Critique Request Scroll and design

[classyranchwife]

I just started drawing. I would like critique of the drawing I did this morning. Let me know what I need to change, practice, perfect, etc.

 

[monk]

no internal detailing is going to look good if the spine or backbone/spiral has lumps, bumps, or irregularities. i'd first concentrate on doing as perfect a spine as possable. far easier to detail a good spiral than a wonky one. the results will always look better. just keep drawing.

 

[John B.]

Simple scrolls first. Too complicated. Don't get ahead of you ability, but keep drawing.

 

[classyranchwife]

thank you! I tend to be over zealous, so this is appreciated. Good reminder.

 

[John B.]

Thank you for your replies Classyranchwife.
I'm sure your next efforts will be better.
You will find it better if you draw your initial design and if it's not perfect then tape tracing paper over it and make your corrections on the tracing paper rather than erasing the original.
Keep doing tracing paper overlays over one another 'till you get a good smooth design.
Save the underlaying copies with faults to study where you need to improve your drawing.

 

[allan621]

ditto what John B says. Plus don't shade in the backgrounds. It makes it easier to see what's inside the border.

John says using tracing paper to make corrections on the scroll. I used to do this but found a light box works the best. I've had a Huion for quite a few years but the price on others have come down dramatically. Try Amazon to see the rundown of light boxes.

Allan

 

[T.G.III]

Like Allan I also use a light box of sorts difference is mine is on a budget, space and money is a premium round these parts, I had a tempered glass pane laying around (19"x21") that I prop up on my printer and lay a bare bulb lamp (led bulb) underneath for illumination, serves my purposes well enough and can put the glass pane away when not in use.

 

[monk]

another trick: scan the drawing. enlarge it to full page. defects will show more quickly.

 

[John B.]

Both TG and Monk gave you good, low cost advise.

 

[FANCYGUN]

A Dixon #2 pencil is your best friend

 

[T.G.III]

A Dixon #2 pencil is your best friend

And some pink pearl erasers.

 

[papart1]

they come in 6 packs

 

[Goldjockey]

I see real promise in your work. That being said, before you are producing anything you intend to engrave, you need good professional study materials and instruction.

When I was learning to draw scrolls, the best thing I did was going to https://www.engraving-videos.com where I purchased, and downloaded Sam Alfano's excellent instructional video on drawing scrolls. I went lesson by lesson, and took my time, and found it was a great way to get started.

Another great resource is Lee Griffith's book on scroll design. You can find it here:
https://www.engraver.com/art-design-fundamentals-by-lee-griffiths/