Metal Arts/Jewelry 1 - Spring '08

My first Metal Arts/Jewelry class. Pounding, torches, chemicals, sawing, and all the ancient metalsmith techniques are still used today! I find the learning curve to be hard and long, but the rewards are great and as I learn techniques, my mind gets full of ideas. Here is all the beginning stuff I've done in learning the basics.

BASIC TECHNIQUE SAMPLES:

Here are my first time samples. The basic techniques shown are sawing, texture (rolling mill), jump rings (chain), drilling, and soldering for different uses are shown below. I start with flat sheets of metal and wire (all copper below, with silver solder).

Here are my first time samples of creating hollow forms (cylinder shape, sphere, and cone). The flat sheets of metal are formed, soldered, and finished. I used a motorized tool to get the unique finish on the cylinder. The holes were drilled before that part was soldered on. The cone has a patina (colored metal) that happened from the heat and soldering process. Though it's hard to really see it in this photo. I liked it, so applied wax to keep it.

My first bezel and stone setting sample. I decided to make it into a fun design and sawed out a bird head shape to put them on as the eye. I also had put texture on the metal and the various colors on the brass are a "heat patina" as mentioned above from the soldering process.

SELF-PORTRAIT:

Before we learned how to solder, our first main project was to create a self-portrait using various learned techniques up to that point and using cold connections (rivets). I created a profile of myself in a cubism style using hand-sawed & filed textured shapes and layers. I applied different types of texture to all the pieces and the dark color is from a liquid to patina the copper. Each piece was carefully filed, sanded, drilled, and then riveted together. The arm swings from its shoulder rivet and the hand/chain dangles. The mouth (spiral) can also shift up & down. The rest of the pieces don't move. I had a pretty complex design for the first time EVER doing this stuff. It was pretty stressful to put it all together and although the results came out fine, some things didn't come out as initially planned. I know it's because it was my first time and we had to work on this outside of class as homework, so didn't have assistance. There was a lot of trial, error, aggravation, and bruising!

The piece I used to cut out the hair ended up working as a removable stand by hooking with the front curl.

The back side:

FIRST JEWELRY PROJECT:

The current jewelry project I'm working on is in progress. The concept behind it is "Breaking free". This is what I have so far...a hollow form padlock and a start of a chain (antique finish and dark patina). The piece on the right is the back of the lock, which I may attach in an alternative way. The paper one on top is the maquette as a rough model. A lot more is to come!


Darkened with some sample chain shown:WOULD LOVE ANY FEEDBACK!
:)
ALL THE BEST,
TANIA