The Best My Brownie Will Do...

SamW

:::Pledge Member:::
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
2,426
Location
Castle Valley, UT in the Red Rock country
If you read Phil's .410 thread you will understand the Brownie reference.

This is the best it would do Phil without the magic lens of which you mention.
 

Attachments

  • Bod cafe.jpg
    Bod cafe.jpg
    97.7 KB · Views: 494

SamW

:::Pledge Member:::
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
2,426
Location
Castle Valley, UT in the Red Rock country
That would be 620 film, in my own dark room. Here is an attempt at a closer look at the sculpting, through a magnifying lens.

Reason for the darker color of the side plate is because the plate has been case colored and the colors mostly polished off. More to do on that bit as well as casing the rest of the action...some day.
 

Attachments

  • Bod closeup.jpg
    Bod closeup.jpg
    179.6 KB · Views: 432

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
10,490
Location
Covington, Louisiana
Sam, your work is second to none and never ceases to amaze me. This is brilliant!
 

SamW

:::Pledge Member:::
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
2,426
Location
Castle Valley, UT in the Red Rock country
Here is a look at how I tackled this rather complicated scene. The background was removed by hand and flattened by scraping. Rather time consuming but this was not the place to learn acid etching! I logged 254 hours on the sideplate and have about 700 so far on the project with maybe 400 or 500 more to go. It may sound silly but this is somewhat of a "practice" plate for me, being a real learning experience.

Counting tops of heads, there are 34 individuals in the scene.
 

Attachments

  • Bodmer tribute start c 1.jpg
    Bodmer tribute start c 1.jpg
    182.5 KB · Views: 294
  • Mndan 31 A c 2.jpg
    Mndan 31 A c 2.jpg
    198.6 KB · Views: 292
  • Mandan 10 Nov c 3.jpg
    Mandan 10 Nov c 3.jpg
    176.2 KB · Views: 292

Lee

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 17, 2006
Messages
1,047
I have also enjoyed seeing this piece in person and it is one of the finest pieces I've seen. The sculpting is not deep but wonderfully effective. The execution is absolute top shelf kind of like all of Sam's work. I'm sure it will be at the guild show in January. It is one of the must see items. Kudos Sam.
 

graniteguy52

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2008
Messages
257
Location
Bozeman, Montana
Sam,

Through the years, I have been told I am very patient in my work - I will be referring those commentors to you in the future.
Amazing work - undoubtedly a labor of love.
(This is one of the highlights to see at the FEGA show).
 

SamW

:::Pledge Member:::
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
2,426
Location
Castle Valley, UT in the Red Rock country
Thanks folks for the comments. Gordon, patience is a requirement for our line of work. As I tell people, engraving isn't just what I do, it is who I am.

By the way, Bodmer and his brother were taught, by an uncle, drawing, painting AND copper plate engraving...yes, he was one of us!
 

SamW

:::Pledge Member:::
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
2,426
Location
Castle Valley, UT in the Red Rock country
Hi Dave, yes, a water color/copper plate print. Bodmer did the original after returning to Paris based on several sketches and portraits he accomplished while at Ft. Clark the winter of '33-'34. The danger and hardships endured by them on that trip up the Missouri river were tremendous...well beyond anything I could have ever endured much less attempted!
 

FANCYGUN

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
1,840
Location
West Grove, PA
Sam
I finally got the opportunity to hold and look at that original Bodmer print book my neighbor has that I told you about. Amazing stuff and you could just spend hours exploring the details. Quite large in size actually
 

FANCYGUN

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
1,840
Location
West Grove, PA
Whenever you feel up to it By the way all the prints are in black and white not colored She bought it a number if years sgo in santa fe at an antique store I also enjoy looking at her Bierstadt landscape engraving hanging in the wall
And i did show her your 1873 engraving like you asked me to and she was very impressed
 

Latest posts

Sponsors

Top