scribbling for ideas

carl bleile · Jun 27, 2008

When I need a new idea I just start scribbling not worrying about the finished design itâ€™s about getting the mind working, finding what I like and donâ€™t and getting me closer to a design that will work. If itâ€™s standard work or scroll I draw it on the piece
I took a picture of a sheet of scribbles to show what I meant, none of these were good enough for the finial I came up with that the next day after reviewing these and drew it on the pistol grip cap.
The main reason for showing my roughs is to let some of the newer engravers know drawing is the first part of creating, every time you draw your learning, donâ€™t get down on yourself if itâ€™s not right the first time keep drawing and IT WILL come.
What would be nice is if some of you would work with these designs, rework and clean them up then show us, I might steal your ideas because looking at other peoples approaches to designing is enlightening!
Just scribbling,
Carl Bleile
Cincinnati,Ohio

carl bleile · Jun 28, 2008

Sorry about the blue picture, cam. was set wrong

Roger Bleile · Jun 28, 2008

I'd be happy with nearly any of them.

Andrew Biggs · Jun 28, 2008

Hi Carl
Very nice scribbles and I agree entirley. It's the first step of the creative process, just letting the mind wander about and playing with ideas and watching them gradally solidify into somthing that is unique and workable.

The rest of the work is really just trying to make that original idea and drawing come together and adding a few different things along the way.

Certainley for me it's one of the most exciting phases of the engraving process because you're never quite sure where it will end up.

Cheers
Andrew

ddushane · Jun 29, 2008

Carl, As a beginner in the engraving, I'm doing exactly what your talking about. I'm a 911 dispatcher and it gives me at times several hours to draw. So I sketch and scribble all the time and when I have one that turns out I save it. I'm working on one drawing in auto cad that I'm adding all of the little different leaves or tendrils or scrolls and any other segments that I might want to add to a drawing. Dwayne

carl bleile · Jun 29, 2008

Dwayne, your mind never lies to your hands, the more we pratice the better we get.
I wish someone would tell old guys like me, in simple terms what cad cam, corel, and some of this other computer stuff is, we need all the help we can get!
P.S. Love your knives
Carl Bleile
Cincinnati,Ohio

KCSteve · Jun 29, 2008

Carl

I owe the ever-indulgent wife a pair of silver earrings, done in the 'cut to the shape' style I've been playing with. I told her you'd made your 'scribbles' available and asked if she'd prefer one of them or one of mine.

So I'll be using the third one from the left on the bottom row for her earrings.

I laid them out to fit the 1.5 x 1" scrap I have, with one copy mirror-imaged so she'll have a left & a right earring.

I'll post pictures after I get them done (probably be a couple of days, depending on what gets in my way).

Thanks for the design!

carl bleile · Jun 29, 2008

Great Steve,
I'm really looking forward to seeing how they turn out. If my wife sees them your probably going to get an e-mail for another set.
Carl Bleile
Cincinnati,Ohio

Christopher Malouf · Jun 29, 2008

Carl,

I'd gladly trade a Bachelor of Science degree and 15 years of systems engineering and management for a few art classes.

Heck, I'd give anyone one of my computers (with some of the latest and greatest software "shtuff") for a little help in getting what's in my head onto paper using a pencil. That's a legitimate offer for anyone interested by the way.

Being gifted with a pencil is something that truly can't be beat.

Chris

ddushane · Jun 29, 2008

Carl, I wish I knew enough about putting a tutorial together to do one on the way I get my images from my head to paper, from paper to computer into auto cad, them from there onto the transparencies then to my work. A knifemaking friend of my, Larry Davidson who is also a great machinist stayed a few days with me to show me a little about automatics & I taught him some filework, anyway he showed me how to design knives on auto cad and now I'm using it more for my engraving than anything else, it's great, I'm now a 911 dispatcher so I have at times, specially on midnights to draw, then I scan my drawing into auto cad and refine them for my transparencies. It is so sweet. And with all I learn here on the forum it just keeps getting better & better. Dwayne

carl bleile · Jun 30, 2008

Chris,
I would be more than happy to help you with designing, it's not magic its more like learning the techniques and useing them to let your mind open up then the designs will just flow out the end of your pencil. i don't know any thing about the computer side of drawing, engraving, but learning is allways a plus.
Send me a p.m.
Carl Bleile
Cincinnati,Ohio

KCSteve · Jul 1, 2008

Carl

Got the earrings done last night - the ever-indulgent wife is pleased (and wearing them today).

