First Animal Project

[Southern Custom]

I'm always hesitant to post work here as nothing is ever perfect. But I do work in a vacuum and can't think of a better way to solicit advice. So I've never cut an animal before and I've put off bulino for as long as I can remember. I've just never had the patience to learn all the minutia that goes along with drawing a living body. Scrollwork I'm able to break down architecturally.
I have a client that recently ruined it for me and said that it was time I learn and offered up a handplane to cut. So for my first piece, I'm asked to cut a Badger. I'm thinking this makes it easy. Black and White! Only to find out that a badger is a blob with fur. Coloring being the main defining features. So here is what he came up with for a profile and what I cut. Money and time didn't allow for dot bulino so line work did the job.
Any advice for the future would be greatly appreciated. I'm a big boy. I can take it. (and my customer is thrilled with the photo already)
I'll post full pics of the plane once I have them. It's a dandy.

 

[monk]

very nice look you have there. the critter looks good.

 

[billrice@charter.net]

Yes very nice job on the Badger

 

[Cloudy]

You did a great job! I was asked to do a badger, and passed on it! Blob with fur, for sure...

 

[Eugene Carkoski]

With badgers you need a little more mean, they're not friendly characters. Like the scrollwork

 

[Southern Custom]

Funny you mentioned that. I tried fierce with the first two sketches and the client vetoed them. Then he sent me a picture of the happiest darned badger you ever saw and I swear the critter had a smile on it's face. Happy badger=Happy client. And who's always right? ( I liked the snarling one myself)
Thanks Guys.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Yip, that's a happy badger alright. Hey, we all know Wind In The Willows is true

Looks good for your first one. You learn a lot doing these things and I'm sure your next one will be better. These things take time to build up experience.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Okay, why is it always down to me? I'm not a bad guy honestl, Southern Custom but you asked for critique and future help and getting told it looks good isn't going to help you improve is it?

Firstly, it's not a bad attempt but it could improve. You need to study your creature a bit more. Use lots of different photos from different angles and really look at details such as the shapes of the eyes and nose; I'm sure his left eye and nose were different in the artwork you used for reference. Not many creatures, except those in cartoons, have button noses.

Secondly, really look at the direction of hair growth. This is virtually the same on all animals but its the musculature underneath that gives it character. Sometimes when I'm stuck wondering at how something should look I'll call the dog over and study how the hair grows on his face even if what I'm engraving is an antelope or buffalo.

Some creatures are difficult to render; red grouse can look like low flying haggis' and rhino are just a blob with a horn stuck on its nose. The thing to do here is to get artwork that puts the animal into the best position to display it as what it is. Don't just engrave. The first bager that comes along mightn't be the best one so get really selective but still use the other pictures as reference.

Finally, if you haven't got it already, Chris DeCamillis' bulino DVD could be of help. Good luck.

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Okay, why is it always down to me? I'm not a bad guy honest l, ..............

LOL :biggrin:

arnaud

 

[Southern Custom]

Thank you Marcus! Now that's what I was looking for. And no you are never the bad guy. It is only through honest appraisal that we gain any knowledge and insight into this mysterious art form. And isn't that the original intent of this forum anyway? Not quite as nice as having you for a neighbor but it fills the void. It also means quite a bit coming from you as I've poured over both yours and your fathers work for years now looking for clues.
So next step will be Christians video. I see a nice blank sheet of steel and a serious study of the local varmints for the foreseeable future. Maybe in a couple of years I'll get the go ahead to start poking on a gun. (wouldn't want to go sticking any walking, snarling boudin on a shotgun)
About the best I was hoping for was a "not a bad attempt". I had braced myself for "Rubbish", so thank you Marcus.
Layne
(and I do take a bit of solace in that when shrunk back down to the actual 3/4", the little blob does appear a bit more sinister!)

 

[Doc Mark]

Well thought out and correct comments Marcus. But, aside from the critique, I just can't stop chuckling over your "red grouse can look like low flying haggis' " comment!

 

[JJ Roberts]

The Art of Anatomy it something that has to studyed seriously,take lessons in art go out of your way take some art class's.Any one every wonder how Marcus's father got to be as good an engraver as he did,he went out of his way and went to art class's.If your going to engrave firearms you better know the anntomy of animals,birds and humans.I could name many engraver on Sam and Lindsay's forum that went out of there way that I many of you admire.Get friendly with a taxidermist go there and draw. J.J.

 

[billrice@charter.net]

You know Marcus when we do our atta boys on these post we are really only trying reverse psychology to get one of you guys who really knows what they are doing to finally feel like they have to come out and really critique us on our work. I always enjoy the fine detail that comes out. we all enjoy the critique you and others give.