Engraved Key Ring

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi everyone

I lost my key ring with ten million keys on it but only about 3 or 4 that were used. The rest were long forgotten what locks they undid but I kept them anyway...................just in case.

Anyway, after the initial tearing the house, workshop and cars to bits to try and find them I realised it was a blessing in disguise. I lost 10 kilos of weight from my pocket and had a chance to engrave a new key ring.

As usual your thoughts and comments are always welcome and please feel free to offer any suggestions of how it can be improved in the future.

The right hand picture is about actual size.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[vanknife]

Andrew that looks great and is definitely a unique key tag.

Cheers
"VAN"

 

[vilts]

I've got one suggestion - maybe you should lose your keys, or key rings, more often. That would give us the opportunity to see more of your excellent work .

Me likes it.

Nice design and I especially like the heads, to whomever they may belong.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Ok Andrew, I like this design a lot. It does break the rules as far as scroll construction goes but, because you've executed it so well, it does work. For your and others' information (in case you want to know for future reference) the zoomorphic scroll on the left is not growing 'correctly' (for want of another word). It has no proper 'point of origin' and flows against the grain. However, the zoomorphic scroll on the right does grow correctly from the smaller originating scroll by looping off into a larger scroll. The point at which it does this though is a little weak and if you had continued the spine of the smaller scroll through into the larger one it would have strengthened it no end. I'm not sure, given the design here, you could do anything about the lefthand zoomorphic scroll, or indeed whether you'd want to as on a small piece like this the design works.

I don't know whether you understood what you were doing when you designed this piece or whether it was an accident but this is an example of what I've said on other threads, i.e. knowing the rules of scrollwork first and then bending/breaking them. By looping the larger scroll away from the smaller one it allows a larger scroll to form from the smaller one without it looking out of balance. If you'd just grown the larger scroll form the smaller one in the usual manner it would have looked wrong, but here it looks just right.

Also, with this design, you've balanced the inside work of the scrolls much better than in the past. There is no long tendril leading to the head so the work appears fuller even though you may have only put in one extra leaf. In turn this leads to a better balance with the negative space element and saves you having to remove so much background. Speaking of which, did you cut down the background first prior to stippling? I can't really tell from the photo. I would suggest to anyone intending to stipple a background to relieve it first otherwise you'll end up with little bright spots as it wears. This happened to a degree with a belt buckle I did for myself when I was first experimenting with stippling. Personally, I would have cut this away with single point, if I was avoiding relieving the background first, as I think it wears better but that is only my opinion and what you've done looks great.

Well done Andrew, keep up the good work!

ps, what sort of time do you have in this? Also, great photography - maybe you could open a thread as to how you construct these pictures for those of us photographic dummies???

 

[vilts]

Marcus, what is a zoomorphic scroll and why is it called like this?

Is that the little fella growing out from the bigger scroll in lower left corner?

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Vilts, a 'zoomorphic' is a stylized animal that grows (or metamorphs) from a scroll or pattern. Many examples of zoomorphics can be seen in Celtic designs where the animals grow from the strap/knot work. Hope this clarifies things a bit better.

 

[Jon C. Dake]

Andrew: Although I understand what Marcus is talking about, for me I don't see any "eye traps" and the whole design flows and is beautiful, in my humble opinion. I have engraved some of these key fobs and I only wish mine looked a fraction as cool. Great Job.

 

[John B.]

I like it, Andrew.
I particually like how you have developed the detailing on the zoomor head on the right to include some of the leaf elements used in the wood spirit heads.
This is a new ground you have developed and I hope to see you take it further.
I think it works very well with the leaf structure found in scroll and repeats the theme.
It is a welcome and novel addition to the scales usually seen on zoomorphic figures.
Best regards, John B.

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

Hi Andrew, This is very cool. I really enjoyed looking at this. I like how you incorporated the zoomorph's
into your design. Plus I learned a new word today "zoomorphic"...... cool ! Please post more!!!

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[vilts]

Ah, yes, of course. I thought this had something to do with zooming, not zoo... Silly me.

Vilts, a 'zoomorphic' is a stylized animal that grows (or metamorphs) from a scroll or pattern.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Jon C., you're right. There do not appear to be any 'eye traps' as you call them (I like that term). It's because the design has been well executed, cut and shaded that it works! I think it's brilliant, and my comments were only for the information and education of others. Besides, perhaps, strengthening where the right hand scroll loops from the smaller one (something that could be easily done if Andrew were to repeat this design) I, personally, wouldn't change a thing.

 

[KCSteve]

Wow - great thread!

Not only do we get to see Andrew's cool new key tag, we get some really good advice / teaching from Marcus!

Andrew - the birdies look like they'll be angry with you if you lose your keys again.

I second the request for a tutorial on doing great layouts like you're doing with your photos.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Thanks for the kind word

Marcus...............I really appreciate the time and effort you took to write that thanks and the good advise in those words.

The background is relieved and is done with a beading punch sizes 1 and 2. The photo has flattened that a bit and is more noticeable on the actual engraving................which I discovered (looking at it now) the beading tool has to be in proportion to the scroll work. In this case a slightly bigger tool would have looked a bit better as the scrolls are fairly large compared to a gun. Again, it's that balance thing with everything being in proportion and balance with everything else.

John B my friend.................I really value your words, always.

OK I will make a a mini tutorial with the photograph thing over the next few weeks as I have a few more pressing things in the meantime. It's really simple. Just a photo of the work, scan the drawings, cut the elements out and put them altogether in photoshop.

Cheers
Andrew

P.S. The time involved was 11 hours cutting time. The drawing was done while watching the Saprano's and Doctor Who on TV (that propabley explains the heads!!!!) so about 2-3 hours.

 

[Tim Wells]

That zoomorphic stuff is becoming Andrews trademark. Mighty fine job there Andrew, which reminds me that I had a keychain I engraved that a guy at work broke. I'll have to do another only better this time.

I second Marcus' motion on that photography/Photoshop doctored pics of yours with that background in there like that. Really classy. Teach us O great signmaker

 

[monk]

be careful, these little scroll people can come alive 2 or 3 nights a month ! be glad they're good looking ones!

 

[sam]

Beautiful piece of work, Andrew. I love the design and balance of black background. This is also an excellent study piece for scroll designers with less experience. Note the correct proportional spiral of the scrolls on this piece. I really try to emphasize this in my engraving classes, as so often we see scrolls that have flat spots, elbows, or incorrect spiral. Andrew has taken the time to make each one correct. This is so important!!

Your work continues to get better and better...to the point that it's scary! Congratulations on a job well done, and I hope you'll post a photo in the Gallery so we can enjoy after this thread drifts away.

Cheers / ~Sam

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Fabulous Andrew, very neat and clean.

 

[Andy]

Nicely Done...I like the animals.

 

[Abigail]

I like it! Very very nice. I think it would make a pretty pendant, too. Has your wife seen it?

 

[Mike Cirelli]

Very nice Andrew, the layout and everything. I have to agree with Abigail your going to ruin it on a key ring.