Metal artwork ranges from jewelry to large sculptures.
Metalworking is an ancient craft indeed. Many different metals go into artwork, including iron, gold, copper and copper alloys, lead, tin, silver and pewter. Many forms of metal appear in artwork as well, such as metal wire, molten metal and sheet metal. Metal is manipulated, or worked, into useful forms by casting and forging. Although metal is a very hard, durable material to form, those are qualities that make it desirable to create lasting and unusual art.
Types of Metalworking
Soldering is a process that involves melting a metal alloy and applying it to join two pieces of metal together like glue. Riveting involves joining metal with rivets, small bolt-like metal joiners that go into holes punched in the metal. Welding joins metal by melting it together. Casting is a metal forming process that involves melting metal into a liquid form and pouring it into a mold. Forging is a metal forming process that involves heating metal until it is pliable enough to bend into desirable shapes. Stamping, punching and wire wrapping are other forms of metal working.
Jewelry
Metal is an essential material in jewelry making. Gold, silver and copper wire wrap around precious and semi-precious gemstones and precious metals are melted and formed in molds or free-formed while warm and pliable. Artists cut metal sheets and shape and stamp them into decorative accessory items. Precious and semi-precious metals make settings for precious gems, rare stones and pearls.
Sculpture and Hanging Items
Metals create sculptures, either abstract or realistic. Artists weld scrap metal into sculpture to mimic familiar forms like human figures or whimsical designs such as realistic or fantasy animals. Mismatched metal or silver spoons make interesting wind chimes when hung in a group as a mobile. Disposable aluminum bakeware is easy for anyone, from pre-school age to adult, to form into artistic shapes by bending and folding. Tabletop sculptures form from a variety of metal materials such as flexible copper sheets and wire or around colored glass to make sun catchers.
Signage
Metal makes decorative signs, either painted or stamped or both. Hard metals such as tin, flexible steel and aluminum form signs with stamping and forming tools, mallets and blocks. Metal signs hang on walls and post on stakes or poles.
Wall Art
Metal wall art is made from twisted and wrapped wire, stamped and punched metal and formed metal. Junk items, found and salvaged items and recycled items incorporated with metal either by welding, soldering, riveting or wire wrapping produce unusual and lasting wall hangings. Metal artists create flat or two dimensional scenes, imagery and angled and linear art from various metals.
