Marrinan
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Danae, Take heart. The better you get the more your work will be in demand. The is a short list of very successful women working as independent engravers. Names like Lisa Tomlin, Cyndi George, July Werinski, Katharine "Cloudy" Kennedy (pardon the spelling ladies and names that have changed over the course of your lives). These women found a market for their work! Three are high end, in demand custom knife engravers with followings and collectors seeking their work. One has created a high demand niche market and is in demand for her work on hand tools. (most likely presentation pieces to honor the recipient). These are a few of the well known women who make a impact on the engraving world. Their are some women in Italy who are ranked as some of the best gun engravers in the world. I choose to talk about the women first to drive home that this is not a boys world. Many of the factory engravers all over the world are women.
Every thing above also applies to male engravers. Those with big reps have long client lists waiting for work. Many of both groups no longer accept commissions as their too busy. Others in both groups struggle everyday to find work. I am one of those. For me, I know my skill level and I work at that level. 90% of my customers work on hunting plantations and they see owners of 50,000-200,000 dollar shotguns every time the go into the fields. The owners hunt with guns engraved by some of the best in the world. Some of those hunter/owners hunt with million dollar guns. My customers are their guides. They want something to be proud of and a little showy but they will never ever bring me a H and H or Purdy. Here in my community we have a true legend in the gun engraving business. He told me he has never done any gun work locally. My customers a working class shooters and guides who just want a little of the life their employers have, something "custom".
I do guns up to about the $1200 range and below. I do knives in the $200 to $400 range. I charge about $30 per hour. I am sixty 62 and probably wont make any strides into the high end market. I have my knife and firearm niche.
I make a knife or two from time to time, I do some jewelry I sell to a niche I feel comfortable in (1% bikers). Again my niche. I occasionally break into another groups (recently Society for Creative Anachronism-They play knights and such and are very serious about it). I do some saddle gear for local horse people. Currently studying bit and spur engraving and making and getting close to completing my studio for that purpose.
My bio info-I was a college professor who lost my pension in the MCI company collapse. Every Dollar. My home is paid for (except those yearly property taxes. I drive old trucks (79 and 89) I have some health issues and my working on getting my social security and health care approved is a battle. Live on small income now and even little cheap jobs mean a lot to my life style. I work at it but a couple of jobs a month are important to me eating.
You can create a niche market, even in "The Land Down Under" If you want it. You have skill in the rotary type work. You are improving all the time in hand engraving. Find your "Niche" then find another and another. I hope someday that your work will be in such demand that you have to turn people away. Your close to the Asian Market of collectors. Lots of high end work goes their.
Good luck and perseverance is the most import thing at this stage. Don't tell potential customer it is over your head. take the job, They liked your work and wanted it. Don't sell your skills short. If the job looks to hard, do a few copper plates of your design until that bangle is just a practice piece. They requested your work. FRed
Every thing above also applies to male engravers. Those with big reps have long client lists waiting for work. Many of both groups no longer accept commissions as their too busy. Others in both groups struggle everyday to find work. I am one of those. For me, I know my skill level and I work at that level. 90% of my customers work on hunting plantations and they see owners of 50,000-200,000 dollar shotguns every time the go into the fields. The owners hunt with guns engraved by some of the best in the world. Some of those hunter/owners hunt with million dollar guns. My customers are their guides. They want something to be proud of and a little showy but they will never ever bring me a H and H or Purdy. Here in my community we have a true legend in the gun engraving business. He told me he has never done any gun work locally. My customers a working class shooters and guides who just want a little of the life their employers have, something "custom".
I do guns up to about the $1200 range and below. I do knives in the $200 to $400 range. I charge about $30 per hour. I am sixty 62 and probably wont make any strides into the high end market. I have my knife and firearm niche.
I make a knife or two from time to time, I do some jewelry I sell to a niche I feel comfortable in (1% bikers). Again my niche. I occasionally break into another groups (recently Society for Creative Anachronism-They play knights and such and are very serious about it). I do some saddle gear for local horse people. Currently studying bit and spur engraving and making and getting close to completing my studio for that purpose.
My bio info-I was a college professor who lost my pension in the MCI company collapse. Every Dollar. My home is paid for (except those yearly property taxes. I drive old trucks (79 and 89) I have some health issues and my working on getting my social security and health care approved is a battle. Live on small income now and even little cheap jobs mean a lot to my life style. I work at it but a couple of jobs a month are important to me eating.
You can create a niche market, even in "The Land Down Under" If you want it. You have skill in the rotary type work. You are improving all the time in hand engraving. Find your "Niche" then find another and another. I hope someday that your work will be in such demand that you have to turn people away. Your close to the Asian Market of collectors. Lots of high end work goes their.
Good luck and perseverance is the most import thing at this stage. Don't tell potential customer it is over your head. take the job, They liked your work and wanted it. Don't sell your skills short. If the job looks to hard, do a few copper plates of your design until that bangle is just a practice piece. They requested your work. FRed