Brown Bear at Local Shoping Mat
- Thread starter JT Kinney
- Start date
Tim Wells
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Looks like where I used to hunt up in Okanagan Washington territory, purt near to Canada.
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Hi JT
I think you are heading down the right track. It's always hard to tell with photos as it somtimes washes the shaing out.
I would recommend to you the DVD by Chris De Chamilas on Bulino engraving and the resin casting of the duck he does. Both are available from www.fega.com They are excellent resources for the actual cutting side of things. They give an excellent insite into the mechanics of shading using cuts.
From what I can see (again it's hard to tell) is that you need a few lighter areas on the bear and a few darker areas that help define the shape and muscle areas. This comes from a specific light source (eg: shiney one side and darker on the opposite.
With your background you could add a bit of dimension by fading the harsh shadows to help round things off a bit. If this came from an actual photo then sometimes you have to redraw areas to compensate for these things.
Also, when you cut hair, try and keep the hair flowing in the direction it grows on the animal. Hair follows the contour of the animal and this means that gives the animal its shape by following those contours. Hair is also shorter and longer on some areas of the animal. For instance facial hair is often shorter than belly hair and you have to make your cuts shorter and longer to show this.
One of the really tricky things is that everyone knows this subliminaly. So when you look at something like an animal you know if it's right or wrong..................you may not be able to put your finger on exactley why. That's why it's important to follow the contours, length of hair etc. It adds realism to the picture. Not much different really from putting the eyes or the ears in the correct place. If you put the eyes in the belly everyone knows it's wrong..............it's the same with the hair etc.
All of which will come with time and practice combined with study and observation. I have no idea how long you have been engraving but all in all, I'd say that you're heading in the right direction. Good on you for posting the picture and well done. Your next one will be better and the one after that, better again.
Cheers
Andrew
I think you are heading down the right track. It's always hard to tell with photos as it somtimes washes the shaing out.
I would recommend to you the DVD by Chris De Chamilas on Bulino engraving and the resin casting of the duck he does. Both are available from www.fega.com They are excellent resources for the actual cutting side of things. They give an excellent insite into the mechanics of shading using cuts.
From what I can see (again it's hard to tell) is that you need a few lighter areas on the bear and a few darker areas that help define the shape and muscle areas. This comes from a specific light source (eg: shiney one side and darker on the opposite.
With your background you could add a bit of dimension by fading the harsh shadows to help round things off a bit. If this came from an actual photo then sometimes you have to redraw areas to compensate for these things.
Also, when you cut hair, try and keep the hair flowing in the direction it grows on the animal. Hair follows the contour of the animal and this means that gives the animal its shape by following those contours. Hair is also shorter and longer on some areas of the animal. For instance facial hair is often shorter than belly hair and you have to make your cuts shorter and longer to show this.
One of the really tricky things is that everyone knows this subliminaly. So when you look at something like an animal you know if it's right or wrong..................you may not be able to put your finger on exactley why. That's why it's important to follow the contours, length of hair etc. It adds realism to the picture. Not much different really from putting the eyes or the ears in the correct place. If you put the eyes in the belly everyone knows it's wrong..............it's the same with the hair etc.
All of which will come with time and practice combined with study and observation. I have no idea how long you have been engraving but all in all, I'd say that you're heading in the right direction. Good on you for posting the picture and well done. Your next one will be better and the one after that, better again.
Cheers
Andrew
Last edited:
Hi Andrew,
Thank You for the Great Advise, it is priceless to me, and points me in the right direction. I will check out the DVD by Chris, and if it is within my budget purchase it. AS for time engraving, well I have been at it for about three years now. I would like to spend more time at the bench, but I am helping my son build his home.
I may get an hour here, and there. The house should be done in a month or so, and than the bench will be my home. Again I want to THANK YOU for the kind words of Advise.
JT
Thank You for the Great Advise, it is priceless to me, and points me in the right direction. I will check out the DVD by Chris, and if it is within my budget purchase it. AS for time engraving, well I have been at it for about three years now. I would like to spend more time at the bench, but I am helping my son build his home.
I may get an hour here, and there. The house should be done in a month or so, and than the bench will be my home. Again I want to THANK YOU for the kind words of Advise.
JT
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