Question: How much small should a leaf be ?

yakob

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Hi,

Some time I have problem to decide the size of a leaf, how small shoul they be ?

 

Gemsetterchris

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Depends.
You couldn't fit the big leaf on a wedding ring :)

If you go too small no-one will be able to see it....
If your just practicing drawing do them big, if your designing something you need to figure out the scroll size & what looks best.
 
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yakob

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Depends.
You couldn't fit the big leaf on a wedding ring :)

If you go too small no-one will be able to see it....
If your just practicing drawing do them big, if your designing something you need to figure out the scroll size & what looks best.

How about for shotgun.
 

Gemsetterchris

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If your ready for engraving shotguns you shouldn`t need to ask that.
Otherwise it still depends on your design size & how much detail your after no matter what canvas.
 
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don hicks

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This is a question that can't be answered with a single ruler measurement. Depends on the size of the item being engraved and the design layout. You are the artist , make them what ever size looks right to you. However, if they can't be seen with the naked eye on an item that is supposed to be viewed with the naked eye, they are probably too small.
Cheers
Don
 

Tira

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This is a good question with no one "right" answer. One thing to consider is how far away is the intended viewer from the piece? A foot with jewelry? 15 feet with a motorcycle? Another thing to consider is how much negative space you have intertwined with the leaves. You can have large leaves with no defining negative space that are harder to see (look like a tangled maze) than small leaves with proper spacing.
 

dlilazteca

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This where some good books come into play, funny this question come up as I'm reading page 46 of Ron's book Advanced Drawing of Scrolls. Just to paraphrase a leaf has to have melody, complete with rhythem, balance, and harmony with your main scrolls and your design, it must break up the normally regimented monotone structure of a design, the leaves must also be proportionate to your design, they must flow and not fight against your design, in other words gives it life and originality, and that is only the main lines, you have a whole diffrent world with the shadding.

If you dont have Lee's book and dvd get it.

Saludos,

Carlos
 
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Roger Bleile

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There shotguns and then there are shotguns. A 12 gauge model 12 Winchester pump action has about three times more "real estate" than a single shot H&R Topper .410. Accordingly, the size of the scrolls should be appropriate for each gun. I have never seen a model 12 covered in tiny English scrollwork and it would probably look odd if one was done that way.
 

Beathard

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The question is actually easy to answer but hard to understand. The leaves need the right size for the design you are doing. Look at a lot if engravings and you will start to develop a sense of design. Without that research it will be difficult to ever get it right
 

monk

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when it looks as though it's good, and belongs where you put it, and works in harmony with all the other elements, i'd guess that to be the correct size. ruler not needed.
 

Mike Fennell

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Good advice, Walter, especially when your leaf weighs 300 pounds.

Yakob, if you can get a copy of Lee Griffiths's book "Art and Design Fundamentals" or Ron Smith's "Advanced Drawing of scrolls, your questions will be answered.

Meanwhile, draw the scroll backbone to fit the space you wish to fill. Then lightly draw a series of ovals that just fit between the backbone lines of the scroll. Each consecutive oval should just touch the prior oval and just touch the backbone lines. Fill the space between the backbone lines with these ovals from beginning to center. Then just draw a leaf within each oval and the leaves will be the perfect size.
 

dlilazteca

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Good advice, Walter, especially when your leaf weighs 300 pounds.

Yakob, if you can get a copy of Lee Griffiths's book "Art and Design Fundamentals" or Ron Smith's "Advanced Drawing of scrolls, your questions will be answered.

Meanwhile, draw the scroll backbone to fit the space you wish to fill. Then lightly draw a series of ovals that just fit between the backbone lines of the scroll. Each consecutive oval should just touch the prior oval and just touch the backbone lines. Fill the space between the backbone lines with these ovals from beginning to center. Then just draw a leaf within each oval and the leaves will be the perfect size.

Mike

Great advice, he should really get Lee's book and dvd.

Saludos,

Carlos
 
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