Announcement: It isn’t much but my first commissioned piece

[ByrnBucks]

Hello everyone, I have desire to share this “very simple beginning“ with the this warm and welcoming group of people. As I am sure everyone here had too start somewhere and had to feel an overwhelming since of relief and pride to finally go out on a limb “if only inches off the ground” and accept a request. Today is the two year anniversary of my decision to fulfill a life long dream of starting my own business “ByrnBucks.com LLC” founded 01/18/2019. I set up my website and registered in the state of Tennessee. Until today only a handful of people ever knew anything about it as I never felt ready “I still don’t” But I spent over a year perfecting my art of making a blank canvas out of a penny and drawing landscapes using a ten dollar “engraving machine haha” from harbor freight.I didn’t discover real gravers till early in 2020 and started hand pushing, learning only from trial and error until I joined this forum. With the recommendations of those of you in the group I have acquired Meeks book,Ron Smiths book, And four of Mr Alfano’s DVDs and one of his scrollwork books. Thank you all for pointing me if the right direction. I’m waiting on a new GRS Gravermax G8 and 901 hand piece and then I feel the next step of my wondrous journey will begin. Anyways I just wanted to express my gratitude to you all, for had it not been for your encouraging words and shared passion for this magnificent art I probably wouldn’t have told anyone about my endeavors and the opportunity to accept my first request for a piece may have never occurred. This symbol is from a cartoon this fellow enjoys greatly so the design was not my own and I didn’t want alter it. I know this is nothing at all to most people but I would hazard a bet that it may be reminiscent of others earlier steps into this world perhaps 10 or 20 years ago. I hope one day to look back fondly at this and wonder how I ever considered it a milestone haha. Thanks for your time and I hope everyone has a wonderful day.
Dustin Byrn

 

[dhall]

Congratulations! Gotta love your positive attitude. With that, and practice, technique will come.

Best regards,
Doug

 

[John B.]

Well done Byrn.
Don't be afraid to do the project over from scratch, for more practice.
When you get one that you think is better see if you can swap it out with the guy.
Then keep the original as a treasure and your first commission.

I haven't seen the original artwork but it seems like there are a couple of overruns into the ribbon.
If so, correct on the next one you cut.

And try for better graver depth control on the circular border next time.
It was a good early effort. But a little bit thick and thin due to depth control.

Scribe it first then cut it lightly. Then recut it to desired depth.
You will find the graver follows the first cut as if it was on rails and doesn't dive on you.

Practice this technique a bit first, on a separate practice plate.

 

[allan621]

Dustin

I've been engraving for over 40 years and I still practice from time to time, trying to improve the cuts and balance of the work. There's a difference between early practice work and work done for cash. Practice work and mistakes you can sluff off and intend to do better the next time. With work done for cash you get one crack at it. So look at the work you've finished for pay. Really look at it and figure what you could have done to make it better.

Maybe you rushed this job to finish it or were nervous doing the cutting. Make a note of that and apply it to the next job. Maybe you could have used a different tool. Maybe you could cut the beginning of your scrolls to give it a smoother look. Maybe being more conscious of centering the work better. Maybe other things occur to you. Make a note of them all. Just like John B has done.

All that being said however, this is a really good start to a career in engraving. Sometimes it's not easy in the beginning to charge for work. Having the confidence to do so is a really good start.

Allan

 

[monk]

congrats for your first. not perfect, but is your client happy with the result? a great idea was mentioned. do another better one. ok, you'll lose a bit of money, but maybe you will build a lasting relationship with the client. that alone is a very good situation. it shows the client you care !

 

[ByrnBucks]

Congratulations! Gotta love your positive attitude. With that, and practice, technique will come.

Best regards,
Doug

Much appreciated kind sir.

 

[ByrnBucks]

Well done Byrn.
Don't be afraid to do the project over from scratch, for more practice.
When you get one that you think is better see if you can swap it out with the guy.
Then keep the original as a treasure and your first commission.

