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Hand cut checkering
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Fascinating to read a bit more about how you came to find yourself engraving firearms, Bert. I've long lusted after the works of Lisa Tomlin, Jeff Flannery, and Merlin Enright.
Based on everything you've shared here, you're cut from the same cloth.
I'm curious: would you consider yourself naturally "artistically gifted"? Have you studied and mastered drawing animals and similar forms in an art school setting? Or is your background more in tooling and mechanics?
Obviously, jewelry-making is an artistic craft, but it doesn't necessarily translate to the degree of artistic skill that your engravings exhibit. In other words, how'd you get so good?
Based on everything you've shared here, you're cut from the same cloth.
I'm curious: would you consider yourself naturally "artistically gifted"? Have you studied and mastered drawing animals and similar forms in an art school setting? Or is your background more in tooling and mechanics?
Obviously, jewelry-making is an artistic craft, but it doesn't necessarily translate to the degree of artistic skill that your engravings exhibit. In other words, how'd you get so good?
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Basically the way I checker metal is an adaption of checkering wood.
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This is going to be really cool
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I have been artistically inclined my whole life. I did a lot of private drawing and painting classes as a kid. Some art in high school and college. In high school all the guidance counselors and teachers pushed "STEM" saying you have to be "a doctor, engineer, biotech" college track. So I did all this advanced place (AP) math and science stuff. I was pretty good at this but it was really boring. As a senior I took a bunch of art just to fill my schedule as I only needed 1 class to graduate. The day I graduated my favorite art teacher approached me and said "I really wish you had taken art classes all the way through school. You're one of the most naturally talented artists to ever come through this school. "Fascinating to read a bit more about how you came to find yourself engraving firearms, Bert. I've long lusted after the works of Lisa Tomlin, Jeff Flannery, and Merlin Enright.
Based on everything you've shared here, you're cut from the same cloth.
I'm curious: would you consider yourself naturally "artistically gifted"? Have you studied and mastered drawing animals and similar forms in an art school setting? Or is your background more in tooling and mechanics?
Obviously, jewelry-making is an artistic craft, but it doesn't necessarily translate to the degree of artistic skill that your engravings exhibit. In other words, how'd you get so good?
I'm not a classically trained artist per se. Yes I can draw animals, people, scenes, etc paint, I do these as a way to get to the renderings in metal, which is my preferred canvas
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Thanks so much for sharing a bit more about your background. It's unusual for someone who is also naturally gifted in "STEM" subjects to be such a talented artist.
There are only three things in my life I regret not being skilled in:
Your works are truly beautiful. We're fortunate to have you here and sharing your works-in-progress with the community.
There are only three things in my life I regret not being skilled in:
- Firearms engraving
- Building custom 1911s
- Playing the guitar
Your works are truly beautiful. We're fortunate to have you here and sharing your works-in-progress with the community.
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63 Posts
Most artwork that is pleasing contains the golden ratio, phi in the proportion of all the key elements. I believe the best artists understand this and are naturally inclined to see, understand and apply it instinctively. Filling areas in a canvas is often very much tied to geometry and the golden ratio. Often times when I encounter an unfamiliar canvas I start visualizing the canvas geometrically in my mind before I ever put a pencil on paper.
You'll notice in these pictures how I used geometry to create distinct areas of engraving and untouched plain steel. These types of designs really appeal to me and I feel they enhance the object and don't overpower it. I think it's quite pleasing to anyone who looks at it whether they know anything about art or not.
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Wow so cool. Awesome job and thanks for sharing!!!
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Tremendous talent! Can’t stop looking at the intricate engravings.
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So awesome!!! I’d love to see some videos of your work. Amazing stuff thanks for sharing!!!
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8,062 Posts
well I don't know diddly about art or the golden triangle, but I know talent when I see it and you, Sir, have not wasted your talents. Simply amazing. A chisel, huh?? As a lifelong carpenter, that scares me. Not that the tools are remotely the same but still..... Thank you again for sharing your remarkable talent with us
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I like that you talk about the use of negative space as an important element of the overall composition. You're work is marvelous, and I can't wait to have a chance to see more of it, and in person.
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289 Posts
That checkering has got soul!
You have an incredible eye and mind to come up with these ideas, then the skill to put it into metal.
The calculating the geometry and use of space just gives us a glimpse of how talented you are.
Cannot wait to see the completed pistol.
You have an incredible eye and mind to come up with these ideas, then the skill to put it into metal.
The calculating the geometry and use of space just gives us a glimpse of how talented you are.
Cannot wait to see the completed pistol.
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289 Posts
The symmetry of this shotgun engraving is unbelievable!
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Get ready to do a $hit load of those lmbo.. Looks great..
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The schoolin' weren't fer nothin'! You used the phrase "per se" properly and that's good stuff.
I'm glad you followed the career path you did but to be fair, if those aren't the hands of a surgeon doing that work then I simply do not understand the term "hands of a surgeon" as well as I do the term "per se"(It's Latin, translating loosely to "in and of itself", so it's not exactly an easy one to pin down).
Thank you, Sir. It's beyond beautiful what you do and I need to figure out what gun I need engraved, beat down to its proper station in life, then engraved again.
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I have been around the high-end shotgun world my entire life and watched many guys hand checkering on woodstocks. I have always loved the craftsmanship involved. However I have never seen anyone take it to the level that you have on the front strap of a 1911. That is truly some masterful craftsmanship.
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Thank you gents! It's an honor to work on these fine guns and collaborate with the best craftsmen in the world.
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