Engraving magazine for the public?

I may have a contact to a person that publishes specialty magazines and will see what can be done sometime this week. Will keep you posted.

Bill

On the issue of advertisers (ok it was a bad pun )

I can imagine some of the gun purveyors who specialize in engraved firearms like Griffin and Howe or H&H taking out full page adds. I might not be able to take out a full page but I would definitely take out an add for the school in such a publication.

I think that this type of magazine would have an appeal not only to those interested in cutting metal. I can see the collectors of engraved firearms, jewelry, flatware, knives, etc. being interested in the publication (especially if the content had enough variety to include their topic of interest fairly often). That opens the advertising up to a much wider base.

Ray

Ray

I'd think engravers would be (hopefully) the minority of the subscribers.

After all, we already know what's being done by all of you extremely talented folks. It's the gun collectors, jewelery buyers, motorcycle customizers, cigar afficianados, knife collectors, art collectors, and so on that may not be aware.

This is my correspondence to Jim Griffith, a publisher, about our question and his reply. I hope some of you can help move this along.

Subject: Exploring possibility of publishing a new magazine

Dear Mr. Griffith,

Thank you for reading my inquiry

I was talking with your father, Pastor Dewey, about the difficulties of
producing a magazine for the Engraving Arts and he suggested you may have
some insight on the matter and possibly may be interested in exploring the
feasibility of producing it for us. The intent is to present hand engraving
as an art form on precious metals, firearms and custom knives as a quarterly
or semi-annual publication. Too often today, when engraving is mentioned,
the response is one of a "mall mentality" one, where some high school novice
programs something into a machine that cuts a design into some costume
jewelry. True hand engraving is nowhere near that type of work and some
projects require several years to complete, although most take considerably
less time. The intent is to educate the public through a medium that is both
classy and informational, complete with high resolution photographs and,
possibly, some tutorials.

To help you understand what I'm talking about, please visit www.igraver.com
and check out the "engraving magazine for the public" thread under the "Hand
Engraving Forum" to see the interest in publishing a magazine, and while
there, look at the "Photo Gallery" section to see examples of the quality
work available. Also, please check www.engravingforum.com of Steve Lindsey
for some more examples of what is possible in such an unforgiving medium.

Again, thank you for taking the time to consider my request.

William D (Bill) Moody

His reply

-----Original Message-----
From: James D. Griffith [mailto:jgriffith@sacredhistory.org]
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 11:12 PM
To: 'Billy Moody'
Subject: RE: Publishing magazine inquiry


Thanks, Bill. What would you estimate the audience to be (size) in this
niche market world-wide? In other words, how many people would be interested
in such a publication?

Jim

He's asked the key question there, hasn't he?

The exact thrust of the magazine would affect the audience. Something aimed at 'us' (engravers) would have a smaller market than one aimed at the 'high-end' market - the folks who buy fine art and luxury products. That market is actually bigger than the 'real' size since there are a lot of people who want to buy those things but can't afford to. They can, at least, get the magazines.

A lot of people would like to buy these things but don't know where to find them due to that "mall mentality".

Being a specialized thing, there aren't many people who come into contact with a live engraver because they don't know where to find them, and everyone is interested in fine jewelry, monograms, decorative items they can afford. That has been the problem in the past, and this magazine would expose them to real live artist that can do anything, jewelry, lettering, monogramming, ornamental engraving (on guns and knives) but that would not be the main thrust of the magazine. The theme I feel, would just be a magazine to expose and inform, to show examples of fine work, to help people fnd the artists, and provoke their interest. If it was presented properly, it could and would appeal to the general public at large, and a large audience to say the least, so the question about the "nitche" is that it isn't a niche. Engraving is sort of a niche, but the interest in it is not. The interest in it is huge.

I would encourage you to send Jim an e-mail with your thoughts about a magazine for the public, especially some of you that are "international" to give it some much needed impetus. I will answer him to the best of my knowledge, but I believe more correspondence from the engraving community will pique his interest more than just a few people doing so would.

Thanks guys and I'm sure if this is something we really want to happen, it will.

Bill Moody

Jim's address: jgriffith@sacredhistory.org

Ok, got to a big bookstore this weekend (Books A Million, as a matter of fact).

Checking their racks there are 3 magazines devoted to Pens and 4 for Watches - although one of those said it was "Watches & Lifestyle".

I think that's a good argument that the market will support a nice little magazine on engraving - especially if it includes pens and watches!

magazine

What about the horse and cowboy crowd - bits, buckles, conchos, spirs and other horse gear. The horse community would be very interested in what styles are out there!

Just in case, I copied several comments from you all and forwarded them to Jim. Maybe I'll hear from him soon.

One of the things one gets good at working in social services and community organizing is the idea of collaboration. Instead of a stand alone magazine why not see if one (or more) of the existing magazines might want to have us be a special section in their magazine. It already would have a readership of interested folks that would be subject to more specific information related specifically to engraving. I'll bet there are plenty of folks out there who want to have a knife done who really don't know what is available to them. We've already got a ton of copy and photo's in the FEGA archives that is mostly camera ready. Then when interest gains momentum you publish a stand alone. Just a thought. I like the idea of reaching a more diverse audience and creating a vehicle to show the art. Anyway, like I said -- just a thought.

Bumping this thread back to the top because I found out today that there is another Engraving magazine out there (besides The Engraver). It's The Engraver's Journal - still not a 'general public' magazine, this one is aimed at award shops.

Still, might be worth talking to them - they have experience in the general area and might be able to help get a 'lifestyle' type engraving magazine going.

I found this out, of course, at an award shop. Now that I have my pantograph I've been meaning to get by one to scrounge some plastic for makign my own templates (thanks to everyone who's passed that tip on!). When I explained my situation I got the hoped for response: "Here's our scrap bin - take all you want."

Got to talking with the guy and that's how I found out about the magazine (he gave me a copy from last year he had handy).

I'll be keeping in touch with them - and not just for the free plastic - since there's essentially no overlap in what we do, only synergy. While I have my little pantograph they've got computer controlled laser cutters - no way I'm competing with them for that kind of business. But while they've got computer controlled laser cutters I've got both a GraverMach and and an AirGraver Classic. The only way we intersect is that I can do lettering (albeit it's a skill I'm still working on).

The Engraver's Journal has been around for many years and back in the 80's they used to feature the work of a hand engraver from time to time. It is probably so computer oriented today their outlook may be different.

RB