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Old 01-16-2012, 10:56 AM
rod rod is offline
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Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 623
Default Re: Barry Lee Hands... works in progress

These are quite lovely examples of work and tool in progress, Barry and Steve!

As ever, the quality of photography is a match for the work, and each frame is very interesting and beautiful. In particular, the first photograph shows the perfect way to cut the transition between relieved background and foreground. Quite often we see pictures of good design and cutting, marred only by the lack of any clear, sharp distinction between background and foreground. This situation results by cutting the background right up to the edge of the foreground, and after some form of darkening, either blackened or stippled, the engraving outline devolves to a rather ragged cliff edge, albeit it very tiny ragged edges. Now look here at Barry's treatment, his backgrounds are cut with 'Rolls Royce' precision, and in no way mar the equally precise angled 'beauty' cut so nicely giving the sense of depth to the foreground. The trick is to have this boundary survive the negative space removal. I am not saying that only Barry achieves this, but his photo here is the best I have seen in showing very clearly what some of us are missing in our cutting of an otherwise good design. Even when we understand the process well, achieving Barry's tool control that delivers the result is pretty darn impressive.

Thank you!

Rod
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