that. One step at a time.

Take Layne's advise above...then learn how to draw one good scroll, then fill it with good leaves on the inside and out. Once you've done that, then add another scroll and so on till you can join them together.

It just takes time and a boatload of practice

Cheers
Andrew

Great advice! That's exactly how I do it, one scroll at a time, with time and you study others hard work you start to visualize things scrolls growing from Scrolls leaves overlapping and so on. Great book and dvd set, I hope you bought the set, I used to say I couldn't draw to save my life but I've come a long way, still more to learn.

Saludos,

Carlos

Thx for reply
It will be helpfull. I know it needs a lot of practice but I was very impressed how beautifull i can do it only following a few rules. At first I only wanted to draw a few flowers but then i had a starting point for the upper scroll ... Sure it is not perfect and you all have the eyes for it but i´m a little proud.
Now i know i can do it with a lot of practice and painting in every free minute. My father ever said Ein Meister ist noch nie vom Himmel gefallen (a master has never fallen from the sky)
I know it will take many years to be a good engraver but thats not the Problem things i realy want to do never feel like work for me.
I will follow your Tips and do little steps to perfect them step by step. Maybe in one year ago i will draw this setting angain and compare.
@ Carlos I got the Set Book and 2 DVDs as Birthday Pressent from my wife and the DVD from Sam Sucsessfull Jewelry Engraving (but it is still on the way)
I realy like the way Lee is teaching and i have to watch an read mutch more times
I bought also a few books at ebay the art of engraving and two more but they are also still on the way since 6 weeks
Cheers
Chris