Critique Request Tiffany money clip

[mitch]

Hi Matthew-

I've been following this thread and the only suggestion I'd make is either keep all the leaves inside the scroll or have one or two more spill over into the next. You've got just one leaf doing that in/over the first scroll (ok, kinda two if you count the leaf structure where the scroll originates), but none on the next two scrolls. It's a defining detail to my eye, a stylistic flair that either needs emphasized or not used at all. Personally, I like it and would employ it consistently on all three scrolls. On the third scroll, it would make a neat way to fill in that corner.

Upon closer inspection, a couple more would also include more folds or 'puckers' where the leaf is 'pleated' in the middle. Those are always a nice detail, add a bit of complexity and depth, but you've only got a couple in your first two large leaves and none in the rest of the composition.

my $0.02

 

[Matthew Evans]

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[AllenClapp]

Nice take on Mitch's suggestions. It's really coming alive. Those changes go well with the open-ended flowers at the scroll junctions to give it more of a 3-dimensional effect overall.

 

[Matthew Evans]

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[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Matty

That is a far better design than what you started off with. And it's great to see that you took on board Mitch's suggestions as well.

Just remember that when you cut this.........cut on the outside of the line. Not the centre or inside.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Matthew Evans]

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[Matthew Evans]

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[Leland Davis]

Matty, I like it, ya still have some shading to do looks like you missed a couple places. A blown up photo is a great way to look for missed spots. I only seen yours because that is the first thing I look for on mine.
Next time work on your shade lines a bit some are very good some not so much but you already see what you need. Good job man.
Leland

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Matty

Looking good but needs more. At the moment it looks a bit flat and lifeless.

The difference between a good job and an average one is often the amount of time you spend on it. Now this is important when dealing with paying customers because time is money. But when it’s for yourself and practice then you have the luxury of throwing everything at it.

What you have done looks okay for the stage you are at…………..but you could make it so much better by pushing yourself and paying more attention to the shading.

I don’t know how far you want to take this so here is my suggestion.

Go back and start cutting more shading………and cross hatch the shading. Take your time with it.

Cross hatching adds depth, texture, contrast and various shades of grey to black……..that is what shading is all about and can mean the difference between an engraving that is average or really pops.

Where there are overlaps and at the base of leaves…….those areas should be black at the base extending out to grey. More shading lines and plenty of cross hatching will do this for you. It will give your engrave some life and bounce.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Matthew Evans]

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[Leland Davis]

Matty, what graver geometry are you shading with?

 

[Cbaker1019]

What I would suggest is that you pencil in the background and reexamine your design. Your design will change considerably in appearance.

You have a lot of nice elements going on and I like the two flowers and the leaf elements. With a little extra work it could be quite something.

But…………You also have quite a few structural problems with the design as it is at the moment. Blackening the background will only emphasise these flaws. No amount of shading will hide structural flaws. Painting a house doesn’t disguise the fact that it’s crooked


Borders…..In another thread I talked about this. Ignore borders at your peril. I would highly recommend that you pull all the scrolls and flowers to touch the borders. Not just touch them, but intersect them so when you cut, there is no gap between the border and the design element. Scroll backbones should come out of the border, not below it otherwise you end up with a black gap.

Your left hand scroll is squashed so you may need to rework that and bang in an extra scroll or two.

Leaves………….You have quite a few large gaps between the leaves and the scroll head as it curves around. You need to extend some of those leaves and add a few more.

By penciling in the background you will see most of this yourself and it will become obvious.

Cutting………when you texture a background, make sure your main cuts are on the outside of the lines. Otherwise your design will become very thin and look weak.

You are well on your way and a bit of tinkering with the design will make it so much better

Cheers
Andrew

Thanks Andrew, you give a bunch of great tips in this critique

 

[Matthew Evans]

Matty, what graver geometry are you shading with?

120

 

[Andrew Biggs]

No, don't sand it off. It is what it is. Which is fine.
Once you have finished and in a few years time, it will be a reminder of where you have come from.
And don't worry, everyone only see their mistakes and how it can be improved next time.
Do your best on the day, look, observe, practice and learn from your mistakes. If it was easy then everyone would be doing it

 

[Leland Davis]

What Andrew said don't start over just add shade lines but before you start that go to your practice plate work on tapering your shade lines. Try starting the line with the graver low to your work and raise the angle and deepen the cut as you go. It will become automatic with practice. I don't see anything on your piece that can't be fixed if you listen to Andrew. The 120 is the way go so your on the right track.
Keep at it you may never be completely happy with your work but that is part of wanting more and that's a good thing.

 

[Matthew Evans]

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[Leland Davis]

I bought a Lindsay pc and also a kimber gold combat stainless 2 to do a full coverage personal piece, so I have some stuff to live up to

Much better than I thought when I seen your stuff for sale.

 

[MoldyJim]

Andrew, your advise is pretty spot on.
Nice to see someone with your experience helping out,
Great group of artist with generous souls involved in the engraving community.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Well, we learn more from our mistakes than anything else. Making them is not the issue it is how we fix them that counts.
Just don’t look for perfection in your work because you will never find it. Perfection is something you find in other peoples work, not your own

 

[jeff Cadzow]

Thank you both this has been a wonderful lesson in design.