Critique Request New member

Casey Jordan · Aug 26, 2009

I thought I would introduce myself since I just might learn a thing or two here.
I'm Casey Jordan from Phoenix, Arizona. I went to the GRS training in 2007, and I must say well worth the time and money spent. That was my first time engraving. I wanted to be able to do my own silverwork for my leatherwork and saddle making.

I can kinda hold my own on the leatherworking forum, but here I'm a rank amateur at best.
I'm posting some of my work for critique so I can improve some. I can see some of my mistakes but I don't have a trained eye like you guys (and Gals) do. I still need a lot of practice and experiance to get better.

I would appreciate any critique, tips, hints and just plain old "don't do thats" you have to offer. I'm doing this to learn and improve and any help would be appreciated. I have a pretty thick skin, so don't hold back.

Tim Wells · Aug 26, 2009

Looks like fine work to me, you've made some nice keepsakes for folks to wear. Welcome to the forum, you'll find lots of good folks and good info here.

fegarex · Aug 26, 2009

Hi Casey,
Welcome to the group!
It looks great to me but I am not a western engraver so I can't give you any tips.
Rex

ken dixon · Aug 26, 2009

Casey,
I think your work is looking good, the only advice I can give is just keep cutting. It's good to have you on the forum. Keep posting your work.

Ken

monk · Aug 26, 2009

welcome. you may have a bit more to learn, but it looks as though you have already learned quite a lot. i'm not really being critical here, your work is nice, but since you asked-- you did seem to fail to add shading in most of your work.
your clients may never see that, but those who study this form of engraving will see that right away. that is simply an error of omission.
if you're not sure what i mean, look in the tips section. there's a tutorial on doing western style. also be sure to check the archive photo gallery "western" section.
keep up the good work. thanks a lot for posting !

Sam · Aug 27, 2009

Hi Casey, and welcome to the Cafe! It looks like you're going like gangbusters. There are some good western brightcutters in this forum, so you're in good company. Thanks for joining us. / ~Sam

Arnaud Van Tilburgh · Aug 27, 2009

Welcome Jordan.

arnaud

Charlie · Aug 27, 2009

Hey, I got 2 cents, - - it's a value thing, - you know.

For me, I would not want "Master Engraving" on those beautiful Saddles you are making. Just some good clean work.

What you are doing looks mighty nice to me.

Casey Jordan · Aug 27, 2009

Thanks for the warm welcome Tim & Rex!

Ken, I was looking at some of your work a couple days ago. My question is: Will I live long enough to get that good or should I quit now. I guess my answer is I'm going to give it a go and see what happens. Practice,Practice,Practice!

Monk, Thanks for taking the time to give me some pointers. I did use a liner on all the pieces, just hard to see in the pictures. Not much of a photographer I guess. But your comments will sure stick with me and I will pay attention to that detail in the future. I will still take your advice and check out the tutorals. I have looked at some but not all of them. And that's what i'm here for - to learn.

Sam, Thanks for the welcome. I think "Good Company" is a understatement.

Arnaud, Thanks for the welcome. I was reading one of your threads yesterday about the pattern you drew for a knife bolster. Thanks for posting that, I learned quite a bit from that. I wish I had asked someone before I did the top knife in the picture above. I should have steped back and took a look at it before I engraved it. Not happy with the pattern layout on that one.

Charlie, Thanks for throwing in your 2 cents.

Steve223 · Aug 27, 2009

Casey I cant add anything to what has allready been said but keep cuttin and welcome to the forum! Your sure in the right place,These folks have helped me a bunch.
Steve

Casey Jordan · Aug 27, 2009

Steve,
I went to your website and I'm very impressed. If you think of a pointer, I'm all ears.
I have learned a lot on a leatherworker forum and I hope to do the same here.

Thanks for the response.

rod · Aug 29, 2009

Casey,

Welcome to this Forum! I think you have Western Style in your blood, and are on fast track. There are great bright cutters who post on this forum, and do check out the photo gallery. I will go once more to Diane Scalese's week at GRS in October. She is a great bright cutter, an all round engraver, and a natural born teacher, if you were ever thinking of spending a few days in one of the courses, but clearly you have good tool control. One small tip, regarding photo no 2 which has some flowers. Take a look at Brian H, Cowboy Greg, or Diane's flowers, and notice the petals have nice rounded flow, made with a series of cuts. Yours are a bit propeller-blade like, but you clearly have the tool control, and you would be onto those more flowing flowers in five minutes. Also, plan ahead with the wriggle scroll backbone to avoid the occasional 'elbow'.

Here are some of my practice flowers from Diane's class .... you can single point shade, but with flowers, the so called 'flutter' tool works well, and with practice it is fast and good.

Keep posting, and congratulations!

Rod

Casey Jordan · Aug 30, 2009

Rod,

Thanks for the welcome.
I did take the GRS class with Diane as my instructor in 2007. I have not been able to do as much engraving as I want to. I need a lot of practice and I think since I have joined this forum it has inspired me to make time to practice.

Thanks for pointing out my propellers! Plain as day but I could not see it until you pointed it out. And my elbows and flat spots on my spines are something I need serious work on.
Thanks for posting pictures of your work, I will get my flowers looking like that soon, I hope!

I truly appreciate your advice and will take it anytime. Some improvement will come with practice, but some thing need to be pointed out.

Thank you!

rod · Aug 30, 2009

Casey,

I have been looking at the leatherwork on your website, and it is really impressive! I have always known that leatherwork design is very demanding of good layout and execution, and that must carry over nicely into your engraving.

best wishes!

Rod

Casey Jordan · Aug 31, 2009

Rod,
Thanks for the comments!
The layout in leatherwork and silverwork are very similar. I have messed up both by getting in a hurry. Still practicing both.
Doing leatherwork sure has made it easier to get the concept of how to fill space and still make it look eye appealing.

Thanks,Casey

Denny · Aug 31, 2009

Casey -

I did not know you are so multi-talented. I knew you were a great saddle maker and leather carver but I did not know about your silver work and engraving. Very impressive work. Let's get together at the next Loveland show and compare notes.

Casey Jordan · Aug 31, 2009

Denny,
Thanks for the comments. I'm trying to get serious and practice more, infact I'm working on leif script today. I have a long way to go yet.
You have to enter the Art of the Cowboy Makers to defend your
People's Choice Spurs title! And I must say it was well earned!

I'd love to compare notes with you, but you sure would come up with the short end of the stick. I'm still a rank amature.

Good to hear from you.

Critique Request New member

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