Latest engraving

ddushane · Jun 21, 2009

Hey guys, here's my latest engraving done on a Johnny Stout folder. I would appreciate you guys critiquing my work if you would. I'm trying hard to learn how to lay out projects and cut them, and the more I read the more I find stuff that is wrong on my projects in the past, for some reason I didn't see the big space close to the front screw, actually it's the pivot screw, anyway as I look at it now, I wish I would have put another leaf in it or something to fill it up more. I really want to learn so please fire away. I know I will learn on my own but it's a lot quicker if you have good teachers. Thanks in advance,

Dwayne

eastslope · Jun 21, 2009

Dwayne, looks pretty darn good from where I am sitting. Really cool engraving, and a dandy knife also. Thanks for showing us, Seth

Christopher Malouf · Jun 22, 2009

Hi Dwayne, picking apart your earlier work means you're still normal. At least as "normal" as an artist can be.

Your engraving really compliments the pattern welded mosaic design on this knife. I think you've done a great job. It's those gold bolster screws that are a distraction ... they always are.

Chris

pappy · Jun 22, 2009

Hi, Dwayne
The knife is beautiful, engravings compliment the damascus very nicely.

Weldon47 · Jun 22, 2009

Dwayne,

Pretty snazzy there dude!

Wl

bronc · Jun 22, 2009

Dwayne,
Beautiful engraving on a beautiful knife. Everything just fits really well together. Great job.

Stewart

Ron Smith · Jun 22, 2009

Dwayne,

Agreeing with Chris, the gold screws are a little distracting, and one way to have subdued them would have been to bring the spiral around so that you didn't have so much background around the screw. Don't give up the basic princials for a unique design which you have. Have some surface metal there that you don't shade much right at the screw. This is a beautiful job however, but there is a little too much background on the forward scroll. Back away, squint your eyes and it will be more obvious.

Maybe if you had brought the vine on around to touch the screw, that would have accomplished what I am talking about.

Now Dwayne, this is just nit-picky stuff. You have done a beautiful job, and it definately matches the fine quality of the knife. It is quality work.

Ron S

Joe Mason · Jun 22, 2009

Dwayne,
I agree with Ron on the background areas. I like the design you are developing. Keep up the great work. Thanks for sharing.

Joe,

ron p. nott · Jun 22, 2009

hi Dwayne .. thanks for posting your work .. i do know how you feel about the screws , what i do is place a piece of frosted tape on the bolster and then draw my design right through the screws and then turn your work 360 and look for areas that are not rounded and not flowing right , next i transfer that design on to my bolster using damar varnish , give this a try on your next knife project .. here is a photo of how i do it .. ron p

ddushane · Jun 22, 2009

Thanks for the compliments guys, I hear what your saying Ron about the background. I'll try to do better next time. I go back to your book as much as I can. I'm really trying hard to layout patterns where the positive/negative places are as equal & balanced as they can be. You're right Chris about the gold screws they do stick out like a sore thumb sometimes but other times they really work. I understand what your saying though Ron about working a spiral around the screw so there won't be so much background around them.

Ron I also hear what your saying about running the pattern through the screw hole like you show on the bolster you did. And I like that sometimes and it really works sometimes but other times it doesn't look as appealing. You pull it off well and I've seen it on pistols a lot and other fire arms that really look nice but then other times it just doesn't work for some reason.

I really want to learn how to develop drawing skills that work so I appreciate all of yalls input. I want yall to always tell me the truth. I have thick skin

Like someone said a week or so ago here on the forum, if yall won't tell us the truth how will we learn to keep this wonderful art alive and growing. Thanks again,

Dwayne

Christopher Malouf · Jun 22, 2009

Hi Dwayne, I don't know how well you are on terms with this knife maker. If a maker wants you to engrave his knife, sometimes there are little things he can do to accommodate you. If the gold screws were blued, they would fade into the background nicely.

On drawing and design ... I literally had to throw out almost everything I learned about scroll and relearn in three dimensions. That's all you can do is practice and when you've think you've got it, sleep on it and revise it three more times. Art can be learned ... this I know from experience.

russ · Jun 22, 2009

Looking good Dwayne. Keep at it!!

ddushane · Jun 22, 2009

Chris, I have a good relationship with Johnny, He's like family. I'll have a talk with him about the screws, I finished this particular knife just in time for the Blade Show and he sold it with in a day or two of returning home.

I hear you on learning art. I'm working on it. I was always in art in middle school & all the way through high school. I wish I would have gone to college and taken some more art classes. When I get time I'm going to make it to some of the classes at GRS in Kansas.

ron p. nott · Jun 23, 2009

Dwayne .. i have a suggestion for you .. get a stencil with circles on it , trace some of these circles onto a practice plate and then cut them until you can cut a perfect circle .. this is how i teach my students on cutting scroll .. then add some leafs coming off of these circles . ron p

ddushane · Jun 23, 2009

I'll try that Ron, but I have to admit I don't like perfect circles that much

I guess it's just a quirk with me. I struggle with it because I'll be drawing and some will be round then I'll want to put one in that is elongated. And I know you do one or the other and not both. Thanks for the advise! I'll be practicing. I appreciate every ones input!

Dwayne

Roger Keagle · Jun 24, 2009

Hummm...there is always another pattern we knive forgers need to know about...now I have to find out how that Houndstooth pattern is done...never dull....smile !

Love your engraving, really sets off the bolsters...is that a French Gray finish on it ?

ddushane · Jun 24, 2009

Roger, I'm not sure what two steels were used for the Damascus bolsters, I believe it's Bob Eggerling Damascus but after I did the engraving I etched them in Ferric Chloride, but the colors didn't show up as much as I wanted but it was fairly porous so when I put the flat black paint in my engraving I rubbed it all over the bolsters and wiped it off and it gave them a nice gray finish.

Dwayne

Roger Keagle · Jun 24, 2009

Thanks Dwayne, the results are a killer !

handengraver · Jun 28, 2009

Breathtaking grace and beauty. It will be the pride of its owner. Congratulations!

Ivan

ddushane · Jun 28, 2009

Thank you for the kind comments on my work Ivan, I'm fairly new at the engraving but I'm sure enjoying it. I have a great deal to learn. This is the place, I believe to do the learning. I feel blessed to have found it.

Dwayne

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