January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December • Show All Articles for 2010
Michael Dubber has been a major contributor to FEGA since its inception in 1981. From being a founding member to serving as President of the Guild, he has made a lasting impact for the organization....
Continue with Giving Back »
Full Gold Inlaid Background & Deep Relief Engraving with Alain Lovenberg will certainly be a time in engraving to remember. In case you missed the 2011 course details, here you can admire a closer look at the project piece and read more about the course....
Continue with Full Gold Inlaid Background & Deep Relief Engraving »
Since the Grand Masters 2011 application is going to be available in only eleven days, how about a sneak peek at the project for Alain Lovenberg's engraving course?...
Continue with Sneak Peek: Lovenberg's Grand Masters Project »
Lee Griffiths was eager to give back to FEGA, the organization that provided so much for him while learning how to engrave. ...
Continue with Collaboration to Benefit FEGA »
When you are in the right place at the right time, you can learn new skills and techniques that you weren't even expecting....
Continue with Round and Round We Go »
Sometimes, students want to get right into a certain field or style of engraving. Although most students benefit from the broad knowledge found in a basic course, this one might be just right for you....
Continue with A Look At Basic Firearms Engraving »
Progressing through design work can be simple for some engraving artists, those like Marty Rabeno. With years of art teaching behind him, he can knock out a beautiful scroll design with several elements....
Continue with A Work in Progress, and Progressing Through Work »
When trying something new, experimentation can be a fun — albeit challenging — task. This Featured Photo is an ambigram designed and hand engraved by Tira Mitchell in an unusual metal called niobium. ...
Continue with Experimental Color: 2011 Learn Plate »
This Featured Photo is an ambigram designed and hand engraved by Tira Mitchell in an unusual metal called niobium. ...
Continue with No Matter How You Turn It: Tira's Learn Plate »
As many may know, the Firearms Engravers Guild of America will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2011....
Continue with 30th Anniversary Watch for FEGA »
While most people in the United States are filling up on leftover turkey, potatoes, and pies, not everyone cooks the traditional turkey for the Thanksgiving holiday. From vegetarian main dishes to other poultry, one bird that few will prepare is the focus of this beautiful firearm....
Continue with A Thanksgiving Bird, of Sorts »
Studying the works of great artists has long been a way to embellish one's own artistic skills. Much can be learned though the keen observation of great work. When combining these aesthetic sensibilities with technical savvy, the results will be appealing....
Continue with Technique Meets Inspiration »
Many times, the form of an art piece expresses more about the artist than of the art itself....
Continue with No Limits to Egg Carving »
For the last few years, GRS has commissioned one of our esteemed instructors to hand engrave a piece of artwork for the GRS Training Center's course schedule brochure....
Continue with The GRSTC "Learn" Plate »
It's almost that time of year again at GRS. The near-end of the calendar year marks the announcement of the upcoming course schedule....
Continue with Get Ready For 2011 »
The late Erich Boessler, an accomplished hand engraver from Germany, engraved this firearm with an interesting combination of detail and dimension....
Continue with Multidimensional Hand Engraving, Part 2 »
Taking cues from artists like Vincent van Gogh and relief and flare cut engraving techniques, hobbyist engraver Amanda Henson decided to bring this nocturnal night owl into the day with a background of bright cuts....
Continue with Owl Covered in Light »
Hand engraving artists find inspiration everywhere. From nature to manmade structures to events to fantastic creatures we can only realize in our dreams, artists can discover something new in art that already exists....
Continue with The Doodle Ring »
Aside from the challenges of learning how to sharpen gravers and how to make the tool go where it is supposed, the art and design of engraving can be another difficult aspect for beginners as well....
Continue with How to Frame A Scene »
Everyday objects like these door knobs can become works of art with a little planning and a little creativity....
Continue with Dress Up Your Home »
So perhaps this beautifully carved piece by professional engraver and wood carver Bill Janney doesn't quite bring out the aroma of roses, but they sure do look nicely done....
Continue with Sweet As Roses »
After the tempting taste of Lee Griffith's spaghetti scrolls, here is the full plate in all its detail and glory....
