Marcus Hunt
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I realize that this must sound like an ad for GRS equipment but it really isn't meant to be. From my contact with the folks at Glendo I have come to realize this, that they not only make fine engraving equipment but they share a vision of promoting engraving as an artform to the world at large.
To this end they not only provide excellent instruction to engravers who want to learn this art form but have also realized that not everyone has the means to do so and have to go the self taught route. One of the biggest obsticles to the new and rookie (and I dare say some more experienced ones) is design. Cutting a poor design poorly can be soul destroying but cutting a good design in a not so good fashion at least gives the novice a better feeling for the art and it gives encouragement. So GRS have got together with Ron Smith and produced a fantastic kit. It not only contains Ron's 2 books on scroll design but practice plates that have been lightly laser etched so that all you have to do is follow the lines. On the early plates even the shading lines are included. As the novice progresses these are removed and they have to fill them in themselves. Its like having training wheels on a bike. Then the scrolls start to get smaller until you finally get to grips with a real project - engraving a pocket knife.
Everything is included in this kit and it really is a great learning aid and from the price I was told I think it represents great value for money. I don't actually know whether it's in full production yet or not but whatever tools you decide to use it should, in my opinion, be in every new and novice engravers armoury.
To this end they not only provide excellent instruction to engravers who want to learn this art form but have also realized that not everyone has the means to do so and have to go the self taught route. One of the biggest obsticles to the new and rookie (and I dare say some more experienced ones) is design. Cutting a poor design poorly can be soul destroying but cutting a good design in a not so good fashion at least gives the novice a better feeling for the art and it gives encouragement. So GRS have got together with Ron Smith and produced a fantastic kit. It not only contains Ron's 2 books on scroll design but practice plates that have been lightly laser etched so that all you have to do is follow the lines. On the early plates even the shading lines are included. As the novice progresses these are removed and they have to fill them in themselves. Its like having training wheels on a bike. Then the scrolls start to get smaller until you finally get to grips with a real project - engraving a pocket knife.
Everything is included in this kit and it really is a great learning aid and from the price I was told I think it represents great value for money. I don't actually know whether it's in full production yet or not but whatever tools you decide to use it should, in my opinion, be in every new and novice engravers armoury.