Norwegian stamp engraving

Terrezar

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The following link provides a series of pictures of some of the works of the Norwegian banknote engraver Sverre Morken, as well as a couple of pictures of the engraver himself. He has won several awards for his work, and have engraved more than 150 stamps, as well as all current Norwegian banknotes.

http://www.rb.no/bilde/article3467349.ece

Picture number five is a portrait of Aung San Suu Kyi, and was given an international award.

My personal favorite is picture number eight, whitch is a portrait of the Norwegian composer Edward Grieg (the guy who made Morning mood.)

Also, the Norwegian 200 kr note, with the scientist Kristian Birkeland.
birkeland.jpg
 

Sam

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That's great work. I would love to learn some of those techniques but there is no one I know who teaches them. Thanks for sharing, and hopefully Mr. Morken will visit the Cafe someday!
 

Terrezar

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Sam, this is one of the most amasing arts there is, in my opinion, but sadly it is also a duing one. Sverre morken is the only one I know about, but a driend of mine says that there are some engravers that know the technique in Det noske myntverket (the Norwegian coinworks.) Would have been wonderfull to learn...

Don, same here. Griegs hair, and Nansens distingt expression realy makes me speachless.
 

Dave London

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Sam
The ANA. Aka money museum, holds a summer seminar. And Chris Madden the head portrait engraver for the US bureau of engraving teaches a basic class in Intaglio . A very interesting class and excellent instructor. Just for info the apprenticeship at the bureau is 10 years, all hand push,sharpening, handheld loupe. And the work is in reverse:bow:
 
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mvangle

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Please over look what may be a dumb question to some, I notice the stamp and note engravings have a distentive pattern in most areas that are "geometric" like. Take the faces in general are "diamond, dashes, negative or positive" etc. Yet the eyes, lips, gloves etc. are more "traditional" lines. The geometric like designs vary for different areas of the subject and back ground. Is this done to make the engraving easier to check for counterfeiting?
 

Terrezar

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Originaly this kind of engraving was a sure way to create identical bills, and thereby stop counterfeiting. Now it is more of a historical tradition, as computers and maskins are taking over more and more of the industry.

The geometrical lines you refer to is there to create a sense of depth, as well as to create shadows. If you look carefully at the stamps you can se that the lines flow the same way the smooth surfaces do, and thereby creating depth. The "traditionale" lines are outlines, and represent "edges" in the pattern. Try thinking about the traditional lines as the first outlining of a drawing, and the cross hatching as the shading.
 

Donny

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I really feel its pretty cool that they have a scientist on their money. As to the engraving well....its just over the top good!

Donny
 

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