Thank you for encouraging a young man with a dream

[JBtheApprentice]

I just want to say thank you to the community for welcoming me with open arms and inspiring me to push my self even further to accomplish my dream of becoming the best hand engraver I can possibly be. before I joined FEGA and this forum i was afraid of showing anybody my work out of fear of the same rejection that I experienced early on in my career in the jewelry industry. you all showed me that being committed and passionate to this craft is enough. And that it’s ok to ask for help and guidance when you need it. i am truly thankful to the master engravers here who share there openly gave advice to a man who didn’t know who or where to turn to for advice and guidance. I have many ideas I’d love to cut into metal but I don’t know the sculpting or boulino required to make it the way I imagine. its good to see I’m in the right place to find out how! hopefully I’ll be meeting you all in person in Vegas this coming January. ill leave you with a recently finished piece. from the bottom of my heart. Thank you everybody

 

[mdengraver]

Very nice design!

 

[John B.]

Well done and nice design.
You might want to try rubbing a little ink into the design to bring out the details.
Speedball oil-based Block Printers Ink works well for this. Black #3550.
Just spread a little on and wipe off the excess.
If you don't like the results you can easily remove it with a little acetone or nail varnish remover.

 

[SamW]

Hope to meet in Vegas JB. You will fine the FEGA show a real eye opening experience!

 

[papart1]

nice

 

[JBtheApprentice]

Well done and nice design.
You might want to try rubbing a little ink into the design to bring out the details.
Speedball oil-based Block Printers Ink works well for this. Black #3550.
Just spread a little on and wipe off the excess.
If you don't like the results you can easily remove it with a little acetone or nail varnish remover.

Thanks for the tip John. ive been wondering what ink to use as a blackening. I did some experimenting using the ink you recommended on the leaf cypher pendant I’m currently working on. I couldn’t avoid the ink getting into the background tho so I just painted the background for the fun of it. is there a way to keep the ink from getting into the background While applying it onto the design itself? Here’s a pic of the result

 

[SamW]

I think it looks great with the darker background.

 

[JBtheApprentice]

I think it looks great with the darker background.

Me too! I don’t know why this sort of thing isn’t more popular.

 

[John B.]

Me too! I don’t know why this sort of thing isn’t more popular.

JB, well done, it is popular and no need to avoid inking the background.
Your pendant and design show much better with the contrast IMO.
Thank you for giving it a try.
Please also see my personal message.

 

[John B.]

Well done, big improvement. Thanks for giving the suggestion a try,
Please also see my PM to you.

 

[Goldjockey]

Me too! I don’t know why this sort of thing isn’t more popular.

Most likely due to the labor required to produce it by hand. Generally speaking, sites like Etsy which resell 'estate' merchandise as commodities, seem to focus strictly upon a formula involving acquisition cost at estate sale acquisition prices, multiplied by whatever factor the merchant has determined is needed to generate a desired profit.

This creates a market in which value for expertly created objects is not determined by the perceived value of expertly applied talent, but is solely determined by what I call "the garage sale factor".

We are in a peculiar period where precious metals prices are skyrocketing, and yet there's an apparent abundance of fine handmade and handcrafted precious metals goods, flooding into domestic circulation through estate sales, internet clearing houses, and other means, at prices which largely reflect what original consumers paid 20 years ago, less an enormous "Garage Sale" discount.

Current economic instability aside, I think this phenomenon is due in large part to the fact we have gone from a nation of innovators, artist, creators, and producers, to a popular dynamic of primarily predatory trading, and consuming without regard to source, creative value, or ultimate consequences.

I honestly don't know as an individual craftsman how one breaks through in this environment. At one time in the not too distant past, having a good, solid, original product, reliable delivery, attractive pricing, a dedication to craft, a will to succeed, the willingness to knock on doors, overcome rejection, and keep on moving forward was a sure fire recipe for at least modest success.

Hopefully, all of that still works. Good luck to you!