Critique Request First completed practice plate (Phil Coggan design)

[Phil Coggan]

If you want to produce a transfer print with very thin black lines, print the "enlarged" design onto paper then draw over it using a 0.3 pencil onto tracing paper, make sure the lines are black thin and exact, then when you reduce to a transfer sheet they will be thin.

Sam has a good point though, I use it, especially for game scenes and portraits.

Phil

 

[jbrayout]

Very well done. Where did you find this drawing, looked under any Phil Coggan posts and didn't find it? This would really be helpful to use for practice;I have engraved for a couple of years and can't even get close to this.
Thanks,
Jenny

 

[Roger B]

Very well done. Where did you find this drawing, looked under any Phil Coggan posts and didn't find it? This would really be helpful to use for practice;I have engraved for a couple of years and can't even get close to this.
Thanks,
Jenny

This could be what you are looking for

http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?16950-Practice-Scroll

 

[James Ashley]

I have a question fir you. When u said u weren't happy with the shading lines untill u went to a heel free graver and got the results u wanted. Could u explain what u meant by heel free? Im not happy with the control im getting and would like to try something else but so far I haven't found what I'm looking for. It would probably help if I turned the tv off? Difficult to watch the World Series and shade at the same time. Guess muilt tasking take practice to.
Thanks, Jim

Hi Jim,
I had tried a regular heeled 120 graver and couldn't seem to get the fine lines I was looking for. I had read Phil uses his bullion graver geometry for shading as well as his scenes. I simply got a template and tried that for shading myself. Worked much better for me. I have quite a bit of experience using a graver when stone setting so the lack of a traditional heel wasn't completely unnatural for me. I simply found being able to start with the graver very low to the plate and then raising to as I progressed much easier and far more natural for me. I have since gotten a little more used to my tools and now find it easier to cut the finer lines using regular geometry.

 

[James Ashley]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions guys! Very helpful!

 

[Phil Coggan]

Just a couple of things James, we all have our own ideas about what we like in a scroll, the same with all art and music, just develope your own style.

Also you missed the cross hatching on your plate, a lot of people don't use it, personally I think it's needed as it gives extra depth.....ask Sam

Phil