3 More Knives

[JBrandvik]

After posting my first knife a few weeks ago, I have been trying to put all the great advice I received to use on a few more knives. The first little folder was just for fun. I did it to practice background removal more than anything.

The second is a gift for my 14 year old niece, Maria, as thanks for spending two months on the ranch recently to help my wife and I build fence and clear land. She was a real trooper and worked harder than any teenager I have ever known. I wanted to give her something with that would remind her of her Summer in Texas.

The last knife was a practice project for shading, something I am continuing to struggle with. Sorry for the glare on the images. I need to build a light box soon.

With each project, I have become less aggressive and more comfortable especially with regard to the background removal. I have learned that I don’t have to remove much depth to accomplish the desired effect. Also, I have gained new appreciation for the difficulties of maintaining control of the graver on a non-flat surface.

As always, I appreciate your comments, and suggestions. Again, thanks for all your help and encouragement!

 

[ddushane]

Jim, I can see your improvement. You're doing a good job, I struggle with some of the same things. I'm trying to not be so heavy handed myself. Keep up the good work and keep posting your progress. Dwayne

 

[Steve223]

Nice work Jim..i know all about that heavey handedness i have the same problem.

 

[sdcoxx]

Bravo, Jim
That is a gift which your niece will treasure....
Hard work is rewarding in more ways than one might think.
Keep up the good work...
Stephen

 

[pilkguns]

I would say you are on the right track, the main thing is keep cutting. the best thing you can do now is practice, both drawing the designs and then cutting them.

 

[pilkguns]

Oh, I don't mean practice as in practice plates, but practice as in working, just like this pieces you are showing now.

 

[JBrandvik]

Now What?

Thanks, all. I really appreciate your valuable advise and encouraging comments. I will be mailing my niece's knife as soon as I decide whether or not to blacken the background.

In the mean time I'm working on a new, ambitious project. I am lucky that my wife is a real outdoorsy girl and appreciates pocket knives almost as much as me. As a gift to her I am working on my 5th knife now. The trouble is I may have bitten off more than I can chew.

So far I have kept my designs pretty much 2 dimentional in that none of the leaves or scrolls overlap one another. But on my wife's knife, I wanted to push myself to a design that is more 3 dimensional. The design I came up with has her initial "L" intermingled within a scroll with 7 leaves. It looked great on paper but... I have one side (two bolsters) of the knife finished and I think that the monogram of the "L" appears lost within the scroll. I have shown it to a few friends and everyone (so far) recognizes the "L" is present but it just doesn't dominate the scene like I intended. I added some straight diagonal lines within the "L" to give it a different texture than the surrounding scrollwork and leaves and that helped some but it still isn't delineated from the surrounding work like I want.

Is this a problem anyone else has faced?

 

[Santo]

Nice work Jim -- I'll come work on the ranch too . . <grin> Really -- great work.

Santo

 

[Ron Smith]

Jim, giving the main subject dominance is a common problem. My suggestion would be make the letter bolder, and the surrounding design more frilly if you know what I mean. Background helps bring things forward and clarify the design. Cut down the thickness of the framing designs and scrolls. Then shading around the subject will help set the scrolls into the background more and give more importance to the subject. A good thing to remember is anything shaded moves that portion toward the background. Anything left smooth brings it forward. Shading and cross shading gives the work intensity. Stay however within the limits of what you can accomplish, not that you shouldn't be reaching. Baby steps first, but stretch...........I already see great improvement in what you are doing and you are coming along quickly........................Keep us posted......Ron S