older one

[Steve Lindsay]

Received an email picture from a friend that found this knife in a lot collection of for sale knives. The development of the scroll was an earlier one. Looking at it now, it is a little lame. I engraved the knife for Donald Mendelson before he began Barrette-Smyth (approx 1985). He wanted his wife's initials in the engraving design but not have it be obvious. The Initials are JLM.



Steve

[Zernike Au]

Hi Steve,
The scroll is so beautiful! The design of the initial is very clever. One of the most beautiful monogram (can we say it is a monogram?) I ever see!
I notice your scroll are always very long, flowing like water, or something dancing in the breeze tenderly. I like it so much.

May I know if you have develope this style of scroll many years ago?
Is there any engravers/artist that affecting the development of your own style?
I would also like to know what is your favorite flower or plant?
(sorry if my questions have been posted by someone else before.)
Today I go to the shop to look for some plants but can't find something like your scrolls I want to have some plants around me before I start learning how to draw the scrolls.

Thanks for sharing again.
Zernike

[Steve Lindsay]

Thank you Zernike,
Here is a link to an earlier thread about the evolution of the scroll drawing.
http://www.engravingforum.com/showthread.php?t=268

Barry Hands would be able to speak on the history of various styles through time better than I could. There are some flowing leaf scrolls in the "Master French Gunsmith's Designs" book that influenced my drawing. I always felt like what I drew was never quite right.. so I kept trying fix it and that is why it kept changing.


Steve

PS.. There are some good Dover books for plants and leaves that are even engraved. I'll hunt in my books and see if I can find the one I'm thinking of.

[Steve Lindsay]

I found the Dover book I was thinking of.
Floral Engravings for Artists and Craftspeople.
It has engraving of plants and leaves. It is good for finding new ideas for leaves to adapt with scroll.

Steve

PS.. I don't think I have the following two, but they might be good too:
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486269574.html
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486290743.html

[Zernike Au]

Thanks Steve, you are so kind.

Zernike

[Big-Un]

Boy Steve, you really hid those initials! It took a little while to find them, and only after squinting enough to just see the major components of the engraving. Maybe a future tutorial on design fundamentals and space, just for fun.