newbie scrimshander saying hello

[KatherinePlumer]

Hi everyone. Okay, I know this is the engraver's cafe and I'm not exactly an engraver, but this seemed like a friendly place to show my stuff for the first time. I hope that's okay. I was referred here by Brian Hochstrat, who also said to me the fateful words "you should try scrimshaw" a few weeks ago. Like a moth to a flame... I'm hooked!

I've been working as an artist/illustrator for the last several years... western art, pet portraits, book illustrations, chicken art, lol! I must say it's incredibly refreshing to find that engravers and scrimshanders seem to be a group of people that respect their time, and expect no less from everyone else. Bravo! I see far too much gross underpricing in the art world. Been there too, but it just drags everyone down, and I'm super excited to venture into this new medium.

So I fiddled around with scratching the backs of some plastic spoons with no magnification while waiting for my new goodies arrive... I won't show you those, but they weren't all that bad...well, okay maybe the first one was. I bought some ivory piano keys and a carbide tipped etching needle, and set out to do some real work. The best I could do was a 1.75X magnifying lamp that's here in the house (which was just endlessly frustrating), and then one fateful day while talking to my neighbors about how "some day" I would have to get a microscope, lo and behold they uttered the words "we have one!"

[insert orchestral sound that goes with the "voila" moments in movies]

And so the world of 10X magnification opened up. WOW. Let me say again, WOW! Totally awesome. I can see why I couldn't do this without it! So I've just been scratching away at some piano keys, getting a feel for the process (having done drypoint etching and scratchboard helps a lot!) and perhaps more importantly getting a feel for how long it takes. I'm hooked, I love this! I can't wait to try some color scrim.

I'll attach images of the most recent two. These are the second (woman, this piece has some errors, I know!) and third (lion) images I've done on ivory.

So I guess the next big question would be how to go about getting some work lined up..? I would greatly appreciate suggestions if anyone has any. (I will be adding these to my website, just haven't done it yet).

Thanks!

Katherine

 

[JJ Roberts]

Katherine, Welcome to the Cafe. You may want to think of getting some of your schrimshaw samples and start doing knife shows. Keep up the good work.

Yours truly,
JJ Roberts
School of Artistic Engraving
Manassas, VA
www.angelfire.com/va2/engraver

 

[KCSteve]

I just starting to start engraving but based on what I've seen if you take some examples to a knife show you'll probably pick up some work.

 

[maryw]

Katherine - beautiful work! I love the lion! I haven't tried this yet, but definitely want to. What equipment did you use to do this? Welcome to the forum. Really great group.
mary w

 

[Marrinan]

Your work is quit beautiful to say the least. I might suggest www.LoriRistinen.com for another very talented lady Scrim artist-Fred

 

[KatherinePlumer]

Thanks everyone. I'll definitely be looking into knife shows when I have a bit more experience and a "show piece" to take along.

Mary, this is done with a carbide tipped etching needle (got it from Graphic Chemical Co.). The coloration is oil paint (I know a lot of people use India ink, I tried that and hated it, oil paint feels a lot more like inking an etching/engraving).

-Katherine

 

[monk]

your nude is very good, and that lazy lookin lion -that rules. my advice, get onto some forum where the knife makers hang out, and this one as well. you may be a newbie but i suspect that you will be selling soon.

 

[Mike Cirelli]

You have been doing this for only a few weeks?????? WOW I can't wait to see what you do in a few years. The only suggestion I can think of is keep going girl and try some metal you can't go wrong!

 

[JJ Roberts]

Katherine,
Keep an eye out in your snail mail..I am sending you knife publications..it will help you find knife shows in CA, and you might want to go to knifenetwork.com...embellishments..there are a lot of helpful folks over at this forum. Keep us posted with your beautiful work.

Yours truly,
JJ Roberts
Manassas, VA

 

[KatherinePlumer]

Oh wow, thanks Monk, Mike, JJ (I'll be eagerly checking my mail, thank you so much!). I'm grinning like an idiot now. I'll definitely post some work over at knifenetwork. Looks like Rio Grande makes money clips that would fit a piano key.. would there be any reason to try to turn these little practice pieces into a finished piece of some sort?

-Katherine