silver cross

You guys might think I'm getting post happy. I think I'm getting photoshop happy actually. Doctoring photos is fun at the moment as I'm learning.

This a sterling cross I made a while back. But it's one of those pieces that still looks good after some time has pasted, to me. Please feel free to critique. I like the compliments but they aren't going to take me to the next level.

I may be getting into hot water here, but what stands out to me is the fold at the bottom of the leaf. guessing i would say a bit more shade would have improved the look.
i can not get anywhere close to your level, so i might be wrong.

your are right.......comments are great, but having someone offer other ideas pushes you to another level.
shawn

I like it, I don't mean to disagree, but the shading looks good to me, I try to let my eyes go out of focus and I can get an average on color that way, might sound weard but works for me.

Very, very nice cross. You have a sharp webb page too.

Jim Sackett

I think it's wonderfully done.

If I were to offer a critique or just something constructive, I would say that the perspective needs to be changed on the flower. It's central to the design but it sits in a different plane than the "burst" and the cross. I think it should move forward (visually) to set it apart or rotate it to face front. That's just my opinion, I like it as is too.

Hi Wilson

That's a very nice presentation of the cross. Obviously being Photoshop happy is paying off

I also like the cross. It's a beautiful piece of jewellery that you have made and engraved. The trouble with this sort of thing is that it can be so subjective depending on the viewer.

So with that in mind I'll give you a suggestion that you can experiment with to see if you like it or not........because that's what a lot of this stuff boils down to. Plus it's fun trying stuff out.

In the flower section. Try making your outlines with a wider graver and flare the cuts (from thin to thick) If you try something like a 105, 110 or a 120. If you polish the heel it will make the cuts sparkle a bit more as well. If you try a 120 and haven't used it before........ just be careful as you can really over-flare the cuts quite easily (perhaps try a few test cuts on a piece of scrap first to get used to it)

Then when you shade you will have varying line widths that will add a bit more interest to the work and help separate the different elements and make them more distinguishable.

As I said, just a suggestion that you may wish to try.

Cheers
Andrew

Nice work, I like the big flower. I only have some difficulties with the centre little flower.
The 3D angle it is drawn in looks different than the wider leaf around it.
I don’t know if that is important, but in a way one looks in the leaf from the top, while the flower is seen more from the side.
Besides this, it is a very nice design of a flower.

arnaud

I agree with the suggestion about changing the perspective of the rose, but overall, I find the design very pleasing. How large is the cross? Is it a pin or pendant or a free-standing decorative object?

Mark

well i was wrong..........maybe.
after thinking for some i relized that none of us can offer a better critique than you can.
somewhere in that engraving there is something that you dont like. the folded area is what caught my eye.
we cant make them all happy.......
very nice engraving. the mona lisa is a great work of art, but i would have picked a much hotter girl to paint.

Beautiful work Wilson.
I hope you will stay post happy because your work is a huge inspiration to me. Thanks for sharing with us and thanks for all you have done to help me along the way.

Stewart

Shawn you are not wrong. Shading is very subjective. When I do those folds I like to have have the area next to it quite dark, making the white area in the center look like it stands up a bit higher and creates that fold.

This is old work here but illustrates what I am saying. Overall, very good looking cross though.

Wilson, I don't even have the qualifications to shine your boots, so I sure can't give a critique on the engraving. I can however ask that you please keep on posting, as I don't think your going to wear out your welcome anytime soon, or later. That is some darn fine work, and please keep sharing. Seth

Im with Seth, Wilson i want to be good enough one day to be able to critique your work.
Very nicely done!
Steve

Wilson, hello my name is Joe Curtiss I had a freind who does leather work ( Travis Stillson ) contact you about coming to a show you and someone else are putting on this spring. He told me you were wanting to see some of my work. I have some pics in my album on this site under the name JCSilver. If these pics won't work you can contact Greg Darnell, he knows me pretty good. It will be late January before I would be able to get you all anything to send to you for viewing, please let me know thanks Joe

Thanks for everyone for the time and effort to post replies. This is the kind of comments I was looking for as it brings new things for me to think about, and it doesn't matter what level you think you're at, we all have eyes and a view point. I appreciate it all.

To explain a little; I totally agree Shawn. If you are trying to make a fold stick up there needs to be a value change to create this. I didn't do that. A lot of times less is more, talking about my shading, however you still have to pay attention to the parts that need value changes. Nice point Shawn and thank you.

For those of you that pointed out my rose was on a different plain than the leaves behind, I had never looked at it that way. I was trying to make the rose on a profile if you will, but it didn't occur to me that might not work with the leaves behind. Thank you.

Andrew, I have worked a little with 120 degree points and use the 110 degree a lot. I think this was probably shaded with a 90 as you pointed out. the change in line thickness definitely brings life to the engraving and I need to work on this more. That was the problem using the 120 while shading as I got to deep to quick and created a look I didn't like. I will work on this and play with it. My heels are polished to leave a bright cut, but I tarnished the silver to darken the engraving. Thank you very much for your comments and time.

Joe, I assume you are talking about the Trappings of Texas in Alpine, Texas held in Feb. I will check out the album and talk to Greg. You still need to send some of your work to me to view. This is what Leland Hensley and I have to told everyone to this point, so to keep it fair we have to request it from you as well. Another thing is We have been asking people to have examples to us by about right now to give the museum time to plan for the show. All juried in craftsmen were to have their paper work in by Nov. 1. January will be too late but I will still be interested to see your work as it's not too early for next year. Thanks for your interest and I hope you can still come the show and enjoy the event.

Thanks to all.

Wilson, I'll do my best to get you something now, but I have the reining futurity about to happen. Where would I send it and what type of piece would you like size wise and such? Joe

Joe, you can send it to me. My address is on my website. As far as to piece it has to be something that represents your work. We need to be able to see what you can do. It doesn't have to a piece for the show just something that you would be proud to show us. The cowboy is what you have to keep in mind while building for the Trappings is all that we ask. If it doesn't relate to the cowboy then it won't fit the show very well. Again thanks for asking and please hurry with your submission piece.