Continue with Food, Italians, and Scrolls: Part 2 »
So what do food, Italians, and scrolls have in common? Well, for this sneak peek at a plate by hand engraver Lee Griffiths, these three items describe what Lee calls this scroll style....
Continue with Food, Italians, and Scrolls »
Parallel lines of equal width can be difficult to keep on the straight and narrow when it comes to hand engraving. The use of a multiple line tool can simplify the work significantly....
Continue with Keep Your Cuts In Line »
Sam Alfano is known through out the world of engraving for his ability to execute shade lines and cuts with accuracy and flair....
Continue with Beautiful Cuts, Even on a Practice Plate »
Artists are included in the lucky few who can create something beautiful and meaningful that helps a great cause. Andrew Biggs of New Zealand engraved this bracelet for just such an occasion....
Continue with A Great Cause »
Scrolls, scrolls, and more scrolls. New engraving students come up against these mysteriously created and beautifully demonstrated design elements all the time. ...
Continue with On The Hunt...For Beautiful Scrolls »
Part of being an artist is having an eye for pleasing design. As an engraving artist, sometimes the project is a pendant with no adornment — a blank canvas. Other times, however, the artist must create a design that works with what is around it....
Continue with Matching Metal and Stone »
Sandra Brady, who teaches at the GRS Training Center, has created a nice and simple piece of scrimshaw work featuring a lovely horse....
Continue with We're Not Horsing Around »
Professional engraver and GRS Training Center instructor Diane Scalese shows here how to put stone setting, Western scrolls, and a multiple-line graver to good use....
Continue with Scrolls, Stones, and Lines »
This inspiring project by student intern Mitchell Lurth is a nicely done example of shading, bright cuts, and metal inlay....
Continue with Bits of Copper »
David Drake, a machinist who works at Glendo Corporation, has shared some of the work he does in his free time in a few previous Featured Photos....
Continue with Studying English Scroll »
A recent student of the GRS Grand Masters Program, Brian Powley hand engraved this striking hammerhead made by John Rohner....
Continue with A Striking Hammerhead »
With all the styles of engraving known to the art world, Western Bright Cut is certainly one of the flashiest around....
Continue with The Spur of the Moment »
Some jobs are what they are — engraving artists, however, have the opportunity to follow a path of creativity and fulfillment every time they sit down at a bench for work....
Continue with The Artisans in the Alley »
Today's engraved artwork comes from new intern Anneliese Narcisi. This piece features a good study on how to use lines expressively....
Continue with What Lies Beneath »
Peter Shoemaker, a new student intern in Glendo's Artisan Alley division of Research & Development, started out as an Art Education major at Emporia State University. ...
Continue with A Trap and A Vice »
Art can serve many purposes. It can be beautiful in and of itself. It can convey emotion. Art can also be used to comment on — and even critique — the events of daily life....
Continue with Activism and Engraving Arts »
The Grand Masters Program 2010 brought many engraving artists to the Emporia, Kansas, training facility. One of those engravers came all the way from Germany as a special guest....
Continue with Silver Roses »
Recently, Dennis McConnell Jr. attended the intensive and challenging course with Creative Art of Italy during the 2010 Grand Masters Program. While at the GRS Training Center, he shared photos of some of his work....
Continue with A Piece of the Pipeline »
Although the students in this year's Grand Masters are not yet finished, the master project plate for the two-week course is complete....
Continue with The Finished Grand Masters Plate »
One of the most impressive aspects of fine Italian bulino engraving is that the tiny cuts that create a whole element look accurate and alive....
Continue with The Wild Cat's Meow »
As the student engravers progress from sharpening to cutting, each one shows off a new cut to the master engravers from Italy....
Continue with Small Cuts, Great Rewards »
One dozen highly skilled engravers have all started the challenge of learning the skills presented by master engravers of Creative Art....
Continue with Grand Masters 2010 Begins »
The true importance of the 2010 Grand Masters Program may only be realized by a few people. With the art of engraving becoming an open and accessible trade, younger generations may soon forget the time and effort put forth by masters like Creative Art....
Continue with The Importance of the 2010 Grand Masters Program »
With Grand Masters soon approaching and a select few guests arriving the week before, the beautiful work of New Zealander Andrew Biggs is a nice way to prepare for the masters to come....
