Most of the knifemaker suppliers have some good books on scrimshaw.
http://www.knifemaking.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=scrimshaw
Also, doing some searches and looking at detailed photos of the best scrim artists will help you with the concept. My friend Rick Bowles has done Randall's ivory custom knives for almost 30 years.
http://www.rbscrim.com/index.php?/gallery
For the ultimate in scrim art just google Dr. Peter Jensen and sit back with a glass of brandy. His work defies belief.
Here is some eye candy:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...sahw-anyone-Part-2-NOT-for-the-faint-of-heart!
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=hp-pvdt&sz=all&va=scrimshaw
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-Erotic-Art-Knife-Collector-Association/page2
As far as tools, Carbide points are great, but any fine tipped awl will work for starters. You can make excellent scrim awls from bicycle spokes. The holding pen can be as simple as a dowel, or as fancy as a drafting lead holder. Most go with the dowel. You can shape it like a lettering pen easily, either by hand or on the lathe.
There are two schools. The scratch-line technique, and Bulino. Looking at your sketch, I would suggest the scratch style.
I have a bunch of carbide points in several sizes in the work room. Send me your mailing address by email or PM and I'll drop some in a mailer for you. I'll toss in a holder,too.
I use drafting India type inks. Black and brown are the ones I use most of the time.
Faux ivory, white plastic, etc. will all make good practice material. Surface prep is important. Any minute scratch or pit will show up as a line or dot in the inked drawing. A square of China White is good to have to coat the surface and give a sketching surface to draw the outline on in pencil.
Other good avenues for your talents are pyrogrophy on wooden handles. Carefully done and sanded just right, it looks like scrimshaw on wood.
