Critique welcome (good or bad) and some questions

[thughes]

Hi ya'll,
Here is a couple of shots of my 3rd sterling bracelet. I know my design is far short of inspired, but maby I'll get to the inspired level someday. The bracelet is 3/4" and 16 guage. Thanks to the advise I've gotten here, the bending is going much better.

Question, the flower in the middle is pretty much right out of Lynton Mckinzie's book. It was in a little plate set in a knife handle. I tinkered with it a little bit, but if you looked you would recognize it. I just thought it was a cool flower. Have I plagerized too much by using something so similar even though it's in a completely different setting.

Another question. How much should I charge for that ho hum level of work. It's for a friend of mine, in fact she picked the other elements out of my doodle book and asked for a big flower in the middle. But she wants to pay me. I certainly can't charge what you pros charge because it's not pro grade work. And I probably had 5 hours in it, which isn't fair either because I'm sure others could do the same thing much faster.

Thanks for your thoughts.
Todd

 

[Haraga.com]

I like it. Triple Key the material cost. Eg. If you have 30$ in silver, charge her 90$. I think that would be a good deal for her.

 

[mtgraver]

Todd,
It's not bad, I think you should lighten up on yourself a little and enjoy seeing how you are progressing. We all will view our work more critical when it's complete. I like the shell terminations, it looks nice and leaves you many ways to interpret the same motif in the future. Your friend should be quite happy with your third attempt. The triple the material cost is a good number to work with at this point. Sometimes a ribbon and a Thank you is the price in a generous moment. Only you will know what is best for you and your comfort level. I wish my third attempt at making something of that nature was that good. You should be very proud of this accomplishment my friend.
Mark

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Todd, I would charge 500 euro (600$) for the one I show here if I had done it, My daughter lola does some bracelet engravings but she is not as good as me yet, so I allow her to charge half, but not less than that.

arnaud

 

[thughes]

Thank ya'll for taking the time to look and for your comments. I appreciate the encouragement and the thoughts. I've been giving stuff away and just struggling with what my level of work is worth. That helps.

Thanks again.

 

[rod]

Todd, nice design and accurate cutting!

If you want a comment, it is inclined to look like an accurate line drawing, and you are not taking advantage of the third dimension ... depth. After all, this is jewely, and your are cutting into bright silver as a material. No harm in getting a bit of 'pop'.

So I invite you to start incorporating some 'beauty cuts', rather than just outlining your nice design and then inking it. Beauty cuts, for any who do not know, are where you lean your tool over and inward to your object, and varying the width of the bright cut. I like to work with a narrow flat these days rather than a square graver. You cannot do better than studying Sam's cuts. See how he is forever leaning in, and creating very nice width, quite small width beauty cuts, that create depth and interest to the eye. There is many a photo posted on the forum of nicely cut work, but when it comes to background removal, many stipple right up to their main outline cuts, get a bit too close and the outline gets ever so slightly damaged resulting in a slightly ragged cliff edge look between background and main design. On silver, I like quite bold lean overs with a flat even if you are going to ink it. You will see some of this effect on Lola's bracelet above, but I would like to see more.

I do appreciate that this is sort of gun engraving style you are doing in silver, and not Western Bright, or flare, where we lean over the graver a lot.

Are you following Sam's advice, when you must relieve background, lean your outer edge cuts inwards a bit, varying the width of the lean to artistic effect, then lean out a lot and go over the outer edge, so that your stippling does not need to go right up to the boundary, and the nice outline is crystal clear.

Forgive me if I am going over stuff that is old hat to you, it might be good for others to think about.

Nice work!

Rod

 

[thughes]

Rod,
Thanks much for your time and comments. Nothing is old hat to me my friend, I'm a newbie by any measure, so any advise is appreciated. Yes I have read Sam's words on rolling the graver to get the affect you're talking about, I just haven't developed that skill yet. To be honest, I've just been concentrating on coming up with a design that wouldn't turn people off, and then just trying to cut it accurately, I never even think of the rolling. I will go back to some copper and work on that.

Thanks for the advise
Todd

 

[monk]

hey, arnaud- looks like your daughter, lola, is going to be stealing some of your clients-- better be careful !

 

[rod]

Todd,

study this example by Sam:

http://www.engraverscafe.com/showth...d-shading-exercise-2-by-Mitch-Moschetti/page4

best

Rod