Practicing lettering is improving my graver control

[rod]

Spurred on by Sam's new DVD, I've started to get serious with script lettering, improving form, rather than just being 'legible'.

Today, I had to engrave a flute key, and took the opportunity to see if my tool control when flare cutting was being influenced. I think it is getting a bit better, thanks, Sam!

Rod

 

[didyoung]

looks great!

 

[billrice@charter.net]

Rod

Yes Sam is inspirational however It takes time and lots of practice to engrave something that is as beautiful as your flute key. I enjoy seeing your work.

thanks

 

[Peter_M]

Rod,
You are getting pretty sophisticated at that, you got nice mounting block for those keys also.

Peter

 

[Willem Parel]

Beautiful engraving, do you draw your design directly to the canvas or do you transfer?
Thanks for showing.

 

[rod]

Thanks Guys!

Shawn, I have moved part way to Sam's short rounded heeled flat. Previously I put a very gentle 25 degree rounded heel on the underside of my flat graver. The heel extended about 3-4 mm. Sam's cuts are fast and flawless on his very clear video, and the way his curved end tapers off at the end of his flat cuts is disarmingly simple to watch, always the perfect curve to follow on with a hairline cut, but by golly when I try to imitate him, there's a lot to it, and I feel like a slow mo klutz. Still it is fun to keep trying. I am still attached to my own modified flat graver shape, where I scallop the corners off just behind the rounded heel, and that prevents me from getting heel drag on very tight bright turns when doing flare cutting. This scalloped relief is not necessary in lettering, but it does no harm.

I continue to enjoy your postings, Shawn, keep those very creative designs a-comin'!

Bill, thank you! We are not so far apart, and maybe you get to go north now and then. You are very welcome to look me up if you get near to Mendocino?

Peter, sorry I missed your call at the weekend. Those discs are on the way to you in BC, but I do know that all mail we send up to Vernon takes forever? The flute key is super glued to that aluminum backing plate with some notches cut out to avoid stuff that has been silver solder underneath. I make a grid of shallow saw cuts on the surface. The whole thing is soaked in acetone to loosen the glue without straining the silver, and the shallow saw cuts allow the acetone to reach all parts of the glue quickly. It is tempting to pop the key off its mount by wedging a razor blade into the glued surface, but it is important to keep the silver surface truly flat if the engraved cuts are to be gilded.

Willem,

I usually design with a pencil and paper letter size, continually refining the pattern, then scan, reduce to true size, and transfer. On some flute key designs, and on silver pendants, I will only lay down the backbone lines, and then wing it from there. Usually it takes about two hours to engrave a key.

Rod

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

thanks for showing your way of flare cutting, looks nice.
Yes it makes a lot of sense drawing the backbone only and filling it in just freehand. That is the way I teached my daughter Lola as well and it seems she likes it very much. :biggrin:

arnaud

 

[mtgraver]

Rod, what a classic looking design, just lovely!
Mark

 

[rod]

Thank you, Arnaud and Mark!

I have two wonderful daughters, but neither has taken up engraving ... or flute making, so I would imagine it is a great satisfaction that Lola is following in her father's footsteps!

Mark, thank you. You have seen a similar key before. I put out a number of key designs to my customers, but most seem to come back with only two choices, and this is one of them. I do not mind, as there is plenty to improve and continuing with the same design is, for me, quite useful in trying to get things right. I was able to get the key gilded, bent to shape, sprung with bronze and mounted. Here is what it looks like below, the touch piece looks foreshortened, as it is now curved:

Rod

 

[mtgraver]

Rod,
That is a regal touch to that key, I just can't get over the beauty in the contrast, excellent my friend.
Mark

 

[Sam]

Fantastic, Rod! That is simply stunning work. Your gilded flare cutting is spectacular and is on my bucket list!

 

[rod]

Thank you, Sam!

