: How to lay out ornate victorian-style graphics? I'm interested in learning how to create v. decorative vintage-style graphics like this one by J C Desevre. However, I can't figure out how,

@Yeniel278

For actual drawing of curves on physical medium one would use some kind of guides. Rulers, curve templates, and physical splines are readily available. Rulers and french curves are surely in the toolkit of any artist striving for accuracy by hand. Likewise a spiral can be easily made with a bit of rope and a pin. Or you can go crazy and use a pantograph.



Image 1: French curves

Splines are basically metallic, wood, sinew composite or noways plastic rulers that can be shaped with weights or holes in a template. For more info see history of spline and the wonderfully informative draftsman's spline.



Image 2: Wooden spline assemblies that could be used to draw curves.

In digital art its trivial to do this, all you need to do is cut shapes up and mirror them about.For more info you should probably read:


How to make spirals into endcaps for strokes?
How are these swirly, line frames made?

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