bitsandspurs

[TLD Cowboy Gear]

Howdy Everyone,

I have been building things on a really part time basis for a few years. I have a couple of mentors that are members of this forum and have found a couple of folks that I have met at bit and spur shows. The support and help that is to be found on this forum is amazing.

This is a buckle that I recently did and put on Ebay. I am trying to get the hang of the scroll lay out and engraving. I compared this buckle to some of my earlier work and can see the improvement, yet I feel that there is much improvement still needed. I like the fact that it is not as cluttered as some of my other pieces and seems to flow fairly well. I am not as impressed with some of the detail work and leaves in the scrolls.

I would appreciate all constructive criticism.

Thanks for this forum and you feller's (and lady's) time.



D.C. Lance

_________________
The best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse.

[Haraga.com]

I looked at your pictures. What I like about your work is that you are developing a style of your own. I am positively interested in seeing it develop. I would say that you should study Greg's posts and specifically where his lines start and stop in relation to the scroll backbone. Try to keep your cuts that are on the outside of the backbone going the same direction as the inner cuts. I hope that is not confusing. Do not be afraid to develop your own style. Please show us more.

[TLD Cowboy Gear]

Thanks for the input. Amazingly I had already looked at Greg's photos. I think I see what you mean about the outside of the backbone but not sure. Are you talking about what I call the "pineapple" cuts that branch out from where 2 scrolls part?

_________________
The best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse.

[Stewart]

Hi D.C.,
Glad to see you on this forum and thanks for posting pics of your work. Looks good. I haven't seen you in a while and have been wondering what you have been up to. I'll be in Amarillo next week at the WRCA finals. Hope to see you there. I agree with Leonard, there is alot to be learned from looking at Greg's work.

Stewart

[jim dunlap]

I like the keeper, the way the copper joins the silver. Cool.
Jim

[Greg Pauline]

D.C. Lance~ I am really impressed with your saw
& solder work especially on the keeper. To match
up two stylized pieces and solder them as a sort of
butte joint and do it cleanly as it appears in your
post is, well, I like it. Your engraving style is definitely
unique. It just takes time and practice to attain nice
flowing cuts. The advice that is quite often spoken by
many accomplished engravers is this. Take your pencil
and draw. Keep on drawing so that you always have a
mental picture and understanding of what you are going
to translate through your hands into your metal canvasse.
I anticipate watching your progress through all of your
future posts.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

[Steve223]

Very unique and i like it thanks for showin it.

_________________
The winds of heaven blow between a horse's ears
Black Mountain Bits and Spurs & Big Game Hounds