THERE SHALL BE FIRE

METAL AGED BOOKS

INTERMEDIATE 3-D ART

copper, brass, aluminum sheets and wires, metal tools, propane torch

I save this metal unit until the end of the year.

It's complex and a bit dangerous,

and requires lots of expensive tools .

And there is a huge take out and clean up issue.

So by the end of the year my students are well trained in safety and critical thinking,

and not as likely to waste the supplies or get hurt.

I start with several exercises in cutting, aging, stamping piercing, and etching the metal.

We also experiment with various patinas.

The students are required to turn in 6 preliminary pieces that show all these exercises 

before being allowed to get started on their books.

Here we are seeing senior Bianca Tolentino's prelims. above and her book below. 

She has done a beautiful job of etching designs into her front and back covers.

I also see stamping and a torched patina.

The pages inside her book vary in color and edge treatment,

making it very interesting to the eye.

Next we have the prelims from senior Daphne Chiang,

and her booklet below.

Daphne was able to achieve an amazing rainbow patina with the propane torch.

She has also used stamping

 and a technique I call frog butt which makes wonderful bumpy textures.

She has filled her book with various neutral papers with lots of fun edge treatments.

And I love her pierced window opening on the bottom corner of her backside

with the word "good-bye".

So clever.

And lastly we have senior Kaili Hamada.

Kaili loved this unit and did way more then the required 6 pieces for her prelims.

She's built in an organic pierced window on the front side of her book,

and has also achieved an amazing torched patina.

She's got a lot of great frog butt going on along with some cute rivets.

And when you look thru her window you see this great piece of paper she has decorated.

Have you noticed that all three girls have made a metal bookmark?

Kaili has etched words into her tab.

And the backside is just as cool as her front.

Fantastic etched images and words.

When Bianca finished her book she had a bit of extra time 

so she played around with some thinner copper sheeting I bought.

Notice those cute little copper melted beads on the ends of the center wires.

They are so fun to make.

I'm not sure if she torched this flower piece by piece,

 or if she torched it after the flower was complete.

I also think those are staples holding the flower together.

Clever girl!