Bulino critique please

[Phil Coggan]

As I have mentioned before on other threads, dot work takes much longer, probably over 4x. If a customer is expecting very fine work and is the type who looks at engraving through a glass....and is prepared to pay then that's ok, but generally if you can get away with lines and the work is of good quality then that's the way to go...but that's just my opinion!

Sometimes there is no getting away with it and dots have to be used.

Below are some pictures which of the "Nile" gun and were featured in the Engraver magazine a few years ago. The gunmaker was expecting fine detail, the gun is now with the owner of the Trafalgar gun and are now a "pair".

This picture shows mostly lines but dots on hands, faces (the largest head being about 3mm. There is also dot work at top right to give distance.





The next picture is through the glass and shows the build up of a part of the left scene, the one below that is the full scene, again the only dots are on the heads, hands, sky and the canon smoke.

The under the glass shot can be seen to the right.

Phil

 

[Belprime]

As in the art work I'm blown away! Fantastic details in a really great piece of art. Hard to get my head around putting so much detail in such a small area.

 

[Phil Coggan]

Not so complicated when you break down the areas one by one.

Phil

 

[Lee]

I have read this thread with interest and many excellent comments have been made. I will give my opinion on two areas.

Details- These are important and wonderful when done correctly and appropriately. Phil's rendering of the naval scene is superb. The details are there for the discovering and he has not sacrificed other important elements at the expense of detail. Here's my explanation. The most important thing is to convey proper form. This is the feeling of shape and dimension. His figures appear three dimensional and rounded. After form is achieved then details are added. Details should not be added everywhere. For example shadow areas have little or no details. The mere suggestion is sufficient and in other cases let the area be a flat even value. This strengthens the focal points. As objects recede into the distance they also will have less details and if they are quite far away may have no detail. Go outside and look at a mountain range. The ridges and mountains farthest away will have little or no detail.

Dot vs. Line- They both have there place and are usually needed to make the strongest engraving possible. Sometimes I think of being a line engraver and the lines at times become so short they appear as dots. I like dots the are irregular. This can be done using a faceted point instead of a round needle point.

The attached dog is done entirely with lines. Even the tongue is a series of fine cross-hatched lines. The entire head is roughly the size of a quarter. Reduce the image to that size and you will see that the visual image is smooth and nicely blended where needed.

The horn blower is rendered in a bolder style. It shows up well. It is a three inch diameter plate.

The bear plate done many years ago shows a combination or lines- some deep and some very light- and dot work for the background.

Lines may go faster after one has experience but they are more difficult to execute and require much more thought and planning.

Remember, the shape of the engraved mark- line or dot- is not very important. The most important is that it is placed in the correct spot. Hmmm... good drawing instruction and the understanding of light and shade are a wee bit necessary.

Cheers. It's a wonderful journey of discovery.

 

[JJ Roberts]

Phil,Thank's for sharing the step by step picture's of what it takes to engrave fine detail with a hand held graver and magnification, I tell student you must learn to draw and the importance of good anatomy both human & animal & birds. J.J.

 

[Gemsetterchris]

Many thanks Phil & Lee for your time posting & explaining your thoughts & methods
I'm sure all our opinions overlap somehow in a twisty turny kind of way.
Lots of food for thought here!