Bulino engraving is possibly the most tedious and fulfilling technique in the art when it comes to cutting. Each line or dot has to be placed carefully so that any viewer recognizes the final subject.

One misconception that new engravers tend to believe about bulino engraving is that it is very similar to drawing in execution. However, this is just not true. Whereas with pencil drawing you can change the thickness of a line or create a beam of sunlight with a few strokes of the pencil, cutting such a design is very different. Because you are working in metal, the factor of light comes into play. The three-dimensional lines or dots that are absent on a pencil drawing can make or break a bulino engraving.

One professional instructor, who has studied under Master Dario Cortini at the renowned Botega Giovanelli in Italy, understands the play of light on strategic cuts in metal. If you are interested in learning the fine technique, join GRSTC in July 2009 for the Fine Line Italian Bulino course. Be sure to check out other courses on the GRS Training Center website.