Huge silver charm, molested on both sides

[handengraver]

This .925 silver charm's weight is one ounce, the diameter is 48 millimeters. (Two mm shy of two inches.) The client asked for a peace symbol, and I volunteered some ornaments within it, to cure the novelty effect of that design. The back is engraved with an interlocked monogram and some decoration. Thank You for looking at the pictures. (I apologize for the pictures' quality.) Greetings - Ivan

 

[John Cole]

very cool!
thanks for sharing.

 

[kcrutche]

Photographing Shinny Objects

Ivan

Very nice, I like your shading work, very smooth and uniform.

I have been fighting The same problems with taking Photo's of shinny objects.

The shinny object seems to confuse the auto focus feature.

I have found it helps if you place another (not shinny) at the same distance to give the camera something to focus on, take the picture and the using editing software, crop the Photo.

I hope this Helps.

Ken

 

[handengraver]

very cool!
thanks for sharing.

I am glad that You like it, John. Thanks - Ivan

 

[handengraver]

Ivan

Very nice, I like your shading work, very smooth and uniform.

I have been fighting The same problems with taking Photo's of shinny objects.

The shinny object seems to confuse the auto focus feature.

I have found it helps if you place another (not shinny) at the same distance to give the camera something to focus on, take the picture and the using editing software, crop the Photo.

I hope this Helps.

Ken

Ken, thanks for your kind words. Concerning the pictures, this problem is with me since I try to document my work. Most of the shiny objects I did not even attempt to photograph due to my repeated failures.
"Trapping" the focus with another object sounds like a marvellous idea, I'll try it at once!

Thank You - Ivan

 

[McAhron]

Far out man.A peace sign with LSD on the back,must be an unique customer:banana::banana::banana:
Very nice work!

 

[handengraver]

Far out man.A peace sign with LSD on the back,must be an unique customer:banana::banana::banana:
Very nice work!

Thank You, Mc. I am glad that You like it.

The client is fairly peculiar, but the LSD is a coincidence. The S in the middle stands for her family name's initial...

Greetings - Ivan

 

[Peter E]

I was pondering the significance of the "LSD" too! With the peace sign on the obverse seemed like it was planned:big grin:

It looks good, especially the monogram.

 

[monk]

i also cast my vote for cool !

 

[KCSteve]

One very simple thing you can do to help your photos - use a tripod.

Or set the camera on something - just anything so it holds still. The self-timer option is good to use too - basically you want as little motion as possible.

 

[handengraver]

I was pondering the significance of the "LSD" too! With the peace sign on the obverse seemed like it was planned:big grin:

It looks good, especially the monogram.

Thank You, Peter. The significance of LSD never got to me, by the time I entered the Free World that stuff was already yesterday's news. My only related memory is Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds from Yellow Submarine with the Beatles. The peace sign (origin unknown to me) seems to become popular again, I see it returning in some silver jewelry wholesale catalgues.

Greetings - Ivan

 

[handengraver]

i also cast my vote for cool !

Thank You, Monk.

I always hoped to achieve some coolness...

Greetings - Ivan

 

[handengraver]

One very simple thing you can do to help your photos - use a tripod.

Or set the camera on something - just anything so it holds still. The self-timer option is good to use too - basically you want as little motion as possible.

Steve, I used my engraver's block for camera stand. Perhaps a tripod is more effective...

Greetings - Ivan

 

[John Cole]

Steve, I used my engraver's block for camera stand. Perhaps a tripod is more effective...

Greetings - Ivan

If your camera isn't too heavy, you can use your engravers block. Most camers have a female thread in the bottom to have a tripod base screwed into them. That is normally a 1/4 20 thread, a very common thread for most screws or bolts. just put an inch long screw into the bottom of the camera and lock it down into your vise. Shazam!! you have a "tripod".
Then just use the self timer like Steve suggested.

 

[Jim Sackett]

very nice hand engraving, handengraver the monogram is superb

Jim

 

[Karl Stubenvoll]

Light tent and tripod on the cheap

A rock for a tripod and a couple of pieces of copy paper with some tape can do wonders. Use clear tape for the construction---there is a yellowish line on the ring because I used masking tape. Both ring photos were taken on a sunny day but in a shady spot. Note all of the reflections in the first ring photo---the ring is a great mirror, but the reflections were not in focus. The second ring was in the tent, and the difference is amazing.

 

[handengraver]

very nice hand engraving, handengraver the monogram is superb

Jim

Thank You, Jim. Engraving letters and monograms on jewelry was my bread and butter in the old days. Unfortunately, my hands are getting heavy, and although the job was done with handpush tools only, it has turned out to rough. As I get tired, I lose that fine touch... (It has been fifty years since I started my apprenticeship.)

Greetings - Ivan

 

[handengraver]

A rock for a tripod and a couple of pieces of copy paper with some tape can do wonders. Use clear tape for the construction---there is a yellowish line on the ring because I used masking tape. Both ring photos were taken on a sunny day but in a shady spot. Note all of the reflections in the first ring photo---the ring is a great mirror, but the reflections were not in focus. The second ring was in the tent, and the difference is amazing.

Karl, your paper tent is revolutionary! I used to envy the photo boxes that jewelers bought for fortunes, but your ingenuity offers a real inexpensive shortcut to get right there. I wish it was known for all engravers.

The ring is adorable with your family crest engraving. Your cuts are extremely sharp and well defined, and the coloring with the parallel lines is precise and even, in directions as well as in depth. Outstanding job, thank You for showing it.

Greetings - Ivan

 

[nomentalgiant]

Ivan, nice work on that pendant. I like what you've done!

Shooting a highly polished surface can be quite difficult without a lightbox. Basically you're photographing a mirror, so what you are trying to do is reflect a white surface back into the camera's lens. That's why its been suggested to shoot outside on an overcast day; you are photographing the refection of white clouds. Once this principle is understood, any white surface will do.

These shots were taken in my kitchen. If you don't have a white sink try a paper tent as suggested above. I'll bet even a white mop bucket would do the trick. Take your time and take a whole bunch of shots. The law of odds will guarantee that a few will come out nicely. I hope this helps.

 

[dbrodhagen]

Great project Ivan, the piece brought memories from the sixties. Thanks everyone for adding the tips to photography, I am tackling the same problems. Dave