Sam,/ all members,
I posted this buckle back last week & Sam asked if I had another better pic , i searched the archives and found this copy, it still ain't great but........
comments welcome please
Kent
Thanks for the updated photo, Kent. It's still not easy to see all the detail, but consider making some cuts heavier than others. Rarely is scrollwork cut with lines that are all the same width and depth. This can have a dramatic effect on your design.
I think you have a good balance of scroll to background.
Take whatever time is required to draw as perfect a scroll backbone as possible. Consult a cutaway of the chambered Nautilus shell to see a perfect proportional spiral. The backbone of the scroll is THE most important cut you'll make in scroll design.
You did a nice job on the buckle, and I encourage you to do more! / ~Sam
That's a good looking buckle.
It reminds me of a project that I'm to do shortly. It involves a running wheat frame border around the top of a business car holder. Four sides, similar to the buckle, and I've been putting it off because I can't seem to decide what to do in the corners. Is there a "standard" way of turning a corner with this border?
Jude
Jude, that's a good question I dont have an answer for but Sam or one of the other pro's will chime in. Right or wrong I just layed it out & cut it the way I thought it looked best.
thanks for the kind words.
Kent
Good overall design, but you need to pay attention to directional flow. It's difficult explain in without sjkectching solutions, but notice how the floral detail at/on the outside broders do not match the general flow of the scolls. In fatc, they interfere with the flow and intereupt an otherwise good design.
For corners it might be easier to add a flower or other device with the running wheat going behind it. You can also turn a hard corner with the wheat pattern, but it's not very elegant. /~Sam
All, thanks for the excellent advise, that's why I stumbled in to the cafe. Basically self taught , its a learning curve for me.
Jacques, elbows & flats refer to the outside "curve" of the scroll that is not flowing smoothly in a well rounded fashion. Look again at the pic and you'll see what he means.
Kent
Jacques,
it happens when (in my case) I dont rotate my body smoothly around the bend of the scroll because I stand up when I engrave, or in the case of power/air/ngraver guys I would think its because the vise isn't rotated "perfectly". It makes an unsightly kink or "elbow" in the scroll's flow.
There are other caveats for sure and some of the other members may have a better description.
Kent
i'm not criticizing your work, but showing you a better way to look at it. scan and print an enlargement
or enlarge on screen. another trick- from an oilpainter- look at the piece in a mirror. this will sometimes show things you never bothered to notice before !