Stamp engraving of Czeslaw Slania

Sam

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For those interested in banknote or bulino engraving, this is an excellent example of some of the best. Czeslaw Slania was a stamp and banknote engraver of international fame. He died a couple of years ago.

Actual size of this stamp is 7.5cm x 5.5cm (approximate 3" x 2")




Note the wavy lines in the dark area of the clouds, and his use of negative space.


There is no 'random' cutting. Every cut is precicely placed.

 

Mike Cirelli

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Great closeups Sam. I purchased some numismatic souvenir cards they really help. I have a question. The dot like lines mostly on the faces. Is that a done by lighter cross over cuts and then when sanded back that's the result? Seems that would be much faster than dots but you would have to have much control of depth if that's the way it's done.
Mike
 

Sam

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I wish I knew more about his technique, but unfortunately I don't. Not sure if he did any sanding or not.
 

ddushane

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Man, when you blow it up you see just how much work is in it. Wow! Thanks for showing! Dwayne
 

Bill Tokyo

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Thanks for posting such amazing work, and particularly the blow ups.

I hope you don't mind another question for an absolute beginner, but how is Bullino engraving different from what an artist does? Three names of great engravers come immediately to mind: Albrecht Druer, Jacques
Callot and Piranesi.

Is Bullino the same as what artists call "copper plate engraving"? If so, it is engraving done to be printed, and the engraving itself is not the objective, but rather the end result, namely printing on paper.

Or have I sadly misunderstood?
 

Peter E

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Excellent pictures Sam. Looking at the close-ups makes me marvel at the graver control and time that must take to accomplish that stamp. Amazing work.

Thanks,
Peter
 

Sandy

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Sam,
Please excuse the ignorance of a pupil. What do you mean by negative spaces? I am sure you explained it in class, but would you do it one more time. Thanks.
 

Sam

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negative space = areas with no dots or cuts such as the highlight areas on the faces and the cloth above the figure. Also in the wings.
 

monk

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god, when you want to see art on demand- look at any of the postage stamp work done prior to the litho process. the people who did this work certainly had to be under a lot of pressure to produce. yet to look at their work, wow !
 

KSnyder

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hello everyone,
Sam I saw an exhibit at Toledo museum of art by Hendrik Goltzius a Dutch engraver & painter. All his engraving was done with burins/ push gravers. The amount of single cuts on each piece will blow you away.
Alot of his work looks "lighted up" but its his use of shadow etc. that creates the effect.
The stamp you posted is beautiful. thanks for showing
Kent
 
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I thought that with stahlstich or bank note engraving it is strongly looked down on to sand back over it because it ruins the wells for the ink to run into when it was being printed.
 

jlseymour

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Czeslaw Slania...
WOW, Sam that's}}}}}}...

I bet you would have to have a security clearance that would let you in the White House before you could have dinner with Czeslaw Slania...
 

Marrinan

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The dotting was done with some very specialized tools that had rollers which placed the dots evenly, like a stitch marker in leather working. Bank note engravers never sanded-the sanding marks would print. They had to burnish the surface to a high gloss before the started their work. Fred
 
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monk

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quite large for a stamp, but wow, one heck of a mural ! quite astounding. thanks, sam.
 

Doc Mark

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Thanks Fred! I always suspected that there were some special tools used to make those unbelievably even patterned dots and dashes. The fact that there were such tools does, in no way, diminish the degree of artistry and technical skills needed to create these tiny masterpieces! It's like studying some of the phenomenal ex-centric ivory turnings and then seeing a Rose Lathe in operation. The machine doesn't create the work, it just makes it a bit easier. (Sort of like our pneumatic gravers vs. H & C.)

Mark
 

Marrinan

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does anyone one have any idea what the G C on the shield is for? I believe we can interpret the three crowns and Father Son and holy ghost perhaps. I wish I knew some history on this illustration. Fred
 

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