Metalsmithing - Raising & Forming

I took a course in Metalsmithing - Raising & Forming over the summer. I dealt with larger and thicker sheets of metal than in my Metal Arts/Jewelry class. It took a lot of physical strength, a few blisters, and a LOT of noise, to create these pieces with hammers and large torches from flat sheets of metal.

Flower Bowl

The first project was taking a flat square of thick copper and creating a raised bowl. Then we could do whatever we wanted with the bowl. I decided to give it a unique floral look, then used heat patina over it.

Pod Pens

The second assignment was to create hollow pod shapes from flat copper sheets. I made the first one into a pen after giving it texture applying a heat peanut oil patina and rubbing it back. The pen insert can be replaced when it runs out of ink.

I created a vine look with the second copper larger and longer one. It's more of a velvety grey in person, but looks green in the photo. It can be made into a pen also.

Copper Deco Dish

For the third project, we created our own wooden die and used it to hammer the shape to a thick copper sheet. I used an oval cut out in the wood and transformed the copper sheet's shape, also adding texture and drain holes (in case used as a soap dish or planter). I wanted to give in an organic, somewhat art deco or old-fashioned look.

Kinetic Abstract Floral Necklace

For the final, we had to use techniques we learned and apply them to our own design. I made a sculptural copper pendant using the bowl and hollow pod methods. I had to create a small bowl from a flat sheet first and also the small pod. I used brass tubing on the back to hang it from the leather cord necklace. The pod moves and dangles, so also creates sound.