Critique Request Copper Celtic Knot Bracelet

DakotaDocMartin

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Here are a couple of photos of a copper Celtic Knot bracelet I recently finished. You can rest assured I've already picked it apart and learned a few things I'll do differently next time. I know things can get brutal here...:shock:

So... have at it... :)




 

Andrew Biggs

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Hi Neal

Brutal............you don't know the meaning of brutal till you've read this!!! :)

I've attached something for you to think about. Very finely cross hatching where you have put the shade lines. This would help build the intensity of the shadow. But of course that's more work and if there is a budget/customer at the end of this then it's a theoretical exercise.

The bracelet looks OK........but I'll go out on a limb here

Now this is purely subjective on my part and opinion will vary................I hate the background. It's the first thing that I see as it looks rushed and hurried like an afterthought quickly added. To my mind backgrounds should be properly done or not done at all and left as plain metal. Halfway between the two looks unprofessional.

Unless of course you are after that old rustic, beat up and well worn look ..............in which case it's great!!! :)

Cheers
Andrew
 

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Zhyyra

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Fabulous!
I like the way you weaved one strap under the other with a crimped/streached effect. I got the sound of creaking leather.
The central knot feature lends this ring the purpose of signature too.
I like it!
 

Sam

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I think I'd like a more even background, too. It's a very nice looking job though, and the photos are superb!
 

DakotaDocMartin

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Thanks everyone. :)

I was trying a sort of "rustique" look. Maybe something the old Celts and Druids would have worn in the day.

The photos were done with a white photo cube, two Lowel Ego continuous lights, white background and a 12" x 12" square of black plexiglas. I used my Canon 20D, 28mm-135mm lens, P mode, 800 ISO, f32 and a tripod. :big grin:

Doc
 
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ETHELBERT

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I am not by any means a good critique but I would like to say that the backround to me looks very appropriate for the theme. I think it looks Great!
 

Sam

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Continuous fluorescents are great for this type of photography. Thanks for posting your exif info. Your setup is working beautifully. :beerchug:
 

Peter E

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If you were trying to achieve a "rustic" look it looks OK as is Doc.

When I first looked at it, I was also thinking along the lines of what Andrew mentioned. If the backround was relieved and stippled, that Celtic design would really POP!

Nicely done as is however.
 

Marcus Hunt

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This goes to show how we are all quite different in the way we perceive something. I quite like the rustic background! The reason why is there is so much "celtic" stuff out there by the Chinese which is done to perfection using lasers, with nice smooth background, etc., that hand engraving could never compete with price wise unless it offers something different. I would think of maybe oxidising the background to give contrast.

However, if you are going to cut celtic knotwork all lines that make up the strapwork must be parallel (to which you've done a nice job Doc) and the shading should be as near perfect as you can achieve. I agree with Andrew on this point.

Shade one element, and I would suggest not starting and finishing hard up against the edge but leave a little gap. Keep all your shading lines the same length and try to keep them all the same distance apart across the strap. When you've done this, go back and count your shade lines. Now replicate this number of shade lines throughout the design.

Occasionally you might find you are one short or one over; don't worry about this. Worry when you are consistently two or three shade lines under or over!

By keeping the shading regular it will lift the design up to the next level, as does cross hatching as Andrew suggests. This graduates the light to dark shading. Apply it in exactly the same way as the shade lines i.e. count them. Cross hatching can start before the actual shade lines and, instead of keeping them a regular distance apart, they should gradually get closer together as you near the spot where the strap passes underneath the the strap on top. This results in beautiful graduated shading that looks really classy as opposed to the rushed look.

Overall though, I really like the bracelet; you've just left a little room for improvement.:big grin::big grin::big grin:
 
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Christian DeCamillis

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Doc, I agree with Marcus about the shading for this style. You could try making your own liner tool the right width and the geometry you prefer. This would give it a consistent result which is important for this kind of work. I normally don't like the mechanical looking shading but this is one of those instances where it's necessary.

Another background you could try for this style is to make rows of wriggle cuts it will lower the background somewhat and give it a fitting look.

The southern plains silver work done by the native Americans in the early 1900's were done like that .

Chris
 

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