More scrolls and shading practice..

[jetta77]

Hey guys... Here's a plate that I'm messing around with. Practicing some of the leaf script that was taught in Sam's class. Sending this to my fave band NOFX...

Sorry for the bad photo's. I have another camera I was using to take pics through my scope but it's currently not working (damn things smashed)...

Thanxs 4 looking...

Jeff

 

[didyoung]

looks great. how did you trans. your drawing to your plate?
shawn

 

[Sam]

Jeff, you're going like a house on fire! Really complex design and nicely executed shading. You're doing great.

 

[bronc]

Really nice work.

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Really nice work Jeff

arnaud

 

[Paul Chung]

Fab!! really clean and excellently executed.Bravo!

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Jeff, this looks great. There are a couple of slightly dodgy design elements which attract my eye but because you've executed things so cleanly and shaded so well they don't stick out like a sore thumb so you can very neatly get away with it!

The one thing I will say however, (and this doesn't only apply to you by any means) is that if you are cutting within a box or border stick within that box or border. It doesn't add anything to the design running over or outside the line and in 99 times out of a hundred I'd go as far as to say that it's often detrimental to a good design. One or two engravers 'broke the rules' and got away with it mainly because of good design ability but then it seemed, every novice got it into their heads that this is how to do things. It's not. It's becoming an engravers cliche and not a very good one at that! By all means break the rules once you are totally okay with everything within a good design but make sure when you do it works.

Ticking off over.

Jeff, don't take my critique the wrong way, please, this engraving is really good. It's almost a shame it's a practice plate. Perhaps you could mount it on a nice piece of wood or on the lid of a nice wooden box? It gets a definite "Bravo" form me!

 

[Christopher Malouf]

Marcus, I partially disagree.

A good design can break the borders and, when used in the right context, can be enhanced by it. A border is a boundary and nothing more. It is representative of the self imposed limits of imagination. In either case, it can add interest as part of the design or contain the design.

I don't believe I am subscribing to the newbie cliche. I've done a lot of thinking and study on this as I try to avoid "fads", it is purely a matter of opinion with the only limiting factor being what is appropriate for the type of canvas.

In my opinion it adds interest ... especially when it is done in a deliberate yet well balanced manner (It needs to be deliberate or it looks accidental). In a way, it represents the boundary of old school, restrictive thinking that needs to be smashed in order to grow and evolve. A good, strong, bold design does that. A strong design will appear to be weak and subordinate if it does not. Good scroll is only restricted by natural law ... the golden mean etc., - a boundary is a man made restriction.

Chris

Hey Jeff, I see the influence in your work and I am happy to see you progress so quickly. I think this plate will make a fine print with his new press too.

 

[ED DELORGE]

Hello Jeff, this really looks great, you are really moving along.

I do agree with marcus on this one, if you make a line border it is best to try to stay in that border. If your border is floral that is fine. I have never been so good at floral borders like Winston Churchell is so good at. But it is obvious that your natural artistic ability is high, so you will do well.

Keep up the good work.

Ed

 

[ddushane]

Very Nice Jeff! You're leaving a lot of us in the dust! Keep up the great work!

Dwayne

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Thanks Marcus for for your comments to Jeff as I learn from this as well.
And sure it is almost a pity being a practice plate, although there is noting wrong with that.
But I think it is like playing music in a band, one can practice for ever, the goal however is to play for an audience.

So I think when one is ready for it, he better engraves a practice spoon or knife that can be used.
Putting this in a framework is also a good tip.

arnaud

arnaud

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Jeff

Looks fabulous!!! That is a very complicated set of scrollwork you have there and I really like the corner peices.............very classy!! It's been great following your progress.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[jetta77]

Thank you Shawn, Sam Bronc, Arnaud, Paul, Chris, Ed, Dwayne and Andrew for your nice comments and for looking.

Marcus, thank you for your advice as you and your Dad are well known to me even though I don't actually know you. I will take all the advise I can get w a nice smile as that's how we learn.

This plate is for practice but I will be sending to my fave band NOFX and maybe they can enjoy it, if they ever even see it or get it.

Jeff

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Chris, I agree with a lot of what you say but I still stand by my comments. If one doesn't have a lot of knowledge and or understanding of engraving design, breaking a border in a haphazard fashion does nothing to improve the overall design or aesthetics. Like you say, if it's going to be done it must be done in a deliberate manner and, in my opinion, be properly incorporated into the complete design. Only in this way will the overall design be truly pleasing and not look as if the engraver didn't know how to fit the scrollwork within bounds. Call this "a matter of opinion" if you will.

I realise there may be some "new school v old school" thinking going on out there but remember there is a lot to be learned from the "old school" and engravers have pushed boundaries for millennia but some things (i.e. certain rules) never really change. If you start breaking rules without any understanding of what's gone before you end up with a 'trying to reinvent the wheel' situation. What's the point? All the real artists of the past have had a working knowledge of their art before they set about trying to change things. In this "I can do anything I like and call it art" world of the present, a lot of so called 'artists' have missed this valuable point.

Unlike many other forms of art, engraving is often set within certain limits. If you have a nice sized rectangular plate to work with, making a faux border and deliberately breaking through is a definite possibility but when it's over done or done too many times it is in danger of becoming a cliche. However, many objects we work on are fairly small or of limited size and awkward shape. On a sidelock gun for example, there is no room to run through the border and if you do so it looks a right mess. So it's as well, at first, to learn to work within limits. Later, if one has a mind to and the design (and object) can carry it, by all means run through the border. Yes, I agree it can add interest if used in moderation and with comprehension.

 

[Kevin P.]

Jeff you're way ahead of the game. Your cutting is so good.
As for remarks some have made about your design: Without seeing the entire plate it seems to me that the design cannot be commented upon because it's been cropped. That's an interesting thing you did in the corner it would be nice to see the whole thing, complete or not.
Kevin P.

 

[Strit]

Is your favorite band really NOFX, you and I are probably the only one's here that know who that is, great work, looks really nice.

 

[Christopher Malouf]

Hi Marcus,

Excellent advice and clarification.

Also .... New school vs. old school of thought is definitely much more suitable than my use of the term "opinion".

 

[mtgraver]

Jeff, I must agree, you're really coming along. I'm interested in seeing the rest of the letters.........or plate for that matter. I was wondering about those beads and realized your clever layout. Maybe I'm slower than the rest but hey nice job.
Thanks Marcus and Chris for the insight on borders I need more things to think about. lol
Mark
www.MarkThomas-graver.com

 

[tat2graver]

Wow Jeff,
I hope my work reflects your attention to detail in the coming years.
Great work!

Greg