Scrimshaw/Bulino?

[Houlihan]

Hi. I have done a good deal of scrimshaw over the years, and I've taken some engraving lessons, read posts on this forum, as well as watched Sam's Bulino DVD. But I have only recently attempted to do an image on metal. The technique I used was purely dot scrimshaw, which figured would not yield the result I wanted. But I tried it despite that knowledge hoping against hope that if I did fine enough dots it might work. It didn't. Pics are attached of the work in progress (an image of John Wayne from The Shootist), which I probably won't finish now because it's not turning out. Viewed from some directions the image is visible (I applied Rustoleum), and from other directions it's not visible at all, at least not in a way that is at all appealing. In the bottom right corner of the jacket I tried some Bulino by making pricks and lifting a bit of metal out using a 70 degree graver. But after applying a bit of Rustoleum I don't tend to be able to see that small area any better unless viewed at a particular angle. I've got to get my DVD player going and watch Sam's video again. But I'm curious if I should expect a different result with the graver making small pricks. Or is viewing angle something that is always an issue?

 

[T.G.III]

Dunno about bulino as I've not tried it yet, that said, what you're showing looks right for single point engraving, when the base metal is dark the cuts are bright, when the base metal is bright the cuts are dark, by the way your portrait is very well done.

 

[John B.]

With a little more work on the hat you have a winner IMO.
When you say 70 degree graver, are you talking about the face or the bottom angle?

 

[Houlihan]

With a little more work on the hat you have a winner IMO.
When you say 70 degree graver, are you talking about the face or the bottom angle?

Thank you, John. The bottom angle is 70 degrees. I made the face 45.

 

[Houlihan]

Dunno about bulino as I've not tried it yet, that said, what you're showing looks right for single point engraving, when the base metal is dark the cuts are bright, when the base metal is bright the cuts are dark, by the way your portrait is very well done.

Thank you. How would I determine if a practice plate was dark metal? This is just on a practice plate I got from Jake Newell quite few years ago. But I don't know what it is. I'd like to try a bright metal if single point engraving would show up better. I appreciate the insights.

 

[SamW]

Looks like the Duke to me! Try using lamp black from a candle flame which is a very flat black.

 

[T.G.III]

Thank you. How would I determine if a practice plate was dark metal? This is just on a practice plate I got from Jake Newell quite few years ago. But I don't know what it is. I'd like to try a bright metal if single point engraving would show up better. I appreciate the insights.

Here is a good description of single point engraving from John B. from another thread

"Usually in engraving terms "Single Point" is referring to the method of creating the shading .
Shading cut with a single point graver rather than with the use of a multi-line lining tool."

In reference to light or dark base metal, for me the base metal is whatever I'm cutting on, as far as bright or dark is concerned, it's however the light is playing off of the metal.

In the first picture the base metal is bright so the cuts are dark, in the second picture the base metal is dark so the cuts are bright.

 

[Travis_UT]

Bulino by nature is somewhat hard to see, you have to get the angle of the light just right for the image to show well. Using lines helps with this but that just is what it is.

 

[mtlctr]

excellent work imho, all. thanks for showing.

 

[hornytoad77]

i think this is a really good job!...im no pro engraver but, i really like it!