Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 16 to 28 of 28

Thread: Wanted: A good tutorial or technique

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by paul handley View Post
    Registered for a drawing forum called Drawing Now and got a clue as to the technique: You don't use a felt tip calligraphy pen like I thought. It is just a regular drawing pen. you draw the curving line and one parallel to it and then fill in!
    That's what I was trying to say earlier with this: "...ink in those lines, then continue to widen and ink in lines." However, besides calligraphy there are techniques where a "line" of varying width is made in a single stroke, such as the Japanese styles using a brush or an expert with an air brush, but I think most illustration is done as you mentioned. (Except not many lines outlines are actually parallel!)

    Another thing I'd think about carefully when designing an illustration for carving is how the wider "solid" areas will be carved. For chip carving, for example, lines of varying width are carved as a single V with one sloping cut on each side. Wider or "bumpy" strokes in your example (below) and strokes that meet up with others, such as in the horse mane, at the ears, and the front of the nose might look great on paper but might look sloppy if the intersecting cuts are not planned with carving in mind. Of course, very wide areas can be filled in with textures or something.

    What ever you do, I'm sure it will be fun! Get a sketch book and carry it everywhere. Sketch in pencil and ink with a felt-tipped black pen. For inspiration a good place to start might be the cartoons in the newspaper or web or books - look at the lapels on Dagwood's jacket today, the animals in Mutts, the faces and clothes in various comics such as Sally Forth, Zits, political cartoons etc, - some of these artists are experts at suggesting a form with just a few strokes.


  2. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Chewton, Victoria Australia
    Posts
    44
    Great thread! Paul I dare say everyone has used a pattern or pic at some time in their Carving life. And good on you for wanting to create your own design to carve, that is half the fun! Just get some pencils and a case of erasers and go for it!
    Everything I’ve ever drawn has parts of it that I struggle with to make it look right. Then it will seem to fall into place after you’ve explored a lot of different options and worn out countless erasers!

    John, Great advice and that is some truly beautiful work you have done. Love the sign “This mess is a place” and with exquisit letter carving to boot! I’m going to copy that sign!......if that’s ok.
    Regards Richard

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Yates View Post
    “This mess is a place” and with exquisit letter carving to boot! I’m going to copy that sign!......if that’s ok.
    Hey, I think almost every shop needs one! I made my first one 30 years ago in Old English font penned in ink on paper. After practicing chip carving on some flat boards the idea hit to remake the sign in wood. That was my first try at letting something with the chip-carving knife. I made while on vacation at Cape Hatteras, looking out over the ocean and listening to the surf.

    I recommend you make two and give one away to spread the fun. Hey, I can see it now - planished script in steel for your metal pounding shop. (but I suspect your shops are usually spotless)

    JKJ

  4. #19
    I found out what it's called. It's called Minimalist drawing but the image I posted is just one version of it. I still have no idea what drawing with the thick and thin lines is called

  5. #20
    You'll want to check out this book. It's helped many who can't draw. https://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Right.../dp/1585429201 In particular a wood carver that frequents here, Mark Yundt has posted about it previously and how much it helped him draw.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    A suburb of Los Angeles California
    Posts
    644
    I've worked on this skill in the following manner. Find a subject photo you like, lay tracing paper over the photo, then capture the image's essence by tracing 30 lines. After three or four runs at this, try it again with 25 lines. Rinse and repeat with 20lines ad on down. If you can do this 15 minutes a day for 30+ days, you'll be amazed with your progress.

    To me this is now art because you're choosing which lines to draw.
    AKA - "The human termite"

  7. #22
    I bought that book years ago and found it to be very helpful. I have always liked to draw and paint and acquired some skill--but not to the level of John. But I believe, contrary to some others here, that I would use calligraphy pens to draw this kind of image. Using calligraphy or Speedball pens will speed up the process and provide some instant visual example. If you want to begin with a pencil, get a few carpenter's pencils and sharpen them to the widths you need. While you're doing that pick up some quality erasers at Michael's or Hobby Lobby.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Null View Post
    I bought that book years ago and found it to be very helpful. I have always liked to draw and paint and acquired some skill--but not to the level of John. But I believe, contrary to some others here, that I would use calligraphy pens to draw this kind of image. Using calligraphy or Speedball pens will speed up the process and provide some instant visual example. If you want to begin with a pencil, get a few carpenter's pencils and sharpen them to the widths you need. While you're doing that pick up some quality erasers at Michael's or Hobby Lobby.
    Warren, thanks for that book recommendation. I just ordered one. My philosophy is you can't have too many books! I have a set of books I use to teach kids how to draw but nothing like that book.

    I like the white "Magic Rub" erasers. I also use those very thin steel draftsman erasing shield to control where a fat eraser erases, I have some similar to this:
    https://www.amazon.com/Alvin-Stainle.../dp/B000HF6VK6

    JKJ

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    TX, NM or on the road
    Posts
    845
    I would suggest spending some time on some of the engraver's forums, not the laser type of engraving, the ones the use little metal chisels called gravers. In my opinion engraving is the most extreme form of carving low relief in all kinds of metal. One of the books that one of the engravers recommended was Drawing and Painting Animals by Trudy Friend. I am an artist "Klutz", but with practice I have improved a little. The person that recommended this book also spoke highly of her other instructional books.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298

    Drawing and Painting Animals

    Quote Originally Posted by Marvin Hasenak View Post
    Drawing and Painting Animals by Trudy Friend.
    Yea, another book recommendation. My library thanks you. My wife may not....

    JKJ

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    TX, NM or on the road
    Posts
    845
    While you are it, you should pick up some of her other books on drawing. I got them at a recommendation of a man on the engravers forum. But before I bought them I asked a friend who is an artist, she also said they would help. That woman is 92, and still actively paints, so her approval meant more than the engraver's recommendation. Has it helped? I will say yes, but daily practice is almost a must, she said anyone can learn to draw, but the muscles need training, and being lazy won't help.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Marvin Hasenak View Post
    ...daily practice is almost a must, she said anyone can learn to draw, but the muscles need training, and being lazy won't help.
    I very much agree with that, same thing with playing the piano. I think the eyes need training too.

    I often make small sketches in odd places, for example in a meeting this afternoon at a point where it only needed 1/2 of my attention. Spending hours in the ER on New Year's eve with a kidney stone I got quite a of sketching done. The best thing is do sit down with a sketch book and practice on purpose, a tree, hat, sleeping cat, house, anything. It's harder to focus than it might seem - I tend to revert to doodling and making patterns.

    JKJ

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    TX, NM or on the road
    Posts
    845
    If you like to doodle, a good source of paper is used books at the Goodwill store. The writing on the pages, helps like a ruler and/or a graph paper. My wife is the doodler, she can almost go through a book as fast I read it, but when she got me doodling, it wasn't long before I saw an improvement in my drawings.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •