First bulino attempt, and Reno!

[KatherinePlumer]

Howdy all. First I just want to say I had a fantastic time visiting the FEGA show over the weekend! This was my second time going, and it was wonderful to visit people again and put a lot of new names and faces together. To everyone who took the time to talk to me and advise me, THANK YOU so much. This is just the greatest group!!! :D I'm so inspired!

So, I'd been tinkering around with a little bit of bulino, figured I'd just dive right and and give it a go on a little practice plate. And being a sucker for punishment I decided an all dark background would be really a good idea. Ha ha, hoo boy... I finished this late the night before I headed to Reno. It was good to see some bulino work in person there and to talk to people about it and I am definitely aware that I've got a ways yet to go. But hey, for a first one it's decent! I should not have polished it to the extent that I did. Blame the art background for that one! As an intaglio printer I was taught to do that to avoid any plate-tone. Oops. I also was much too heavy handed and should use smaller marks. And there's quite a lot of burr on this plate (it does not ink well because of this, I tried, ewww). I just ordered sharpening equipment, my feeble attempts at hand-sharpening really goobered up the tool geometry, so I think using a consistently sharp tool will help me out considerably.

Anyway, now that I've totally picked it apart I'll show it to you just so you can see where things progress from here. These pics are both un-inked. The piece is 1 by 1.5 inches.

On the table:



Under the scope:



Onward and upward!

-Katherine

[tonytigerhk45]

I'm disappointed, but I don't see all the mistakes you were talking about. There is nothing to pick apart. Sorry. It's just good work. What type of metal is it? Copper maybe? Are you using an air graving or reg push tool?

[KatherinePlumer]

It's on copper. This was all done with a hand tool. Next time I'm using the AirGraver! :yesnod:

-K

[plat955]

Beautiful!

[carl bleile]

Very nice work, glad to see you trying your hand on metal. If you are always going to ink your work then a wide tool (90 or more) will leave less burr, if your going for darker or no ink then narrow it better because it gives more depth but you will have a little more burr this can be removed with a scraper or sanded with 2,000 grit or what ever matches the base surface.
When I'm teaching I usualy use a combination of deep bulion and banknote styles, I like the work to be less light sensitive and easily viewed. Engraving copper sometimes can be harder to do than a harder metal like stainless steel
After useing the Lindsay tool Ive found it takes a lot of strain off my hand, I can set it to extra light and do lines and dashes for hours and to do the dots I just don't use the power but it's there when I need it. In a short while Steve is going to have the sharpening templates done that I designed and I'll give tips on sharpening and use. Your on your way and hope this helps,sorry I missed you at Reno but couldn't make it this year.
Carl Bleile
southwest,Ohio

[Daniel Houwer]

Very nice Katherine.
Ofcourse you see the flaws and for the untrained eyes like Tony's and mine it just looks really great.

Tony must be happy too cause it looks just like Hobbes on a midday nap!

Great to know Reno was a succes for you. Did you also get some comissions for your scrimshaw? Or did you only get advise and praises.

[KatherinePlumer]

Plat955- thanks!

Carl- I hope I get to meet you some time. I'm interested to keep experimenting with different graver geometry, and I think it'll go better when I'm not messing it up every time I try to sharpen it! I'd been wondering if steel might end up being easier than copper, as perhaps the copper sorta pushes out of the way instead of actually popping out. Or that might just be me... I appreciate the input, there will be more where this came from!

Daniel- "Time will tell" as they say. I did talk to a few people who seemed interested in getting some custom work, but it's always impossible to know what sort of follow-through there will be. I was not an exhibitor there, so I didn't have a table. I was just wandering around hoping to be in the right place at the right time!

-Katherine

[carl bleile]

Katherine, would it be possable to move your pics. over to the fourm section I think a lot of people are missing out because they don't always check this area out.
Carl Bleile
southwest, Ohio

[Steve Lindsay]

Katherine, Carl suggested moving your thread over to the main area. I did that and left a link to it from the gallery area too.
The piece really did come out beautiful! I knew it all along we would get you engraving. You're artistic abilities are showing.
How is the tool doing? Is it up and running and did you start practicing cutting lines? What is the next project?

Steve

[KatherinePlumer]

Thanks Steve, I was just about to say something about how I don't know how to move a thread and then you saved the day. The airgraver is up and running! :whoo: No, I have not cut any lines or embarrassed myself with any scroll work just yet. Last week was all about getting that tiger done, and this week is all about getting my sales tax returns filled out and sent in by, um, tomorrow. Yeah I should go finish those now.... Next week, more engraving! I'm not sure what's next. I need some major practice with scrolls. I got Ron Smith's book, I am eager to study. I'll be doing more bulino practice plates, I'd like to try doing something other than just dots.

And now back to crunching numbers...

-Katherine

[tonytigerhk45]

Originally Posted by KatherinePlumer

And now back to crunching numbers...

-Katherine

and Hidden decimals. sorry just to do that

[KatherinePlumer]

Gah! I totally snorted when I laughed. Oh man, that would be a great spoof title.

!

K

[Herman Knives]

Katherine, amazing work for a first try! I cant wait to see the tenth!
Amazing talent.