Suggested text for Masters certificate.

[Andrew Biggs]

This is a starting point only and any ideas or suggestions are more than welcome. It is taken from something Marty and Sam were working on.

Any improvement on the wording please sing out.

FIREARMS ENGRAVERS GUILD OF AMERICA

Confers upon

……………………….

The title of

MASTER ENGRAVER

for attaining the highest level of recognition for superior achievement in the art of hand engraving.

Acknowledged this………..day of………………

By Guild President………………………………..


My own idea is to add something in Latin….just because it looks and sounds cool and olde worlde and gives the whole deal gravitas………….â€Honorare Artem Incisionisâ€â€¦â€¦which means “To honour the art of engravingâ€

I got that from a Google translate thing on the internet. So I’m not sure if it is actually correct and would require some better research. But it’s enough to get a broad idea.

It’s just an idea and I want to see if you think it’s a good idea, bad idea or can be improved upon

 

[DM]

This simple text allows for lots of ideas, rather than cramming 5 paragraphs of adjectives into a tiny space.

 

[Sam]

Thanks for your input, Dan! Let us know when you have some price estimates.

 

[DM]

Sam, I'll have some prices this afternoon. I need to discuss things with my printer. I will also have some options for the individual "fill-in" certificates as well.

 

[DM]

Sam and Andrew,

It's so difficult to put a price on this but I'd be comfortable with $1500 to complete the Certificate if that works for you. I am aware there will be many sketches and a lengthy development process. This includes scanning the original for printing. I will probably make the original 16x20 for more detail to show on the 11x14 prints. As far as the printing and preparing each certificate is concerned, without knowing how much gilding or how much illumination will be on each piece, I would guess probably between $50 to $200 each. It would be easier if I knew before hand what you feel is reasonable, and i can design the certificate accordingly.

I tested some giclee prints for ease in watercolor application (after printing) as well as gouaches and gilding and results were perfect. Fortunately the paper used by my printer is a fine art paper which is archival and has a substantial feel to it. I know you will like it.

So, let me know what your feelings are about all this and we can get started sketching.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Dan..that sounds awesome to me and very reasonable. And yes, there will be a long development process.

But.........I do not want you hindered by price. So I'm taking this as an estimate only.

Basically I want this to be something we all stand back from and go.........WOW now that is something!!!!! So if it costs more it costs more.

So I will now sound out the FEGA BOD and give them a price range between $1500 to $4000 for the certificate artwork.......and $100 to $250 per certificate for printing and illumination/gold leaf and writing names.

All I want is the very best that you and the printer can do............If we are going to do this there is no point in being half arsed about it

Damn, this is exciting

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Sam]

Yeah baby...we want your best, Dan!

Can I assume FEGA gets the original artwork and a copy of the high resolution scan that the prints will be made from? I'm obsessive about archiving important documents.

 

[DM]

Sam and Andrew,

Excellent. I can start. Thank you.

Yes.. The scanning includes Hi-resolution .tif file and web resolution .jpg on a CD. The printer also saves all my work in my archive.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

I have e-mailed the BOD and now await their reply on the budget. Once I have permission to spend the money we can move forward. I don't anticipate any problems but then again, nor did Custer

As soon as I have an answer I'll let you know. Hopefully today/tomorrow.

Dan, as soon as I have some answers from the BOD........I'll e-mail you everything I have with the FEGA logo etc etc so you can see where we are now with all of this. Some of it is on the web site www.fega.com and some isn't. If you need anything, just sing out.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Thunderbirds are go!!!!

I have permission from the rest of the BOD to proceed.

The budget is $1500 to $4000 for the initial artwork…………and $100 to $250 per certificate to print and illuminate/gold leaf with the recipients name on it etc.

Dan, if you need a deposit or whatever for materials send me your details with an invoice and I'll forward it to our treasurer for payment.

Once we nail down the exact printing costs and Dan doing his final thing on them we have two paths to follow. Give all the existing Masters a certificate or make them pay for it. But that will be decided at the time once Dan knows exact costs.

So we may end up getting approximately 45 to 50 of these done initially and then have some spare for the future. But we'll see and take it one step at a time

So all in all........a good result

 

[Andrew Biggs]

One other thing and this is only if you want to, Dan

I'm the editor of the FEGA Engraver magazine and it's published 4 times a year, 32 pages full glossy.

If possible could you please document your progress with the certificate with photos..............and at the end of the project write an article for the magazine. As long or short as you want.

The members would love to read about what you are doing and the whole process from start to finish. They are a curios bunch and what you do is very much related to what we do. It would be a great way to help get them on board with the whole thing and make for interesting reading. Plus lay some sort of historical background for the future generations of engravers in the Guild.

Unfortunately, we don't pay for articles so the choice is up to you. No pressure either way.

And Sam.........same goes with you and the Master coat of arms.

We may as well get as much publicity for this whole deal as possible

 

[DM]

Of course! I'd be honored.