Metal decorations bring elegance to a room's decor.
Working with metal isn't as difficult as you may think. It does require some special tools, though. You'll need tools that can cut through and bend metals like copper, steel, brass, aluminum and silver. Gold isn't used very much because of its cost.
For steel, you will need an acetylene torch to make your cuts. For the other softer metals, a regular saw can be utilized, but it will need a special blade specifically for cutting through brass, copper and the like. If you use sheets of soft metal, metal shears will work.
Instructions
1. This silver rose would take a great deal of expertise to create.
Design your metal art decoration. Some popular themes for metal art are a starburst design, the sun or planets and birds or trees. Abstract designs are also quite popular and make a good choice for the beginner.
Draw your design on a large sheet of paper. If this is your first metal art project, do not make the design too complex. Save the intricate details for a later project when you are more experienced.
2. Soft metals are easier to work with.
Draw patterns, if necessary, of the main objects in your design. Paper patterns can be helpful for guiding you during the cutting process. Lay a pattern down on the metal and draw the shape onto the metal surface.
For example, if you are creating a sun with six rays shooting out from it out of brass, then draw the round shape and the rays and try to cut the entire piece with the rays included. The rays could also be cut separately and attached later with screws.
3. Intricate details can be applied to metal.
Carefully cut the design out of the piece of metal. Special caution is required if you use an acetylene torch. Be sure to wear protective eye wear and gloves. Small bits of metal fragments can cause injuries.
Once the piece has been completely cut out, check the edges for unevenness. Use a metal file to remove snags and rough areas that have been cut poorly.
4. Metal has been used for centuries to decorate building exteriors.
Bend and emboss the metal. Using your design as a template, bend the metal in the appropriate places. If your design calls for artistic indentations in the metal, then these can be accomplished with a hammer or rubber mallet.
If you are working with a soft metal, use ordinary things you might find around the house for embossing. Lay the metal on a soft surface, such as a stack of newspapers, then place a large marble onto the metal. Holding the marble firmly with two fingers, hit it with a rubber mallet. This will make a round, convex indentation on the front of the metal.
5. With the right tools, designing metallic art can be fun and rewarding.
Stamp the metal. Stamping, piercing and punching are techniques that involve striking a tool against metal with a mallet. Leaves can be stamped by placing the end of a spoon on the inside of the metal and striking it with a rubber mallet. Use nails to pierce through the metal and makes holes. A large round metal washer can help you create circular designs on the metal.
6. Experienced metal workers can create whimsical pieces of art.
Attach your metal art decoration to the outside of a building or room. Metal art decorations can work as more than simple decor. When used as a facade for the outside of a building, a metal art decoration can indicate a sheet metal shop or metal working class for students.
Your metal art decoration can be attached to the wall of a building or room using regular screws or nails.
Tags: your design, metal decoration, rubber mallet, acetylene torch, building room
