Homework help -- background cuts

[Sue in NC]

I am taking a class and drew up a simple design of a maneki neko, one of those cats often seen in Chinese store windows.  The design is attached. He is a protective maneki neko, which is why his right paw is raised with the claws out. He is holding a crystal ball. 

Well, I think I have the cat himself OK, but the class requires he be on a rectangular background.  I don't have the concept down of how to make unobtrustive cut lines in backgrounds.  I gave it a try, but I am not sure about my results. 

I have to get my pattern all ready to use by class next Thursday.

Sue

[PiscesGlass]

Very cute cat!  Well I can tell you what I do and you can go from there.  Most cut lines are not unobtrusive..unless.

A) you use a dark background and patina your solder lines..that can achieve a certain unobtrusiveness.
B) I might draw a close rectangular border around him..so fewer connecting lines to the border..you could almost have very few connecting lines along both sides of the body, as long as you felt comfortable with your skills cutting out the curves.
C) I also like to incorporate the feature of the panel even up into the border glass..i.e. drawing the border so that the ears go up into the top of the frame.

Give it a try and post another pic..I'd certainly be willing (as I'm sure most of the rest of the AOG'ers would) to give you good feedback.
Hugs and have fun!

De

[Kev]

How is this Sue? I traced it in GE. I can send you the pattern in whatever finished size you want, and can add a border for you if you like. I won't be using your pattern, as it is yours, but it was easiest for me to get it into GE to show my thoughts on it. Oh...I took the liberty of adding foil overlay pupils in the eyes...LOL

[Rebecca]

De is right, except I would add a little more glass to the right side.  What you do is make lines from the points that are closest to the edge.  So the middle line on the right needs to be from the ball to the edge.  You might need another one from the wide part of the arm to the edge if you have the border of the glass too close.  You might or might not need the middle line on the left, depending on how close you make that glass edge.  Make the bottom paw lines go to the bottom edge.  You might also need a line from these paws to the sides.  If there is enough glass between the paws and the sides, and if you make them rounder, you won't need the lines to the side.  Look at how deep the paw cuts are on the background and see if you can cut them to decide whether you need break lines there.

Rebecca

[Rebecca]

I posted before I saw Kev's post.  His is good, but I would make lines going from both ears to the top.

Rebecca

[Kev]

I didn't draw lines from both ears as I wanted it to look like a brick wall behind him and not have the relief cut lines look like relief cut lines, but rather as part of the design instead.

[Rebecca]

But it's stronger if you have more joints to the top.  People tend to pick up small panels by the top.  It is fine the way you have it as long as it is properly hung (from the sides) and nobody carries it by the top.  And since that it the only line that isn't symmetrical, it doesn't make it look like bricks.  It just makes it look lop-sided.  If there were other lines making it look like bricks, I could see the point.  As it is...  I'm going to stop talking now, I'm starting to repeat myself!

Rebecca

[Kev]

LOL..that's OK...I looked at it again and came up with this, which I think address both your points.

Just a little bug for me are cut lines that are so obvious and are not incorporated into the design. I think they really detract from the design. ..just my thoughts...

[Rebecca]

Perfect!

Rebecca

[Kev]

 

[PiscesGlass]

LOL..LOVE Kev's option!  It takes many great minds to come up with terrific solutions!  Leave it our design King!

Nice job Kev.

De

[Kev]

LOL...team effort. Feedback and opinions are a good thing!

[ct4mom]

Awe that is a cute pattern....and a great team

[Tre V]

Time to throw in a monkey wrench. Anyone know anything about Feng Shui and what should or shouldn't be included? I don't but I thought I'd try to stir up trouble...

[PiscesGlass]

LOL..not alot Tre..something about the bed not facing the door directly?  LOL  You trouble maker you.

De

[Rebecca]

I thought of the possibility that a cartoon cat might not want a brick background.  But if Sue comes bak and tells us that, we can re-group and try again!

Rebecca

[Kev]

..Well she said they were seen at Chinese stores..this is the storefront...lol

[TodB]

The radiating lines which some use to break up a background are quite distracting. Nice to see so many folks working for change!

The bricks here are a clever solution. An alternative is to make the horizontal brick lines slightly wavey, either regular or irregular. One could even make a sky/ground background by simple color changes. There are so many options. - Tod

[TracyCT]

LOL..not alot Tre..something about the bed not facing the door directly?  LOL  You trouble maker you.

That one I know.. when I was moving into my condo, my sister made me move the bed because it was facing the door and that's the only place that it fit properly.  Now I have a really cramped room because of that!  Darn Feng Shui!  If I die in bed, it's gonna be a big job to get me out the door.  LOL!

[Kev]

LOL@Tracy!