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Fine Embellishment Everything from hand engraving and scrimshaw to filework and carving. The fine art end of the knifemaker's craft.

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  #16  
Old 05-05-2006, 03:49 AM
Marcus Hunt Marcus Hunt is offline
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Thanks guys for your kind words. It's always nice to hear some comments from your peers especially after the months it took me to complete them!

Each scene averaged between 40 - 50 hours and I can quite honestly say this was the most challenging commission of my engraving career.

When you meet 'Slowhand' in person he could be anybody; the guy next door. He's such a nice and unassuming guy but unfortunately this means there are no really defining characteristics to focus on. Trying to capture the character of the man was really difficult.

The leaping salmon (if I say so myself, I was really pleased with the way it turned out) was easy by comparison. The scene of him on his trout water was difficult because it is an actual place and he fishes there regularly so he knows it like the back of his hand. So after all this work suddenly I couldn't see the wood for the trees and self doubt creeps in...is it him?...does it look like him?...have I captured his mood?....I'll just put a couple more shading lines....OH F*** WHY DID I OVERWORK THAT? .....I SHOULD'VE LEFT IT ALONE!!!!! And then comes the hours of rectifying...hang on.....he looks better now...I caught that look....YES! NOW BLOODY WELL LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!! Have you guys gone through this at all???

So what I'm saying is that I really appreciate hearing from you all as it gives me some hope that he'll like it!

As requested, a pic each of the undersides of the actions. Mr C requested ordinary English large scroll. I was hoping that he'd go for something a bit more adventurous but.....You know what's strange? One hell of a lot of people still love the traditional types of scrollwork on their guns. They love the understated beauty. I suppose it's like comparing a classic Aston Martin with a flashy new Ferarri.




Last edited by Marcus Hunt; 05-05-2006 at 04:00 AM.
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  #17  
Old 05-05-2006, 07:36 AM
rrrf68 rrrf68 is offline
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Marcus,
Beautiful and as you said classic in style. I recall an article that Eric Gold did on the Safari Club Show in 2005 summer issue of "Engraver". He interviewed a great many engravers and major high end manufactures and for the most part, as I recall, the demand was mostly for the "classic" styles in scroll and design. You have certainly created uniqe and individualied peices they are timeless in their styling and certainly not fadish. In a hundred years, even under non family ownership, without the noteariaty of the commisioner they will still be classic in style. Thanks for sharing Fred


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  #18  
Old 05-05-2006, 03:26 PM
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Tim Adlam Tim Adlam is offline
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YES! NOW BLOODY WELL LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!! Have you guys gone through this at all???


I hear ya there Marcus, but not under the kind of pressure this project must have created!
Birth pains...I believe the women folk call it.

Your reference to capturing that familiar fishing hole as an important part of the design, shows your artistic sensitivity to the project.
Landscape is often a neglected or secondary part of a sporting scene, but I think it sets the mood or feeling you want to project to the viewer.

On the Salmon gun...I can smell the water, and hear the "plop" as the salmon dives for the cover of a submerged tree root to escape the tension of the rod...and I pray the tippet holds!

The scene I like best is the one showing him reading the water.
A contemplative pose...but with a purpose in mind.
Any trout/salmon fisherman worth his fly box can relate to that, and you nailed it!

Again, very well done!

Tim


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  #19  
Old 05-05-2006, 06:14 PM
biggles biggles is offline
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Hi Marcus

Thanks for the extra photos. The work is stunning and as for the fishing scenes they are perfect. As a keen fly fisherman myself, you've captured the "mood" beautifully. Your client has really good tastes in sport!!!

Once you have engraved them what happens next? Obviously they go back and get fitted to the wood etc but what about the actual finish of the engraving eg. left in the white, french greyed, blued? Is this something you do as well, or do the manufactures take care of that?

Best regards
Andrew Biggs
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  #20  
Old 05-05-2006, 06:37 PM
Marcus Hunt Marcus Hunt is offline
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Talking

Hi Andrew, I suppose engravers in the UK (and Europe?) are spoiled. Each person working on a new gun is a specialist. The actioner cuts and shapes the metalwork and fits the locks (which in turn are made by someone else). The stocker deals with the wood work, there are ejector men who fit and regulate the ejectors, barrel makers make and fit the barrels. then the whole thing is polished for engraving.....not by me Then I have to ruin all this amazing work by 'scratching' all over it. The action then goes for case hardening and after that the Finisher puts it all back together, makes sure it works, polishes the stock and varnishes the action. Some rigmerole, eh?

This action will be colour hardened by one of the best in England and then, very carefully, the colours removed. This gives a wonderful lustre to the steel and really makes the engraving stand out. I'll endevour to get some pics when it's finished but that won't be for a few months yet.

Last edited by Marcus Hunt; 05-05-2006 at 06:43 PM.
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  #21  
Old 05-05-2006, 07:27 PM
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Sunflower01 Sunflower01 is offline
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Simply Exquisite!!!
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  #22  
Old 05-05-2006, 09:00 PM
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Andy S Andy S is offline
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Wonderful work Marcus,
I don't know if I could have the patience to finish a project like that. Heck I've never done anything with a surface that large. I'm afraid I would get lost.
I'm looking forward to seeing the finished piece.


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  #23  
Old 05-05-2006, 10:34 PM
Christian D. Christian D. is offline
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Marcus The work is fantastic. I like traditional designs as much as I do new and unusual designs. Seems that the classics never get tiring to look at escpecially when they are exacuted as well as you have done. I do have one citique though and that is that the values of your landscapes are the same in the foreground and in the background., notice in your scene with the salmon, by the way excellent job on the fish, the darkness of the first row if you will of foliage is the same as the second which is behind it. If you were to bunish back the further foliage it would give the scene much more depth, and the salmon would look the closest to the viewer. I see a similar thing with the scene with the birds the backroud value is as dark as the birds and it leads my eye to the background rather than to the main subject the birds. I will say that the exacution of your landscape is perfect . and as you know the landscape is more work and generally more difficult than the animals, Christian
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  #24  
Old 05-06-2006, 09:27 AM
Marcus Hunt Marcus Hunt is offline
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Thanks for that Chris,

unfortunately the bird gun has gone back to the maker already but I'll try and adjust the salmon scene. As I say, sometimes you end up boggle eyed and can't see the wood for the trees, so thanks for pointing this out.
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