Dragon Queen knife for the Arts in Metal show, Stresa Italy.

Brian Hochstrat

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Here is the knife that I took to Stresa, Italy. A Matt Lerch double action auto. Stainless frame with rose gold inlayed background, stainless damascus blade. It was cool to be invited to Italy to participate in a show with the Fracassis and Torcoli, and to meet them and see what their work looks like in real life. But, glad to be home and back to work.

 

mitch

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love everything about it, Brian, but those clunky thick soled boots that seem to be in fashion these days! when did orthopedic work boots become sexy? really like how you faded the other gal's lower legs into the mist. outstanding work!
 

Sam

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I noticed the fadeout too, and it's fantastic work! Hope you have a great show!
 

Crazy Horse

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What a piece of art!!! I really liked the dragon in flight in the background, but who was the model??????? ;~)
 

Brian Hochstrat

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mitch- goth boots are all the rage, you just gotta go with it.

I am glad people have noticed the fade out, it is subtle and I am still getting things dialed in, but I have been working to create smooth color shifts, or gradients, with my inlay by shifting the colors in the gold alloy. This has taken some experimentation, being the mix will often color differently than you would think judging by the color of a known mix ratio, and also you have to keep ductility in mind, I can inlay pretty hard material, but there is a point where the alloy is just to hard to be suitable for the task.

Here is a sunset I did last year, there is 6 color shifts from pink to yellow. and the sun is paler yet so 7 colors in all.




Thanks all for the likes and taking the time to comment. B.
 

monk

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love everything about it, Brian, but those clunky thick soled boots that seem to be in fashion these days! when did orthopedic work boots become sexy? really like how you faded the other gal's lower legs into the mist. outstanding work!

mitch: not many were looking at the boots ! i was looking at the-- uh, well, this is a family show.
 

monk

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the dragon queen is an incredible work of art. little wonder you were invited to that show. the gradient sunset is a beautiful example of what persistence and hard work can achieve. your work is inspirational for all to enjoy, and perhaps attempt to achieve what you have.
 

John B.

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This has taken some experimentation, being the mix will often color differently than you would think judging by the color of a known mix ratio, and also you have to keep ductility in mind, I can inlay pretty hard material, but there is a point where the alloy is just to hard to be suitable for the task.

Here is a sunset I did last year, there is 6 color shifts from pink to yellow. and the sun is paler yet so 7 colors in all.




Thanks all for the likes and taking the time to comment. B.

Great job Brian,
The big shame of this is that the difficulty of shade change in the sunset and the boots fading out in the Dragon Queen may be lost on many non-engravers.
These things may be easily achieved in painting or other art methods which many people are familiar with but not in mixing and inlaying metal into metal.
I am so glad the the forum is available to inform and educate a larger body of appreciative people.
 

Brian Hochstrat

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Great job Brian,
The big shame of this is that the difficulty of shade change in the sunset and the boots fading out in the Dragon Queen may be lost on many non-engravers.
These things may be easily achieved in painting or other art methods which many people are familiar with but not in mixing and inlaying metal into metal.
I am so glad the the forum is available to inform and educate a larger body of appreciative people.

Yes the forum is a great educational tool we are lucky to have it.

The unfortunate reality is that when you add up the time spent researching and developing, cost of mistakes with gold and the added time to execute on an actual engraving, all for a subtle change of tone that most won't notice or understand the difficulty of, nor pay anything additional for. It just makes no sense from an economical standpoint and is probably why nobody else has really done anything like this already.
 

John B.

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Yes the forum is a great educational tool we are lucky to have it.

The unfortunate reality is that when you add up the time spent researching and developing, cost of mistakes with gold and the added time to execute on an actual engraving, all for a subtle change of tone that most won't notice or understand the difficulty of, nor pay anything additional for. It just makes no sense from an economical standpoint and is probably why nobody else has really done anything like this already.

Hi Brian,
Even though your artistry in tone changing metal colors may not have paid off immediately in $$$$ hopefully your efforts have paid you in personal satisfaction.
Your efforts and hard work have certainly raised the engraving bar, and with it your world wide reputation.
 

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