Continue with Biggs, Maori, and Magrette »
It's always great here at GRS to see students love the work they are doing in class. It's especially nice when the students really learn and get excited....
Continue with All In A Week's Work: Bracelets, Part 2 »
As the title suggests, these bracelet were all done in one week. Students at the GRS Training Center gathered together to learn how to make bracelets from start to finish, and they did just that....
Continue with All In A Week's Work: Bracelets, Part 1 »
Much like the Start-to-Finish Firearms Engraving course, the Bracelet Engraving Techniques course helps engravers learn how to make a project from beginning to end....
Continue with Make Your Own Bracelet »
Shading can be a difficult aspect of engraving to master. Once control has been attained to the point of smooth backbones and tapered cuts, shading an element properly really comes into play....
Continue with The Purpose of Shade Lines »
One of the coolest classes at the GRS Training Center is a course with instructor Rex Pedersen, professional engraver and President of FEGA. In just one week, students have the chance to completely engrave a firearm....
Continue with A Firearm, Engraved from Start to Finish »
Learning how to engrave is tough and has a pretty sharp learning curve. It takes years to become consistently good, and years and years beyond that to become a master....
Continue with Learning Heraldic Engraving »
As students in Steve Dunn's recent class jotted a name on a piece of paper and dropped it into the cup, the clock ticked closed to the end of the week. The GRSTC students had experienced the art of engraving first-hand, and had completed a hand engraved plate under deadline as well....
Continue with The Golden Graver Award: Part 2 »
The rules were simple: you can only vote once, and you can't vote for yourself. As students in Steve Dunn's recent engraving class gathered around the finished practice plates, everyone was ready to choose a favorite....
Continue with The Golden Graver Award: Part 1 »
It's always nice to give and receive presents. For those artistically-inclined, a wonderful way to say thank you is through hand engraved gifts....
Continue with A Nice Retirement Gift »
The fierceness of a wild stallion like this one certainly deserves a formidable treatment when depicted in metal. On a plate for the Deep Relief course at GRSTC with Robert "Bob" Finlay, this horse is coming to life through the hands of engraver Mike Frakes....
Continue with Carving A Wild Stallion in Metal »
The late Erich Boessler, an accomplished hand engraver from Germany, engraved this firearm with an interesting combination of detail and dimension....
Continue with Multidimensional Hand Engraving »
One of the aspects of hand engraving that deserves much study and practice before final execution is lettering. Lettering is such an important detail of fine hand engraving that James B. Meek dedicated an entire chapter to the subject in his book The Art of Engraving (#002-164)....
Continue with By The Letter »
James Ehlers, head of the Engraving Arts department at Emporia State University, is an engraver and printmaker who teaches his skills and the art of hand engraving to students at the university....
Continue with Artist-in-Residency: Printmaking and Engraving at GRS »
Anytime an artist can transpose a design to work for multiple canvases, the possibilities for financial and creative gain are limitless....
Continue with Leather Design Meets Metal Engraving »
Practicing how to execute styles like the large American scroll or the bold German scroll is a rewarding way to expand skills....
Continue with English Scroll Is Nice »
Todd Daniels is a professional engraver and quite masterful at incorporating his engraving skills with stone setting techniques. This copper pendant here demonstrates a neat way to put the two together for optimum shine and sparkle....
Continue with All About That Sparkle »
As an artist, it can be an emotional struggle sometimes when a client requests something that may not be the best fit for you or perhaps the canvas....
Continue with It's No Average Tie Pin »
When a stone setter has advanced to the masterful quality and perfect craftmanship shown in work like this pendant, there is no arguing with the skill behind the work....
Continue with Stunning Stone Setting »
Stainless steel is a great canvas that many engravers and jewelers can use in everyday work. Personalizing items like this Al Mar Cash Clip (#019-012) is a perfect way to include customization in a practical but nice finished piece....
Continue with Bringing Stone Setting and Engraving Together in Steel »
Steel and copper are hot in the metal arts world with the price of precious metals like gold and silver so high. Copper can be used in many engraving applications, including the jewelry arts....
