Design for knife
- Thread starter tkelch
- Start date
Marrinan
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
The first thing that pops to me is that you are designing the parts not the whole. The heel flows one way, the pin or blade end flows another and the middle goes both ways. Just don't think it works. Gong to be a challenge but fun. Try to start by making an accurate outline of each section. Be sure it is accurate. Next establish the borders at exactly the proper and uniform width. Now ink these. The next phase works best with a light board. they cost around 35-50 at the art big box store or you can make your own for a few buck. I am lucky and have a light table or two. If you don't make several copies and set all but one aside. mount one on your drawing surface with drafting tape. Get tracing paper (never can find it in small pads only 8.5 by 11) and cut up so you have pieces an inch bigger than your three pieces side by side in order. Tape a sheet of tracing paper over the three piece pattern (just top and bottom is fine. Now draw, draw quickly moving your flow from one to the next to the last. Do it quickly, no detail, let it flow. do ten look them over see if anything has potential. If part of one or two do keep only those parts and add them to your base (now the outline plus you beginning) and add a third sheet and on and on. In the paraphrased words of Lynton McKenzie some times it takes a whole day or a week to do the design and an afternoon to cut it. Fred
wowilson
Elite Cafe Member
That knife looks like it was made to be engraved. Have you considered saving the middle section for initials? That might move your composition along.
tkelch
Member
tkelch
Member
Arnaud Van Tilburgh
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
A nice way to start the way you did working on the backbone first
arnaud
arnaud
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Hi Tkelch
Looks like a nice knife to play with.
However..........You have a few issues with that design. The biggest issue you have is that the scrolls are squashed, deformed and not conducive to filling in with leaves.
The second issue you have is you have large areas that need filling in. E.g. Second posted drawing.......bottom right hand side. You really need to work that area and fill it better with scroll work as there is a large gap that will look out of place if filled entirely with leaves.
Bottom left hand side. You have a similar problem with a big gap where the pin goes. Try extending that beginning scroll to take up the space.
Top left hand side. Scrolls not touching.
If you haven't got a light box use tracing paper or your window during daylight hours..
Here is what I suggest you do.......concentrate on forming as perfect a scroll as possible. The ones you have are what I would call "thumbnails". In other words quick reference scrolls. They still need a lot of work on them. This is the most critical part of the entire design. If the scrolls are out of whack, then everything else will be as well.
You can afford to make the occasional mistake with a leaf because the shading will help them blend in. But if the scrolls are not right it stands out like dogs balls.
Make all your practice projects like the real deal. Treat them as if someone was paying you a million dollars for them. Speed is not an issue, quality is, so don't skimp on anything. Start with the prep work, design, execution etc etc. That is how you will learn to get better.
Cheers
Andrew
Looks like a nice knife to play with.
However..........You have a few issues with that design. The biggest issue you have is that the scrolls are squashed, deformed and not conducive to filling in with leaves.
The second issue you have is you have large areas that need filling in. E.g. Second posted drawing.......bottom right hand side. You really need to work that area and fill it better with scroll work as there is a large gap that will look out of place if filled entirely with leaves.
Bottom left hand side. You have a similar problem with a big gap where the pin goes. Try extending that beginning scroll to take up the space.
Top left hand side. Scrolls not touching.
If you haven't got a light box use tracing paper or your window during daylight hours..
Here is what I suggest you do.......concentrate on forming as perfect a scroll as possible. The ones you have are what I would call "thumbnails". In other words quick reference scrolls. They still need a lot of work on them. This is the most critical part of the entire design. If the scrolls are out of whack, then everything else will be as well.
You can afford to make the occasional mistake with a leaf because the shading will help them blend in. But if the scrolls are not right it stands out like dogs balls.
Make all your practice projects like the real deal. Treat them as if someone was paying you a million dollars for them. Speed is not an issue, quality is, so don't skimp on anything. Start with the prep work, design, execution etc etc. That is how you will learn to get better.
Cheers
Andrew
tkelch
Member
tkelch
Member
Marrinan
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
That's coming along. Keep sketching. Try using a starter scroll at the start of each of these sections. You are definitely moving forward. Fred
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Much better
The two small scrolls you have in the top and centre piece are probably going to be too small. They would probably be better off being a nicely shaped leaf or tendril.
On all three sections, you have started the scroll in the top left of the area. This has left a small gap between the border and the scroll. You can't really fill them with anything like a leaf as the space is to small........you may want to play around with the scroll a bit and see if you can find a better place to start so you don't end up with those small gaps. They may look a bit weird once you blacken them in. Just a thought.
cheers
Andrew
The two small scrolls you have in the top and centre piece are probably going to be too small. They would probably be better off being a nicely shaped leaf or tendril.
On all three sections, you have started the scroll in the top left of the area. This has left a small gap between the border and the scroll. You can't really fill them with anything like a leaf as the space is to small........you may want to play around with the scroll a bit and see if you can find a better place to start so you don't end up with those small gaps. They may look a bit weird once you blacken them in. Just a thought.
cheers
Andrew
Last edited:
tkelch
Member
Thank you Andrew and Fred
These are what I was able to come up with today trying to not leave any of the awkward spaces. I also tried some of the starter scrolls but I'm having a lot of trouble getting the bottom section to look right and flow with the rest of the design.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
tkelch
Member
tkelch
Member
Marrinan
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I would say that the first picture from post number shows a lot of potential. Fun process isn't it. Fred
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Of all the drawings so far.....#4 (in post #12) has the most promise. The centre piece is a very pleasing design.
Your last two drawings in post #14 and #15 don't really work at all. They are too basic and you are using a lot of leaf to fill areas that are not really suitable for it.
Are you drawing these actual size??....... At actual size you are going to struggle quite a bit.
if you are, is there any way you can enlarge them considerably to be able to draw them better ??......Scan and enlarge in something like Photoshop or other computer programme. Even an old Kids pantograph would work.
Cheers
Andrew
Your last two drawings in post #14 and #15 don't really work at all. They are too basic and you are using a lot of leaf to fill areas that are not really suitable for it.
Are you drawing these actual size??....... At actual size you are going to struggle quite a bit.
if you are, is there any way you can enlarge them considerably to be able to draw them better ??......Scan and enlarge in something like Photoshop or other computer programme. Even an old Kids pantograph would work.
Cheers
Andrew
tkelch
Member
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Good idea. Working larger will enable you to draw a lot easier...........and better.
Cheers
Andrew
Cheers
Andrew
Sponsors
