Practice!

[Soco]

Here is some recent practice, I've been playing with some various leaf motifs, scroll, and overall flow on paper so I thought id put them under a point and see if it all makes sense.
Looking at the loupe the next day showed me I need to work on my overlapping transitions and over all consistency. Any critique or feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
-James

[SEngraver]

Hi Soco
Its nice but on looking at it again I would suggest levelling the background and initially would have reduced too the background space between and around the motifs .
SE

[redgreen]

Hey Soco,

I will offer you my opinion on the design, if that is acceptable. You have two separate scrolls that start within the same space that are not complementary, therefore; detract from one another. Also, both appear to be incomplete scrolls, not fully formed so they leave the viewer looking for completion rather than following the enclosed form. I find myself looking for the complete design and see only starts and ends. In my opinion it is best to complete the form to fulfill design, not fill the design with objects. Entangling objects to complete design may not be as useful as sounds, form should be the foundation not random chance.

Bob

[Soco]

I really do appreciate this, its hard to see your own mistakes when your in new territory. The time I get to spend engraving is not near as much as I would prefer. So I can at least meditate and study at lunch time, or when I get a night off actually scratch around a bit. I should have an actual book to study soon.
Alright, so more back ground removal over all, and need to study some formal scroll design and fillings vs making it all up.
Thanks Guys!

[redgreen]

Hey Soco,

Nothing wrong with making it up, it is what you must do to create. I believe what you may want to do is emulate the basic form used for scroll development. If you look at the form used by the masters and compare it to what you draw as you work it may help.

Bob

[Soco]

I will give that a go, Thanks again!

[redgreen]

Hey Soco,

It is obvious you are emulating black powder era artwork and it is very convincing. You have good observation skills, it is sometimes hard to know what it is that makes a style and what would be the best way to embody it in your work. Building on past successful work is often the best and most productive way to find your way. Remember to look for what it is that draws you to one design over others, using the essence of this can be very gratifying.

Bob

[Soco]

That sounds very poetic actually. I didn't have a specific style in mind, just a general try hard when it comes to various contributing avenues to my main goals. Ill be studying engraving and scrolling much harder very soon.

[redgreen]

Hey Soco,

To be honest I couldn't think of any reason you would find my words poetic, however; Mr. Robinson offers an indication.

"To get at the eternal strength of things,
And fearlessly to make strong songs of it,
Is, to my mind, the mission of that man
The world would call a poet.",

Edwin Arlington Robinson


Bob