Continue with A Copper of Many Colors »
ESU student Mitchell Lurth has already engraved one guitar and made it into a custom work of art, but he wanted a new project to hand engrave. He purchased this Epiphone Firebird, playing it for a few months while he developed designs and ideas for the engraving....
Continue with Engraving An Epiphone »
Tim Halloran of Iowa, who has been engraving since 1986, recently completed this nice 1860 Uberti Henry Replica Rifle for Aaron McMichael of Kansas....
Continue with 1860 Henry Replica Rifle, Engraved »
Starting out with engraving can open a door to a wonderful and fulfilling world of creativity. For some, engraving becomes a new medium and a unique canvas....
Continue with Engraving is Easier Than Ever »
The art of engraving, though once a skill that took years to learn and execute the basics, is more accessible than ever. With a basic engraving class and the right tools, this wonderful field can be applied to many projects....
Continue with Bead Stringing & Custom Hand Engraving »
Here is another neat work from Andrew Biggs, engraved on the Al Mar Cash Clip™ (#019-012), with the background on the design of this engraving....
Continue with Maori & Steel »
Andrew Biggs, who has a neat style that combines traditional New Zealand Maori art with his own creative flair, engraved this 416 stainless steel bracelet at the 2010 BASELWORLD Fair in Basel, Switzerland. Here, he describes the design and the meaning behind it....
Continue with Stainless Steel at BASELWORLD »
Here are more shots of the wonderful artwork on display at a church-turned-museum in Basel, Switzerland....
Continue with More Scroll in Stained Glass »
If ever you were in doubt about whether you could carve wood, now is the time to get past that feeling. Bill Janney, creator of several videos on how to carve wood, knows how to give new life to wood and can teach you how to get started....
Continue with Simple Fish Scales »
Sometimes the tools of the trade can become the workpiece itself. During the 2010 Inhorgenta exhibition in Munich and the 2010 BASELWORLD fair in Switzerland, Alexander Sidorov created and displayed this stone-set art piece he made from a stainless steel GRS Engravable Microblock (#003-685)....
Continue with Stainless Steel: A New "Gold" Standard »
Engravers are always on the lookout for examples of good and useful art, especially scrollwork, leaves and the like. During the BASELWORLD 2010 Fair, D.J. Glaser found these windows in a Basel museum (which was formerly an old church) to be particularly interesting if not stunning....
Continue with Church Window Artwork: Inspiring In Many Ways »
In general, an engraving may fall into one of three categories: function, ornamentation or art. With a project like the Stanley Cup, the hand engraving is simply for one function: to record and display names. A beautiful scroll pattern on a firearm may be artistic and creative, and yet not art....
Continue with Function, Ornament, Art »
With an array of colors more expansive than a rainbow, the ink that fills in those purposeful little lines of scrimshaw gives the art a vibrant dimension....
Continue with Bead Stringing for Scrimshaw »
The Firearms Engravers Guild of America (FEGA) Show occurs every year, with a mix of friends and fun, engraving and guns. During the show, some of those guns (and the engraving artists) receive well-deserved awards....
Continue with An Impression of the Past »
It's always great to see a customer and friend progress in hand engraving. As you can see here, hard work and practice pays off with English scrolls on an Al Mar Cash Clip (#019-012)....
Continue with A Hobby, A Gift »
Many finely engraved knives are handmade art pieces that never get used. But the right knife with an appropriate style of engraving can be used and appreciated every day....
Continue with Engraving Knives That Get Used »
Eyes are a naturally alluring subject, the "windows to soul" as the old saying goes. But regardless of how many artists portray these corporal parts, they are still a thing of beauty....
Continue with Beauty is In the Eye... »
Monograms are a great way to personalize anything from hand towels to luggage to pendants. Here is a look at a cool monogram by hand engraving artist Tira Mitchell....
Continue with GLENDO in Monogram »
Estonia is a lucky country to host such a cool and creative engraver. His name is Viljo Marrandi and he designed and engraved this DVD box....
Continue with A Wedding Present: Mixing Contemporary with Classic »
Whether you follow Featured Photos every Tuesday and Friday, or this is your first visit — you are in for a special treat! Today's feature is a very special preview of work from the 2010 Grand Masters....