I haven't seen the original artwork but it seems like there are a couple of overruns into the ribbon.
If so, correct on the next one you cut.

And try for better graver depth control on the circular border next time.
It was a good early effort. But a little bit thick and thin due to depth control.

Scribe it first then cut it lightly. Then recut it to desired depth.
You will find the graver follows the first cut as if it was on rails and doesn't dive on you.

Practice this technique a bit first, on a separate practice plate.

I love that idea and know the gentleman well, and did actually tell him I was not quite ready to take on his requested commission for a keychain/pendant. That being said the idea of trying to fulfill a request stoked a flame from within and I decided to attempt a substitute coin as a gift and placeholder unbeknownst to him to show my gratitude/willingness to strive and one day achieve his actual request.

I’m glad you suggested and explained to cut light and then go over it again. I toyed with this technique serval months ago and since I was only hand pushing it sort of worked but was producing mixed results. I was unsure if this was an acceptable technique and decided not to pursue it as I was learning only from trial and error. Just before joining this group I acquired a 200$ air assist “its just precise an instrument as it sounds“ even so it opened so many doors and avenues that I could no longer aimlessly try and teach myself. That machine has no adjustments or fine tuning other than air pressure so I’m waiting patiently for a proper machine “It’s on back order“ before I can begin practicing in order to not acquire any bad habits from such an unpredictable machine.

Thank you for your time and advice.

 

[ByrnBucks]

Dustin

I've been engraving for over 40 years and I still practice from time to time, trying to improve the cuts and balance of the work. There's a difference between early practice work and work done for cash. Practice work and mistakes you can sluff off and intend to do better the next time. With work done for cash you get one crack at it. So look at the work you've finished for pay. Really look at it and figure what you could have done to make it better.

Maybe you rushed this job to finish it or were nervous doing the cutting. Make a note of that and apply it to the next job. Maybe you could have used a different tool. Maybe you could cut the beginning of your scrolls to give it a smoother look. Maybe being more conscious of centering the work better. Maybe other things occur to you. Make a note of them all. Just like John B has done.

All that being said however, this is a really good start to a career in engraving. Sometimes it's not easy in the beginning to charge for work. Having the confidence to do so is a really good start.

Allan

Allan,
I appreciate the notes and observation. Indeed I did absolutely rush this, “please read response to John B”. I also as an exercise for myself needed to know the feeling of only having one chance on a piece, it is a different world. I’m very glad to have experienced this on more or less terms I set for myself as I had informed the gentleman I wasn’t quite ready to take on his request for a keychain/pendant and in its stead I offered him this piece as a gift to show my gratitude for his interest in what so many seem to not understand as something very special to me, this art, this underestimated skill of which I am but a mere newborn.

 

[ByrnBucks]

congrats for your first. not perfect, but is your client happy with the result? a great idea was mentioned. do another better one. ok, you'll lose a bit of money, but maybe you will build a lasting relationship with the client. that alone is a very good situation. it shows the client you care !

Thank you very much. He was very happy with this piece. “Please see other responses“ I humbly presented it to him as a gift for his interest and request for keychain which I told him I would do for him in the future once I was a bit more experienced, confident, and had the proper equipment. I have already made the resolve that his future piece will be a very high bar I set for myself and I can already image a pile of “not quite there” pieces as I’ve yet to have a clear goal for a piece other than to satisfy myself. Thank you for your time and advise.

 

[John B.]

Byrn.
Sound like you are setting a good high bar for yourself and have the idea of producing fine quality work.
Keep that thought and you will get there with practice. Lets see more of your work.
And enjoy your new machine.

 

[ByrnBucks]

Byrn.
Sound like you are setting a good high bar for yourself and have the idea of producing fine quality work.
Keep that thought and you will get there with practice. Lets see more of your work.
And enjoy your new machine.

Thank you very much for your encouraging words and insight, they are appreciated and inspiring.