But I believe that experts forget what it was like to start. They say they remember but they are so far down the path of knowledge it is truly difficult to have a clear picture.
As an engraving teacher I'm constantly reminded of how difficult it is when starting out, and I vividly remember my own struggles.
There is a lot of demand for inexpensive engraving. Cowboy Action Shooters want their name alias on the blackstrap. They are willing to pay $50-$100 for it. I don't see many European masters, or American ones for that matter, that would be willing to do this work all day. In our community there appears to be a big demand for $500 to $1500 engraving jobs. If you quoted a $20,000 plus job, you would be laughed out of town.
You are absolutely correct, Gerry. I remember watching engraver George Sherwood cutting western style scroll at a show and I told him I really liked how he could cut it so quickly and kept it looking so good. His reply was "There are a lot more people in this room with $200 in their pocket than those with $2000." So yes, there is a healthy demand for less expensive work, but that's irrelevant to this discussion. No one is saying every job needs to be the Sistine Chapel and cost $20,000+.
We need engravers that are willing to do this work. They might someday be able to demand more, but need to start somewhere.
I agree. No one is arguing that. In fact, nice, cleanly engraved production work can be very attractive and far more profitable per hour than really high end work. Of course this depends on the job, who's doing the engraving, etc.
Just remember that most of us won't be a Churchill, Alfano or Baptiste. Some talent can't be learned, you have to be born with it. But there us still a place for everyone.
I don't know a single engraver, artist, or musician who was born with talent. I'm not saying they don't exist, I'm just saying I personally don't know any. Every artist I know started at the bottom and worked his or her butts for many years to attain a high level of skill and artistry. I believe that anyone who is willing to persevere can learn and do just about anything they want.