Continue with Reality or Fantasy? A Sneak Peek at Grand Masters 2010 »
Sometimes, life is just funny. Whether it is the situation at hand or an ongoing ordeal, these quick moments in time can turn into a treasured memory....
Continue with "Dave" (or How I Learned My Name Isn't Brian if I Want To Get Paid) »
During the Inhorgenta 2010 Fair in Munich, Germany, Magnus Svärd decided to make something special for his son, Jesper, who was back home in Sweden....
Continue with Art or Vandalism? Graffiti, Engraved with Stone Setting »
ESU student Mitch Lurth is at it again, carving out delightful designs for his guitars....
Continue with Music to My Graver »
Carlo Cavedon is a traditional engraver who specializes in the art of knifemaking, scrimshaw and metal engraving in Italy. This is his "Rhino Skinner", with a beautiful red maple handle, mosaic pins, and a little ring made with red jasper. ...
Continue with Thick Hide, Tough Little Skinner »
This neat technique shows a different approach to engraving custom pieces like this cross by Diane Scalese. How did she do it? Read on......
Continue with Cut It Out »
Lee Griffiths has an eye for creative, unusual, and beautiful work. He can transition from cool dragons to creepy crawlers to these noble felines....
Continue with Scrolls and Tigers and Gold -- Oh, My! »
The fundamentals are fundamental. This could be said about many subjects for which we gain skills and knowledge: math, reading, science. If you don't know how addition works you might have a little trouble with geometry, right?...
Continue with The Fundamentals are Fundamental »
Sure, it is one thing to slave laboriously on slabs of steel in your private shop — but what about executing those same cuts while complete strangers watch?...
Continue with Demonstrating Cuts Like A Pro »
James Ehlers, an engraver, printmaker, and the current professor of the Engraving Arts program at Emporia State University, designed this monogram for GRS, drawing inspiration from a century-old book on monograms....
Continue with A Monogram for GRS »
Shown here is the final step in the Nicki Pendant by Ashton Ludden on a small engravable key tag. Ashton has taken this piece from outline to finished artwork with nice results....
Continue with Remembering A Dog Named Nicki: Part 2 »
Engraver and printmaker Ashton Ludden has made a few tags for four-legged friends before, but this one is for a special pup. Ludden memorialized "Nicki" with her bulino-style engraving here shown in progression....
Continue with Remembering A Dog Named Nicki: Part 1 »
With such a rich culture, New Zealander and hand engraving artist Andrew Biggs is a highly creative individual. This bracelet, shown in both flat and bent form, is a wonderful example of sculpted, three-dimensional engraving....
Continue with Tane, Lord of the (Engraved) Forest »
In May 2009, the GRS Training Center offered a new specialized engraving course taught by Sam Alfano. He is well known for a wide variety of expert engraving including his extraordinary lettering. ...
Continue with Special Hand Engraved Letters: A New Course Teaches How »
Personalization is a perk for many who shop online and buy laser engraved goods. Perhaps you cannot purchase a hand engraved computer or iPod, but you can sure do it yourself!...
Continue with Working the Line »
Recently featured here, Sam Alfano's bright cut lumenesque technique is a great way to quickly add luster to jewelry....
Continue with The Lumenesque in Copper »
Necessity can drive a person to do many things — one of which is hand engraving, in the case of bit and spur maker Rod Teuscher....
Continue with A Scorpion in Texas »
This is — or was — an everyday utility knife, the Buck Folding Hunter Model 110. David Drake is a CNC machinist who became interested in engraving when he went to work for Glendo, the manufacturer of GRS Tools. ...
Continue with Nicely Engraved Knife by a Hobbyist »
Traditional scrimshaw work on bone does not always create a feeling of unity through design. Here, Sandra Brady has wholly designed a set of scrimshaw pieces that are unified....
Continue with Creatively Shaped Scrimshaw »
While there are several styles of engraving — from photorealistic dot techniques to three-dimensional sculpting methods — the beauty of Western Bright Cut is undeniable....
Continue with Western Watch »
Recently on Featured Photos, Engraffitti™ bracelets by Weldon Lister showed off his new and secret technique for this cool effect....
Continue with A Puzzling Piece of Jewelry »
January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December • Show All Articles for 2010
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