Took about 2.5 - 3 hours, over an hour of which was cutting the blasted things out.

When I transferred the design one side was a bit blurred but it looked ok to cut. Got into the shading and noticed that it must have been a bit more blurred than I thought. But hey, if that line was really important I would have noticed earlier, right?

Roger Bleile · Jul 1, 2008

Thanks for sharing the earings Steve they are really nice! It's cool to see one of Carl's designs come to life under another hand.

Roger

tldcowboygear · Jul 1, 2008

Steve,

Nice work. Quick question - Did you cut each ear ring out individual?

D.C.

KCSteve · Jul 1, 2008

D.C.

Yes I did. I had a 1.5" x 1" piece of silver so I laid out the two versions of the 'scribble' (one mirror imaged) in a 1.5 x 1 rectangle, made several copies on the page and printed that out. I used acetone to transfer that to the silver and then cut both earrings.

After I finished my shading and drilled the holes I got out my saw and got to work. Takes forever because you're always working to turn a tight corner or work your way down to a spot. At least, it takes me forever - you guys that do a lot more sawing are probably not only better but faster. Note that cutting them out of the sheet is nearly the last step - I did flip them over to sign and date them after that but they were essentially finished.

Christopher Malouf · Jul 1, 2008

Way to go Steve!! That's 110% hand crafted. Love it.

Cutting them out first might serve you better. File out your cut marks then lightly sand to take out any scratches. Lightly polish to give a just under a mirror shine then engrave. When you hit the buffer again for the final polish you'll lose little engraving and have bright silver. Optional step is to use liver of sulfer or (preferably) Midas Black Max which will turn the silver black. Paint it on with a Q-Tip. Then buff off the black quickly and the black will remain in your engraving. Looks great against high polished sterling. Lasts where paint will not.

----

Carl. Much appreciated. I pm a little later. Got a wedding ring I've been procrastinating on to get done today.

Chris

KCSteve · Jul 1, 2008

Chris

If I cut them out first then I can't slip^h^h^h^hadjust the outline.

I'm going to have to try Liver of Sulphur at some point - these are just 'Sharpie darkened' since the ever-indulgent tends to like things shiny. Good enough to take the picture and gives her the choice since I can clean it right off with acetone.

Don't worry - I know I'll get plenty of practice doing this because she likes the earrings.

Christopher Malouf · Jul 1, 2008

Whatever order works Steve .... the final result is wonderful.

I used to make stuff all the time for my ex. Whenever we'd have a disagreement, she knew there was some silver coming. I used to joke that she was on her way to having a suit of armour!!

One thing to note on liver of sulfur ... it has a tendency to oxidize unevenly and require more then one coat. You might get shades of blue or straw colors while other spots get very black. Black Max is much faster and much darker.

tldcowboygear · Jul 1, 2008

Steve,

One reason that I asked that is that I do a lot of cutting out of silver etc to mount on buckles, spurs etc. One way that I have found to be sure that I get an exact match on 2 pieces of silver is to super glue the two pieces of silver together then put my pattern on in whatever manner I choose. When you cut the pattern out, you wind up with 2 exact pieces. That is after you soak in acetone for a few minutes to get the super glue loose. On precautionary note, you have to keep your saw straight up and down or one of the pieces will be larger and there will be a slight bevel to your piece.

Just thought this might save you 1/2 of the time.

D.C.

KCSteve · Jul 1, 2008

D.C.

Ah, now that's a good idea - had I started with two pieces instead of one. Of course I could have just split the one piece with a simple straight cut and then cut them both out.

I'll keep it in mind for the next pair I do (and we all know I'll be doing another pair

)

scribbling for ideas

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