Critique Request First try at bulino

[vilts]

You've got to start somewhere. I need to engrave one Zippo with an image customer sent me. Subject happens to be nice lady with wings (don't ask).

To learn the technique and to get to acquainted with subject at first I engraved only her upper body. It looks like I make the dots still too big and the overall look is kind of rough?

This engraving is about 0.9x0.9 inches, the real thing will be about 3x smaller. Which will probably drive me nuts to get it right.

All constructive criticism is more than welcome.

Vilts

 

[Kevin P.]

Vilts, I think it looks good except for the face.It looks like you're between two concepts.
Is this person intended to be of a dark complexion? If not less might be more. Otherwise she looks like she has a skin problem.
If yes something else is needed to get the skin tone. I've been working on bulino as a beginner and have no idea as to how to solve the questions I have raised.
Your draftsmanship is excellent.
Kevin P.

 

[kcrutche]

Bulino

Vilts

Looks like a great first try to me.

I am just starting Bulino myself, but I would not have the courage to try a human form yet.

If you can smooth out the face you will have a good design.

Please let us know how you progress.

Maybe some of the bulino experts will chime in and give us a little help.

Ken

 

[vilts]

Kevin, you're absolutely correct about the skin problem. Lady should have light skin, but I couldn't get the right effect.

Actually at first I didn't dot her whole face, but then it looked really flat. Also I've read from some books that you actually don't leave pure metal anywhere with bulino, the lighter areas just need lighter dots and this way you could have more grey tones too. But it didn't work out so well the first time

Oh, and the drawing isn't mine, unfortunately. I wish I could draw like that.

 

[JJ Roberts]

Vilts....You have far too many dots on the face. Figure out where your light is coming from and then take a burnisher and burnish in the highlights. The anatomy looks good. You are off to a good start..keep up the good work.

Yours truly,
JJ
www.jjrobertsengraver.com

 

[pilkguns]

You could take a 1200 grit stone, (we bought some when you where here didn't we)
and take down the metal where you want highlights. and then go back and darken adjacent areas as necessary.

The only thing I see really wrong is the inappropriate object its engraved on. This should have been done on a lighter, or pendant or belt buckle or something that you could of sold or given away.

 

[Kevin P.]

A couple of things that I thought of after the first post: Have you seen Chris DeCamillis' video? he uses lines and dots as opposed to just dots and he has a convincing argument as to why that's better; at least he's convinced me.
So, I'm trying my hand at bulino which is why your project drew my attention. I also said I have no solution to the questions I raised. Well, I have a suggestion that might be helpful. There's a book "The Technical Pen" by Gary Simmons which I have in my library which may offer a solution. It's a 'how-to' book with a lot of technical suggestions. I remembered that there are a lot of faces in his book so I checked it out.
It's a book for ink drawing mainly; but it has a lot of detail on how to shade things including faces. His technique applies directly to bulino. The book is definitely worth it and there are a lot of used copies available.
HTH.
Kevin P.

 

[jetta77]

looks good vilts, I just started a bulino tiger w the help of my good friend Jason Marchiafava... From what I picked up from Jason dots can never be too small, he used a 90 degree w no heel. Spacing is also very important....

The hair on your woman looks great...

Jeff

 

[Lori Ristinen]

It looks like a pretty good first try doing Bulino to me! The skin does look rough and if you were doing scrimshaw, I would say the dots are too big and too many.

I don't do any engraving, but when I scrimshaw a face, for the most part I am barely touching the ivory with my tool - trying to make the smallest dots I can. I go over the shading in layers, gradually darkening in areas that need it, making the skin look soft and smooth. I also do not scrim over the whole area. I leave some of the ivory to show. I probably spend the longest time on skin tone when I scrim.

I can't wait to see more of your Bulino!

Thank you,

Lori
www.LoriRistinen.com

 

[Winstonklein]

Looks neat!!