Question: how long did it take you to be really good

Agree with pretty much all that has been said previously. Though, I'd like to add one point to the 10k hours topic.

These hours are not just 10k hours spent on doing the same thing over and over, having same results as after 100 (or whatever) hours. I think he stressed this in his books as well, that it is actually deliberate practice. And if you don't know how to improve all the time, then you'd need some outside guidance. You can spend all these 10 years cutting scrolls that look like crap both technically and design wise, you've spent your time, but you're still no good...

This week I have the extreme pleasure of having two very talented engravers/silversmiths in my studio - Wilson Capron and Scott Hardy. When I see their work I'm just blown away. It's awe inspiring and fabulous.

Yesterday (Wednesday), they showed me their sketchbooks which contain page after page after endless pages of detailed scrollwork and ornamental design practice. The perseverance and dedication these guys have to the art of engraving is second to none, and it shows in their work.

So once again we're back to the pencil, the unspoken hero of all great engravers. Our whiz bang microscopes and fancy tools get all the attention, but the 25-cent pencil and skills to use it provide the foundation for beautiful engraving.

I served my apprenticeship in the trades, after 30 years you see many individuals as Vilts describes, they did the time but still suck at the work.

At this point I hurt to much to aggressively continue and am just this year leaving my comfort zone and learning a new trade.

Over the last 8 to 10 years I have bought the tools, now its about putting in the quality time.

Some very good answers in this thread! Thought I would pass on my own experience. I started engraving in Oct 2012 with a beginners class put on by Ray Cover to see if I would like it. Loved it and came home and ordered my engraving equipment. Horrible at first but found that occasionally a cut would look pretty good! Sorta like learning golf Started drawing scrolls at night using Lee Griffith book and Sam's video and cutting practice plates every day. Took me about a year to start getting the feel of the graver. Then I took a one on one class with Sam and that helped immensely to move me forward. My confidence level rose and so did the quality of my cutting. My first paying engraving job did not just come along. I made it happen by purchasing a knife that I thought I could engrave and I engraved it for the president of a local knife company as a gift. Ended up doing a lot of engraving for him! I have been pretty busy since then and every job I take in is a new challenge to get better. Learning to engrave watches has been really testy but satisfying. I still get help and ideas from this forum almost daily. My goals now are to improve my drawing skills and shading skills. May venture into handguns soon. Lots and lots of room for improvement but that is what I like about it! Hope this is an encouragement to those of you just getting started.

Two years! of course my mom thought I was really good after just a few months but you know moms you have to take it with a grain of salt.

Thierry Duguet said:

Two years! of course my mom thought I was really good after just a few months but you know moms you have to take it with a grain of salt.

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When my friend Thierry says "two years" you have to understand that he was a full time student in, arguably, the world's best engraving school in Belgium.

Roger Bleile said:

When my friend Thierry says "two years" you have to understand that he was a full time student in, arguably, the world's best engraving school in Belgium.

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Hummmm! it was more silliness than the self recognition of my wonderfulness, I do find the question quiet pointless as there is, obviously, no objective answer. A ridiculous question deserve a ridiculous reply.

Thierry's engraving is full of "wonderfulness." Here is an image of Thierry's work from my most recent book that shows how wonderful his engraving and artistry are. It also illustrates a point regarding Sgarrison007's other post regarding scrollwork. You will note that there is no traditional scroll on this beautiful gun. Just birds, flowers, and a few vines. Thierry innovated this unique style after first mastering the traditional forms of the art.

My thoughts ....I been saying the same thing. I still need to do it.

I starte a couple of years ago trying to teach my self. I found a local engrave to teach me some basics. And last year I finally posted some of my practice plate for critic and was given encouragement. Now I am working on some other practice plate. Implementing the pointer & suggestion shared with me. Now I have to make time to work on more practice plated to submit. I fell back in my skill and having to start investing more time and practice. :beatup: