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This topic comes up once and awhile. In preparation for a workshop, I called Paul White to ask about the "Flash" problem encountered with gilded (incised) letters. In our brief conversation, he said "The more light in, the more light out". A shallow "V" would let a lot of light in and be prone to "Flash" and conversly, a deep "V" would let in less light and not be a prone to flashing. I've sense been carving deeper letters on south facing signs and shallow on the north face.
Here is a test sample shown at three different angles. (Aprox. 90, 45 and 15 degrees). Aside from the flashing, there seems to be a color difference as well.......or is it just me?
What are your thoughts on this subject........do you do anything to help reduce "Flash"?
Joe,
Back in '86, we traveled all over the country before moving to Jackson Hole. We saw a lot of signs and a lot of techniques. There were a couple of carvers that carved EXTREMELY shallow and their signs always worked better than the others...in our opinion anyway. Try your same experiment and go half as deep as the most shallow one you did. I think it takes sharper chisels and more skill, but you have to remove less wood and might go faster.
You can take this the other way. Some people pour epoxy on flat, raised letters to build up a very slight surface that is not flat in any spot. It reflects light better and reads better than a flat gilded letter, or a sharp beveled letter. Jim Pritchard comes to mind, from Keene, NH. I don't think he is doing that much carving now, but he was a master carver.
Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson / co-administrator Golden Era Studios
Vintage Ornamental Clip art
Jackson Hole, WY
Joe....you carve a sweet letter, but I agree with all said. I have seen some amazing craftsmen carve to deep and lose all the brilliance. Also The Pritchards do amazing work and it is such a shame they are not doing much anymore. Incredible concepts/designs and seen through with everything in perfect balance. Am not sure which issues of Signs of Times and Signcraft they were in but I have both of them in a plastic bag at the shop. You know...the spot for those few issues every 10 years or so that make you sit up and shake your head.
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads