Critique Request Ok first attempt at scroll

[Beladran]

So I dug out some old drawing supplies from college an found two pencils(soft) an tried to apply what I have read/watched to drawing a scroll. I think I would be better off with regular #2 penicil an grid paper lol. So here it is! Be kind, don't tar an feather me yet!

 

[Roger Bleile]

The most basic advice I can give you or any erstwhile engraver regarding scroll is this: You must begin with PERFECT spirals (also known as backbones). If your spirals have lumps, doglegs, elbows, or are lopsided nothing you do with the leaves will ever make the resulting scrollwork look right.

RB

 

[Gemsetterchris]

Like Roger said..forget your leaves & shading for now & get a couple of nice scrolls down first.
Anyone can draw a spiral, but you need to observe what makes a decent one & how they join properly first...that's the hardest part.
You could get some tracing paper & copy a decent scroll, lay it over yours & see where your line goes in comparison.

 

[Sam]

Good first go at it, James. As Roger said, really work on getting the perfect backbone spiral as that's the most critical part of scroll design. Don't worry about coloring in the negative space at this point, and don't let the internal elements touch the backbone line.

 

[Beladran]

i was looking around on igraver and came across the "golden ratio" of basicly 1.6:1 so things started to click for me. i did this kinda quick in windows paint so its not that pretty but tell me if im right.
the inner part =1 your next spiral needs to be 1.6 times that distance and the next spiral needs to be 1.6 times that distance so on and so on?

 

[leo]

Beladran for being the first time for you I think is good remember what you saw in igraver that's the golden rule of scrolls so if you mess up your back bone no matter what you do it wont execute and also the scrolls I learn from Keith Pedersen is that they are never ending so you want to do them with out touching any of the back bone to a wall or end point so they could achieve that never ending point

 

[monk]

thinking while drawing taxes my brain. not that i'm all that good, but the concept of thinking of numbers- yikes ! the drawing should just come out of your pencil without much cerebration. when your scroll just " comes out of the pencil" that's where lots of practice comes into play. and that's where it becomes more enjoyable. it is also the point where you can begin working on the next level of design. that's m2cw.

 

[JJ Roberts]

Beladran, Good advice on drawing, the backbone is very important when it comes to scrolls whether drawing or cutting.I found standing over the work when cutting the backbone of the scrolls I have complete control over the backbone cutting with a nice even scroll with out any flats,doglegs.Jim just keep drawing and cutting and it will all fall together for you.Keep us posted.J.J.

 

[Southern Custom]

This reminds me of something Arnaud said that I Think is most true. The eye sees what its ready for. I'm amazed at how much you have put into this and given our recent discussions, not suprised by what is missing.
I wish I had "seen" this much at an early stage. Scrolls and more scrolls is the most important at your stage. I have a tip that I havent seen mentioned though.
One thing I struggled with and I see others toubled by as well, are consistent width or consistent taper to the backbones.
I'd suggest once you can draw a well formed scroll, then try next to double it. As in, draw a second inside the first with a mm or so of space between. This represents a well formed backbone.
Just start at the beginning of your first scroll and draw a line following beside it 1mm away.
Once you have that down, it's only a step away from adding leaf elements.
Much of what you have here is a single line scroll with leaves coming off. Sort of like leaves hanging on a string. The backbone should form a stalk of consistent width as any plant or vine would have.
Layne Z.

 

[dlilazteca]

I'm currently reading and watching Lee Grifiths books & dvd I highly recommend.

Carlos De La O III