a little more practice...

[T Inslay]

Hey guys, thanks for your suggestions on my first practice plate. I took them on board and started another plate. Although still needing alot of improvment... i think it's not to bad for my second ever attempt.

I still havent found a way to transfer so im freehanding the design with pen onto the plate. Im having trouble keeping uniform scroll thickness because i have no definate lines to trace/follow.

again any feedback is very much appreciated!



Tom.

[SVD]

Somehow this one seems to have wound up just being the thumbnail so it's a bit hard to evaluate.

As for transfers, the absolute simplest way is to use a laser printer / copier and some acetone. The laser is key because lasers use fused toner rather than ink.

Print your design mirror imaged, put it face down on the nice, clean metal and daub the back with a bit of acetone wet paper towel. The acetone will go through the paper and dissolve the binder in the toner, freeing it from the paper. Lift the paper off and the toner (well, most of it) is now (lightly) fused to the metal. For a simple design you just start cutting. For something more complex you may need to do something to make it more persistent - I've heard of people using hair spray to protect it and I know a lot of people simply scribe over the transfer to keep it from wiping off.

Warning: not all laser printers use toner that works. The Brother brand is one that at least sometimes does not. When I was buying my new printer recently I took a paper towel, a small bottle of acetone, and a practice plate with me to the store. For each printer I was interested in I printed a test sheet and tried a transfer. There was Brother printer I really liked but... wouldn't transfer. So I wound up with a very nice HP Color laser that transfers well - even the colors if I decide I need them.

[KeithPedersen]

Cant see the pic either.
I have a brother laser and print on parchment and transfer with Tom Whites solution. Works great.

[T Inslay]

[Gemsetterchris]

As for drawing by hand.. thats a good skill to keep up.

If i do a transfer i use inkjet & print onto clear acetate sheet (scuff one side with wire wool & print onto that).
Trick is to minimise the lines width & fill as the less ink the better.

Then a dab of plasticine or transfer wax on the metal & burnish.

I`m actually trying to avoid transfers when possible.

[T Inslay]

Ive done another plate, again 2 inches wide.

[Daniel Houwer]

Hi Tom,
I envy your skill in shading and design.
There is one thing that you could change and that is the backbone of your scroll.
They dont have the golden rule in them. That being, they should flow a bit better. Yours seem to have some flats here and there and the spacing between the start and tip is a bit off.
I dont know if you have any of Ron Smiths books, but the backbone of your scroll decides wether your engraving is very good or not.
If you look at the nautulus shell cut in half you will know what I mean.
That spiral is turning inwards at an even rate. That would be what your scrolls might need to become perfect. Another way of getting your backbones done is to have an even space between the outside of the scroll and the inside part. Thats more the way Ron Smith tells it, but flat bits and spacing that is uneven wont make your work good. And that would be a pity because your leaves and shading are awesome