Help, please: D'oh!

[KCSteve]

Need a little help on this one.

I'm nearly pleased with this nickel. Took longer than it should have but that's what practice is for.

Didn't come out too bad but...

I don't know. It just seems like it's lacking something.

Contrast, pop - it just doesn't catch the eye.

Any suggestions on what I can do to get it looking better before I try to sell it?

Thanks in advance!

 

[John B.]

Steve,
Just a thought.
How about doing some stippling around the head to separate and gain contrast from the background.
Heavier stipple close to the head and fade it out from there.
Just my thinking.
Best to you.

 

[Sam]

I believe it looks flat because it lacks depth (meaning it is flat). If cut deeper and modeled more, it would be much more 3 dimensional.

John B's suggestion is a good one. That will definitely give it more contrast and separation from the background.

 

[John B.]

Steve,
I think I remember that you have an air blaster.
Another idea. Mask the head off and blast the background.
And as Sam said, a little more shade or sculpting or punching on the head would help.
Best.

 

[fegarex]

I am no coin carver but I agree with Sam and John too. More silver has to hit the floor.
It's too flat but also the background isn't down deep enough.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

He's not bad Steve but you need to think 3D. This is hard because, of course, Homer is a 2D character. I've just done a couple of commissioned nickels where the client has supplied the artwork which has been 2D cartoons of a hobo and tramp so I know what you're going through. You really need to take on a different mindset and think "What plane is each part of the face on?" and then work from front to back. Don't try it the other way round or you'll run out of metal which means you end up cutting the same areas 2 or 3 times.

Stippling the background is a good way to go if you want or need high contrast but don't get lured into thinking you don't need to flatten the field fully first if you're stippling. A crude field will show through.

My honest advice is don't sell this one. You still have a way to go and you'll do much better a) with more practice and b) on a better coin which has the date and buffalo horn intact. I don't know whether this was a deliberate attempt at a cartoon version of "Liberty", or not but whichever it is it doesn't quite work in my view.

 

[KCSteve]

Thanks guys!

This one is (a bit) 3D but obviously not enough.

I did some light blasting on it but I'll see about blasting / stippling some more to darken up the background to see if it improves.

This was a worn coin - date was gone and the 'Liberty' was marginal so I tried to clean it up.

Marcus, you may be right - this one might wind up in my 'personal' collection.

This is the first nickel I've done in several months - actually didn't get to do too much of anything for the last half of 2009. Found out I was feeling 'off' at the Engrave-In because I've been diabetic for a couple of years. Much better now (50lbs lighter too) but it was a tremendous time suck.

I've got some better coins but I figured I'd hold on to them until I was doing a better job.

Oh yeah - cutting the same area multiple times is part of what's taken me so long on this one. Just lack of experience, mostly.

I'll fiddle with him some more over the weekend and see if I can make improvements.

Thanks again guys!

 

[John B.]

You're welcome, Steve.
And glad to hear you have that med. problem under control.
Another good place for your Ever Indulgent Wife to apply some TLC.
Best.

 

[KCSteve]

John B.

Indeed she has Sir, indeed she has.

Lots of inspiration as well.