Another attempt at Flare Cut

I am showing 2 shots of this because of lighting, I am not camera smart.

I am still working on the knife design and this is an example of what I have come up with. The design is pleasing to my eyes, but I will need your advice before I start the knife. I will probably have to change it again after your comments. I would also like to know where to buy the Ferric Acid that Ron was talking about, I would like to try that and see first hand what it does to the work.
To refresh your memory, I am posting the drawings I did on the other post.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Nice flare cut Carl, What type of engraver did you use?? Square or Flat?

Jim

Thats lookin pretty sharp Carl!!

Thanks guys for the kindness.

Jim: I used a square graver sharpened to a 120 degree angle, and tilted it each way for the cuts.

good job, only by practice does one achieve a degree of craftmanship...

Carl, that is quite an improvement.

Your flare cut looks a little weak in the stems, however. Make them a little bolder as the design looks like it is in two segments and the weak point is right where the scrolls seperate. Keep your rythum in the leaf spacing. One open area out of sync will create a focal point.

Your foundation lines or skeleton lines are very important when it comes to strong compositions, as it effects the balance of the whole design. Read Andrew's post on learning to draw. There is some excellent information in it. Go slow, and pay attention to the details. There is an old saying, "the devil is in the details". I made up a new one.

Grace also is in the details.........study diligently, start at the begining and follow it closely.........Practice practice

It would be good practice to find a design you like and trace over the skeleton lines so you can see it's foundation without the leaves and other distractions. Then you can add the leaves. Tracing will bring attention to things that your eye doesn't readily see, providing you draw with periferal attention rather than tunnel focus. Don't look at the point of your pencil. Rather, look ahead at where the point is going to make your spirals. You will get them rounder this way.

Do you have my book?
I have explained how to construct a perfect spiral that will accomodate equal leaf masses of equal sizes. Your spiral is pinched in one spot and the distance between the spine lines varies. I call this the "equidistant rule".

What you have done looks pretty good and the improvement so far is obvious.


Forward!

Ron S

Ron:

Yes I have both of your books and will do some more reading and drawing. Thank you so much for taking the time to examine my work and tell me your thoughts, as I take everything you say as Gospel.
BTW where can I buy the Ferric Acid?

I have heard that you can get Ferric Chloride at radio shack. Maybe a drug store. I think that is where I got mine years ago. I haven't bought any in years. Knife makers use it to etch their damascus. Maybe someone can update you better than me on where to get it now.

Good luck!

CRW;
You might want to try Fry's electronics stores, They also carry the stuff for doing circuit board etching.

Radio shack sells ferric chloride as PC Board Etchant.

Thanks guys.
Every since I saw the example of Ron Smith's I have wanted to try it to see what it looks like in my hands. Sometimes a photo is just not enough, although it made a big difference in Ron's work. I just want to see what is actually looks like. I even found some on ebay. So it is fairly easy to get, and I didn't realize it.

Ron:
I have examined my work real close and see exactly what you are referring to. I think I may make a few more cuts on the same piece and see if I can get the scrolls to come together a little better.

That is looking very nice Carl. Very gracefull but for the "pinched spot" that Ron mentioned. I bet you'll nail it next try.
Darcy

Carl
Nice work on the flare cutting.
When I looked at the pencil designs that you posted it appears on designs 2,4,7,8 that you have some scrolls coming off other scrolls in the wrong direction. It would be easy enough to change while in the pencil stage.

Mike

Mike:
I realized the backward scrolls after someone else mentioned it. I just was not paying attention. Thank you for mentioning it, and yes it is easier to change in pencil than after you cut most definitely.

To all who have looked and the ones that have commented.
I made a few extra cuts today to the design since it was pointed out that the scrolls did not separate the right way, that meaning there was a weak spot in the main stem of the design. It amazed me how a couple of small cuts could make so much difference in the overall looks of the practice work. Tell me what you think, it's only practice and I will do another one before cutting the knife.

The second picture is the before picture so you can see both of them together to see the difference.

Bumped to top to show the other picture on the last post I made.