Spur Scroll layout design

Hi all, I've been pouring through Ron Smith's book of advanced scrolls and trying my hand at skectching out some designs of my own. I've never considered myself much of a sketch artist but I'm learning and grateful for the motivation. I sat down this morning with pencil and paper on my spur heel band layout template and designed my own scroll that will go on a set of spurs. This is the first time around I have no reference in front of me to refer to and let osmosis take its course. I'm happy to say I must be learning something along the way and now really am bitten by sketching at least every day-it really helps rather than be just a transfer method only kind of guy.

I know it's a 'What the heck where you thinking before" kind of thing but I'm making the next leap into engraving skills as they should be done, rather than take the shortcut methods exclusively. It sure helps with pencil and paper to not only lay things out, but one slip of the pencil and I came up with a light bulb moment (the curled "calalily type leaf between the top two scrolls), now that never would have happened with just the engraver. I'm loving this new discipline as opposed to resisting it tooth and nail beforehand. I'll post some pics of the engraving and the finsihed spurs-gonna be a blast! It really is a sense of accomplishement to have a design take its own course as I draw it out and see where it will lead me Thanks Ron for the many light bulb moments, my skills and approach have greatly improved as a result of you sharing your enthusiasm and life's work to the next guys!
Paul

Paul, That design is very well put together. It should make a beautiful spur band. I have only a couple of small suggestions-keep your spacing edge to scoll consistant. I think the balance will be better. I see this when looking at some designs that were genterated using the computer transfer methods and getting a little off on the alinement I think. You might consider just a little outside work to fill the areas in corners and under the strap hanger but the design is very nice as is.

I got a small light table at Hobby Lobby called a "light tracer" -just the right size for 8.5 by 11 paper -for about $20 bucks-made a wood drawing table that I put in the graving block. I create my line drawing on graph paper then put tracing paper over that to draw on-then add another sheet of tracing paper and keep the elements I like then remove the first sheet and go at it from a different direction with new leaf and/or scroll features while leaving the oginal outline clean to use again. I often fill a piece of paper with copies of the orginal shape then carry them to work or where ever to doodle on. Great start on a wonderful design. Fred

Nice design Paul!!!

You have a good eye for balance and structure, nd some uniqueness to boot.

And there is nothing greater than doing it yourself. One comment, which can of course will probably be corrected when transferring.

Leave even borders around the design. There is not much border at the bottom and a bit of border at the top and center balance is effected.

Ron S

Paul i really like that design....I need to spent some time drawing

Paul really like the design, look forward to see the results. Joe

Paul,
Very nice. I hope you will post a picture of those spurs when you finish them.

Ron,
Your books are sure having quite an impact on the bit and spur world. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge, wisdom, and artistry with us.

Stewart

Thanks for the tips guys, it really is a benefit to see something through another's eyes Center balance-now that never even crossed my mind but it sure will now. Usually I get so focused in I get tunnel vision and don't see the overall picture-I think tomorrow I'll put that in front of a mirror and see what happens-Yikes!

Filling up a space and compsosition are areas I'm trying to focus more on. Learning bright cutting was an eye opener for needing to fill in an entirte space typically so it's forcing me to thikn more of spatial realtionships and how they affect each other and the overall design. I rented your DVD Ron from the FEGA presentation you did back when and that helped a lot too-and the tracing paper idea like you mentioned in that and Fred here as well will suit me well-tomorrow I'll pick some up to work on the shading lines.

Impetuous guy that I am I did shade one cut out scroll but was not too keen on the results, it was way too busy and could be much better; I can flip it over and do it again and then solder it on when I'm all done. For designs like that I like to engrave first and then curve and mount on a spur-the shank gets in the way too much otherwise. I should have spent the same amount of time drawing the shading lines as I did the layout rather than just have at it with the graver straight away. This is how I learn, mess it up first and then do it better the second time; not the most practical way mnid you but sometimes for me knowing what not to do sticks in my mind more. Also less is more too I think, under my 3.5X optivisor (still need that scope someday) I tend to overwork things and when seen real time with the naked eye there's too much crammed into a small space-for spur design anyway, bulino would be another matter entirely.

I will post the spurs when they're done for sure, I have them half built at this point and will do something fancy engraving wise with the rowels and spur buttons too-I can't get enough
Paul