I for one am glad to see someone engraving a Marlin. They are and always have been a fine firearm and don't get near the respect they deserve from the collector community. Good on you for making that choice.
You’ve defiantely got a good sense of design, and are not following any one elses pattern, while still staying in the general sense and rules of good scrollwork. . Good for you on all counts
I really like the way the deer steps out the grape leaf, and I also like the way you incorparated the pin hole as part of that leaf. On the negative side, you have a grape leaf, some scrolls with scroll type leaves, and then at the front, there is oak leaves, so there is no real sense of continuity here. But it’s a beginner piece and you want to expereiment with different styles. I understand.
The other side is much more balanced. The oak leaves and acorns are placed equally on either end, so this balances well. Your scroll to background ratio is somewhat similar, so that’s good, although its my strong preference that scrolls have their leaves come completely out to the next rotation of the backbone, rather than leaving a ribbon of black/background as you have done on both sides.
The deer scene needs shaded a little different, the fir trees seem to be a growth from the poor fellows head. The deer should be shaded darker and the scene in the background with a softer touch to give some contrast to the main object.
I see lots of “edgy” areas in your scrolls and leaves, but these will eliminate themselves as you practice more. Overall I think it is a very nice project, and one you can rightfully be proud of, both in design and execution.