New Drawings

Stephen F

Stephen F

Joined
Sep 28, 2003
Messages
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I have been trying out Photoshop CS to see if it can give me more options interms of my knife renderings/designs. For my first attempt with the new package I thought I would try and put down an idea I have had for a while for a matched set of complimentary fighting bowies. The idea was to select a common theme in fittings and wood, and come up complimentary pieces with specific functions in mind.

I will not say what the specifics are, but ask for peoples views/opinions regarding the overall designs to see if the comments coming back reflect the intention.

Please feel free to comment on aspects you would change - it there is a common view it only takes 30mins-60mins depending of the change.

Makers - Please add your views on feasibility of construction, I have had positive feedback from a knifemaker whom I regard very highly who has already made a suggestion (not included here yet).

Not sure yet what I will do with this set of drawings yet.

Stephen

Carry-Set-wb.jpg
 
First of all, that's a real talent you have with those drawings Stephen. There's nothing quite like being able to show someone exactly what you have in mind. Describing a knife that otherwise exists only in your head is pretty tough to do.

That's a gorgeous pair of knives. I like the overall look and the embellishments are terrific. I like the shape of the guards a lot. The following comments reflect only my opinion and are primarily driven by my personal aesthetic preferences:

The Upper Knife.

I'm a big fan of curvy broad-bladed Southwest bowies. To my eye, this one would look better if the "Southwest" features were scaled back to about 9/10ths of where they are now. A little less curve, the peak of the clip rising a little less above the spine, and maybe a little less flare to the end of the handle.

The Lower Knife

Very slick. I like the blade shape, though for a fighting knife of this kind I might want to drop the point slightly closer to the center line of the blade. The handle looks great, though it appears to be almost perfectly cylindrical, which gives you no tactile feedback as to the orientation of the blade. The knife could twist a bit in use, and you wouldn't feel it.

Looks like another terrific knife project in the works Stephen. Do keep us posted if and when you proceed to have this pair made.

Roger
 
Very nice drawing steven, wish I could draw like that :)
I like both of them but the top one is my favorite, also they do make a very nice set.

Don Hanson lll
 
I've been doing virtual renderings of knives for myself and some custom makers for years. A while back I did a tutorial in Shop Talk forum in how to design and render knives in Photoshop. All I have to say is that you did an outstanding job od design and execution.....Bravo!
 
Thanks for the input, as I am not in a position to make knives at the moment, nor can I afford to buy all the ones I would like :grumpy: , this is the next best thing. Phil - your tutorial was instrumental in my development so far, thanks.

I have taken comments from here, and on other forums and modified the 2 common critiques, I think the suggestions for change where spot on:

  1. Blade shape too extreme on the southwestern blade.
  2. Handle too symetrical, and not enough "pull" on the lower fighter.

I have also taken out the colouring and embellishment to make it clearer.

Comments on changes welcome - Are they and Improvement or Not?

Cheers,

Stephen

Carry-Set-v3.jpg
 
Stephen F said:
Phil - your tutorial was instrumental in my development so far, thanks.
Click to expand...
Stephen, once again my compliments to you and your artistic abilities to apply the basics that I tried to convey in my tutorial. The Damascus pattern and some of the details on the guard are just outstanding. I certainly look forward to seeing more of your work.

The links in the Shop Talk thread are all dead, anyone interested can read the tutorial here though.

http://www.knivesby.com/phill.html
 
I own quite a few, but don't really have much of an interest in "collecting" fixed blades.

But these - wow. :eek:
 
I think it would be hard to do a sharpened swedge on a flat back, but maybe I'm wrong.

The top one is reminiscent of the bowies of Kevin Cashen. It's fairly different than many other SW bowies.

I like octogonal handles better than smooth ones myself. I find them visually and tactilly more interesting, and maybe more secure as well.

You may want to try to reverse the top branch of the guard to give it a hint of S-guard. Not sure if that's float your boat, but worth trying.

The belly of the straight back knives is unusual, but I like it!
 
Beautiful! May I ask how they would look if the bottoms of the guards were extended just a bit, maybe 3/16" - 1/4"? I generally make the lower quillion longer than the top, seems to balance better. Again, beautiful. I'm amazed that such work can be done!
 
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