Alain Lovenberg advice for engravers

[Sam]

Bram Ramon posted this on Facebook and it's good advice from one of the world's greatest engraving masters.

"The basics, that's the drawing! Before beginning an engraving, the first thing to be looked after, above all, is the work of composition, on paper or any other support. Without a good composition, the engraving, even if it is carried out perfectly, will be of a poor level.

Ingres, painter and exemplary draughtsman, said that the drawing is the probity of the painter. This also applies (and even more) to the engraver.
Never stop to study and practice drawing, even if you are not paid for that!" -Master engraver Alain Lovenberg-

 

[Frank P]

that is the first lesson in engraving School Liège... .. if you cannot draw it, you cannot engrave it...
the drawing is the most important of all...
(maybe I should add that the use of Transfers, templates etc, was completely forbidden in our classroom)
Pity Bram did nt post that here....

 

[JJ Roberts]

I would have never attempted to take up engraving if I did'nt have a background in art,I know if you go out of your way and learn how to drawing you'll be successfully at engraving. J.J.

 

[FANCYGUN]

Having been an art student all of my life and a public school art teacher for over 33 yrs, I cannot emphasize how important these words are. One of my college professors sumed it all up by saying...."In art, drawing is your language. Painting (scupting, engraving, etc) is mearly your dialect"
Drawing every day also fine tunes your eye hand coordination will enhance your engraving abilities. Draw every day even if it's just scribbles.

 

[Sam]

"In art, drawing is your language. Painting (scupting, engraving, etc) is mearly your dialect"

That's a GREAT quote as well!

 

[SamW]

Hey Marty, do flies count?

 

[Sam]

Engravers today have many advantages over engravers 50 or 100 years ago. We have better tool steel, superior optics, better lighting, comfortable studios, pneumatic handpieces, sharpening systems, etc. We can execute work with precision and accuracy that was impossible back in the day. Despite all of that, it really means nothing if the design is poor. Look at Kornbrath's work for instance. It's not done with the flawless cutting today's engraver can produce, but because of his masterful design, nobody notices the imperfections in his engraving. His work has great character, just as Nimchke's does. You could say that Kornbrath, Nimschke, and Gustav Young were artists who happen to engrave.

 

[bram ramon]

Master engraver Alain Lovenberg posted this quote on this forum! I always kept this in mind! I draw a minimum of 10 hours a week and if one day I can only do that and leave the actual work, the engraving to other's I will lol. And like Frank is saying we indeed never used templates ore transfers although it was tempting especially the first year. Seeing how some people here made it look very easy. But then I read the quote of Alain again and thought myself "he did not get there by using shortcuts".. I can say in all honesty it took me 4 months to understand, draw and cut a perfect scroll/backbone. And now they come out of hands almost automatically, but I still Lear everyday. We talk a lot about drawing, cutting etc but understanding ornament and the perfect line is probably the most important, have the eye to see what is wrong and wright.Especially if in a later stadium you want to compose your one ornaments. Another great quote: to break the rules you must first master them.

 

[LVVP]

Thank you for the information