Announcement: New video: LETTERING TECHNIQUES FOR HAND ENGRAVERS

[rod]

Thanks, Sam,

The video shows me where I should be going, and I am beginning to get the hang of it, yet when I watch you come out of your flat graver bright cut, almost like magic you seem to somehow flick the chip so it leaves just the correct curve in its upsweep that nicely flows into the following hairline continuation of the curve. I have experimented with your rounded heel enough to notice that this is part of the success of the flat graver's withdrawal. I am not frustrated, actually enjoying trying for more mastery. Better photo below on this unfinished 2 inch sq plate.

Rod

 

[Sam]

Goodness, Rod...that is splendid work! You are really getting in the zone with brightcut script. I've seen many lettering examples that weren't nearly this good. I would imagine your controlled flare cutting skills are paying off for you on script lettering. Hats off to you! I can't wait to see more! :bow:

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

I did some lettering after watching Sam DVD now trying to use a flat like he demonstrates, before I used a 120° to cut lettering as to me a 120° also can be used as a flat.

arnaud

 

[Sam]

Excellent job Arnaud I can use a 120° graver as well, but I'm more comfortable using a flat.

 

[rod]

Very clean cutting, Arnaud!

The lettering is attractive. However you appear to be bright cutting all the way round the cuts, without a transition to the characteristic 'hairline' portion of the letters, as Sam demonstrates, when he changes over from a flat to his favourite 120 degree 'square' graver. Speaking for myself, in my present practicing stage, I am not getting the delicacy for hairlines that Sam demonstrates. Actually I am getting better hairline cuts, and more of a seamless transition by using a narrow 80 degree 'square', but with a uniform heel. With this graver, I seem to be able to pick up the previously cut 'crescent bright', with the 80 degree graver leaned over to match the last of the flat cut and from there to curve around as I come upright with the 80 to a thin hairline. By this time in his career, Sam could probably circle the planet with the amount of very fine 120 degree shadings he has cut, he has a reliable delicacy. I am hopeful that, with practice, I can get better with light 120 cuts, but in the meantime that uniform heeled '80' is working well. It is simply a bulino with small unifirm heel added?

Arnaud, I think you wrote, that you have downloaded Dr Joe's free iBook for iPad: "Script in the Copperplate Style by Dr. Joseph M. Vitolo" ?

Belatedly, I just downloaded it myself this past week. Hand in hand with studying from Sam's DVD, I find both go so well together, as Dr Joe's interactive iBook has you thinking about wide and hairline penmanship, just the same way as Sam wants us to achieve. The interactive nature of this iBook is a great help for those wanting to look closely at this allied art of calligraphy, as we practice letter engraving. For example, as you read the written chapters and study the diagrams, on the opposite page is a photo that is simply tapped, and a relevant video with audio springs to life which is directly related to what he is writing about on that page. This is a new ease in 'book learning'. By the way, I do not think the interactive feature will work on a laptop or desktop computer, only iPad?

So I am thinking to myself, might be fun to buy a $20 pen, and practice my Engravers Script with calligraphy pen, rather than a pencil?

A huge thank you to Dr Joe, for his threads on this forum, and his free iBook!!

best

Rod

 

[mrthe]

Finally i have some free time and i'm starting study a bit more the lettering DVD,the video is extremly great and the info in it a little treasure,i know that was asked in the thread time ago but,is possible have in some way the images of the cuts guides and the alphabets to print it and save it in my sketch book ?
Usually i should save the videos in my Ipad to see and study it in a more easy way on my bench ,but i can't convert this dvd to my ipad with handbrake and have the pdf files will be very helpful.
Thank you Sam for this great master class!

 

[billrice@charter.net]

Hi everyone

One other reference I would suggest you get is the Letter Casting of " Certified Script " by Mike Dubber. I found it invaluable to view each of his letters and how he cuts them under my microscope, a big help in understanding another way to cut Lettering. Between Sams DVD on Lettering and Mikes casting these are great study tools and then again Sam and Mike both recommend practice practice practice.

 

[mrthe]

Bill ,are you talking about this casting or another one?

 

[billrice@charter.net]

Hi Myrth

Yes this is one of them I have. I also took a Lettering class from Mike and He gave me another plate which he calls certificate Script. I really enjoy looking at the cuts under a microscope as you can see how pressure and movement is applied to the letters. Mike is a good teacher when it comes to lettering. I would say his class was what finally put me over the hump as to weather I would like to engrave lettering or not. Needless to say I really enjoy doing lettering.