School of Fine Art Engraving

	Photos from Class:

Students learn and practice cutting scroll. The monitor helps the instructor and other students see what's happening up close.	Learning to adjust and use the microscope, as well as working on a much smaller scale can be a challenge.	Ray shows the class how to turn graver just right when doing lettering.

Students transfer lettering and designs onto practice plates so they have lines to follow while practicing their cutting technique.	A lot of time is provided for practicing and developing correct cutting technique.	Students are trying different equipment and tools to determine which set-ups they like best.

Some students are very experienced at using machines and are quickly able to do it themselves. Others need more guidance.	Ray shows students how to make their gravers. Then, they will learn to make several different shapes for different kinds of cutting.	Much time is spent sharpening and re-sharpening tools and learning to set the angles correctly.

Part of design work is transferring designs onto the metal to be cut.	When the tool is not cutting correctly, it may need to be sharpened.	Knowing how to cut and being able to do it are two different matters. It takes practice.

And after you cut, you look at your work. It's always a little better than the last time.	Students learn by watching each other as well.	Learning to turn the vice to make a curve and to stop with the foot pedal when turning the vice takes a little coordination.
	Students also take notes, watch demonstrations, and discuss elements of design, technical aspects of engraving, and cutting techniques. They receive instructions on how to use and care for machinery, equipment and tools, as well as a few "'tricks of the trade"' that make work more efficient. It will take a lot of practice before most of them can work as engravers, but they leave the class encouraged and with the knowledge to go home and practice until they have control over the basics.