Curtiss Jenny

[wowilson]

I've loved aviation my whole life. In 4th grade my parents had to have a meeting with the school principal because I drew airplanes all day, everyday. It took me many years, but I eventually ended up working at Bell Helicopter as an illustrator. Those days are over, but I still carry on in the same way. I guess, sometimes you figure out what you are at an early age. This piece is business card sized and is engraved on mild steel. I hope that you like, it has taken me my entire life to accomplish.

 

[AllenClapp]

Thanks for posting this. I love the look and feel of this calling card-sized engraving. I can almost hear internal termoil: do I just cut the plate so I can show it off, or do I cut it in reverse so I can use it to print calling cards?
Forgive me please, but I am a border junkie and I get out of hand sometimes, so please take the following with at least two grains of salt. If you ever decide to do it again in reversed type so that it can be used as a printing plate for your calling cards, I suggest revisiting the shape of the ovaloid inside border. There are some flat spots that almost make it look like a squashed pentagon. I see the issues with the tail and wheel that caused it. I see a few ways to avoid that.
ONE, decrease the size of the starting kernel areas of the corner scrolls so that you can extend the oval sideways a little more. This may be tricky, in order to keep the balance of the overlapping plane parts
TWO, pull the inside border up a little sooner behind the banner. This would require letting the wheel drop down over the border a little, but that is in keeping with other areas where overlap with the inside of the inside border occurs (I like the way you have done that elsewhere).
THREE, decrease the width of the inside border as it goes from vertical down toward the banner, to allow the bottom area of the inside border to better match the curvature of the top.
I like the look of your outside border. It is nicely done. Would you mind posting some closeups of the outside border? It may be the lens or lighting, but there are slight differences in the looks of the border as it goes around the piece that make it difficult to tell how you did that one. Looking at the bottom section of the outside border, it looks like the outside scoops of each vee were made with a round graver--is that correct? Looking at the bottom, that would be the bottom of upside down vees. It also looks like the top of the upside down vees (on the bottom border) was first defined by a shallow straight cut line and then a thin, but increasing width plunge cut was made up to the top inside border line on the bottom border area--is that correct, or was there some additional beveling to create the look of the inside portions of the outside borders?

 

[papart1]

Beautifully done, I love it. please post more!!!

 

[wowilson]

@AllenClapp If you believe that I did not make the shape I intended, you are mistaken. It is meant to mimic the shape of the cockpit opening. I had intended to use the shape of the radiator but did not like how it looked.
Regarding the border, please use your considerable expertise to determine how it was done.

 

[oniemarc]

I have seen this before I believe...hahahah.
Still think it looks stunning.

 

[AO84]

I have yet to attempt bullino, and what you have accomplished here is inspiring. Amazing piece.

 

[Matthew Evans]

.

 

[thughes]

Very cool, and beautiful Wade! Well done.

Todd

 

[wowilson]

@AO84 You should give it a try. It's a lot like scrimshaw. Doesn't require any special tools to accomplish. No power, and not too much magnification.

 

[wowilson]

@Matthew Evans Man, I'm sure a lot of the guys on here misbehaved in school. Engraving isn't really the realm of conformists (right?) I have been to that museum, twice. I sure hope to go again, it's fantastic!

 

[wowilson]

Very cool, and beautiful Wade! Well done.

Todd

Thanks, man. I was already designing this when we were at school.

 

[AllenClapp]

@AllenClapp If you believe that I did not make the shape I intended, you are mistaken. It is meant to mimic the shape of the cockpit opening. I had intended to use the shape of the radiator but did not like how it looked.
Regarding the border, please use your considerable expertise to determine how it was done.

Thank you. Now I understand the why of the design.

 

[John B.]

Wowilson, thank you for posting your wonderful plate.
Some top class work for our enjoyment.
Your bulino work on the Jenny is absolutely outstanding.
As you are a past pro illustrator for Bell Helicopter. it would be an education to see the tools you used to create the image of the Jenny.
Very interesting, and hope you are willing to share pictures of them.

 

[wowilson]

Wowilson, thank you for posting your wonderful plate.
Some top class work for our enjoyment.
Your bulino work on the Jenny is absolutely outstanding.
As you are a past pro illustrator for Bell Helicopter. it would be an education to see the tools you used to create the image of the Jenny.
Very interesting, and hope you are willing to share pictures of them.

Thanks for the kind words, John. I owe Mr. Biggs an article for the Engraver. Maybe I can just document the making of this plate.

 

[SamW]

We will look forward to that!

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Thanks for the kind words, John. I owe Mr. Biggs an article for the Engraver. Maybe I can just document the making of this plate.

Damn good idea!!!! The sooner the better