Both you and Mike Dubber have given me some valuable and generous nudges in developing basic skills when using a flat graver in very small work. Practice, practice, and plenty to improve upon. I am having fun. A big thank you also to Dr Joe, his 'iPad' iBook is an inspiration in the allied art of calligraphy.

Back to the topic of script lettering, no question about what you both say ... keep doing it!

Here is an experiment I tried that could add bling and contrast to hand lettering in jewelry work, gilding the lettering on this practice plate. Again, not to be thought of on the same page as proper deep inlay and overlay gold work used my many pro engravers:

Best wishes!

Rod

 

[billrice@charter.net]

Rod you do such beautiful work. I really want to thank you for the invitation to come visit you. If you really mean it I will plan a trip up your way later this summer. I dont know if you know Manny Gonzales ( a great cowboy style engraver and mentor ) He lives near you and I also need to visit him. So if its true let me know. Also if you ever come down this way ( Morro Bay ) You are always welcome to come by my Studio.
Keep up the great work

 

[mrthe]

Look great thank you for share! the new Sam's DVD is extremly good ,i love it too,i agree with you that if you improve your lettering in general your graver control will be better because to make a good lettering you need control very well all single cut.

 

[rod]

Bill,

I do not know about Manny Gonzales? It would be great to meet this interesting fellow, do you know exactly where he lives in these parts?

It might work out that I will create the first break in many decades, in my relentless work load, and do a little wandering this summer. I announced on the 'earlyflute' forum, that I was trying to say no to orders, and take a sabbatical year off, unpaid of course, from production, even if it is to make my master flutes while I am still able, but also to smell the roses, preferably along river paths somewhere in France. Back came the emails... ' great to hear you are retiring!'. It is a human trait to enhance information, and add to it, turning biography into a novel. No I am not retiring... can't afford to, just trying to put orders on hold for a while. Why am I telling you this, because I may or may not be in Mendocino when you are thinking of visiting the north. So let's stay in touch. I do not mind you emailing me at:

rcameron@mcn.org

What I do know, is that I should be around for a while. I may also do a little wandering in my minivan, and you can count on me being in touch if I get within range of Morro Bay. It is a nice part of the world.

I would have a place for you to lay your head if you get to Mendocino, my workshop has facilities for kindred spirits to stop over.

Paolo,

Yes, Sam's lettering video is superbly clear. I guess we all have spent time 'wandering in the wilderness', it was once difficult to find direction, when you want to learn engraving, but today access to kind hearted critiques on such forums as this, and how-to videos make a big difference.

I must say, Paolo, your creative ideas and skilled cutting are very good, and I am enjoying your posts! Regarding taking some time off to go back to Europe, it would be very enjoyable to meet up with engravers there. Non parlo bene Italiano, pero se decir algunas paralbras in Espanol, so who knows, maybe some time we can meet in Europe?

Rod

 

[mrthe]

Rod will be great meet you in person!
Mi casa es tu casa!
Let me know if some day you will come in Europe

 

[rod]

I will, Paolo!

You are doing a great job as moderator!

Rod

 

[Peter_M]

Thanks Guys!

Peter, sorry I missed your call at the weekend. Those discs are on the way to you in BC, but I do know that all mail we send up to Vernon takes forever? The flute key is super glued to that aluminum backing plate with some notches cut out to avoid stuff that has been silver solder underneath. I make a grid of shallow saw cuts on the surface. The whole thing is soaked in acetone to loosen the glue without straining the silver, and the shallow saw cuts allow the acetone to reach all parts of the glue quickly. It is tempting to pop the key off its mount by wedging a razor blade into the glued surface, but it is important to keep the silver surface truly flat if the engraved cuts are to be gilded.

Rod

Rod,

Your care package arrived here yesterday, Thank you so much.

Your aluminum backing plate dose look like a lot more sophisticated then my wooden ones. I never tried super glue to old work down on a block, seams like most often I go for the hot melt glue stuff.

Your lettering is looking quite nice.

Peter

 

[billrice@charter.net]

Hi Rod

I sent you a email Have not heard back from you. Let me know if you got it