Metal Art and Copper Sculpture Overview By Ivan Smith At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Copper sculpture is a very old art form and in the Americas it can be traced back to Purepecha Indians of Central Mexico. The first shaping of copper was done to create farming and domestic implements and weapons by hammering copper ingots into shape.

Modern copper sculptures are created using techniques and technology far advanced from the beginnings of the art form. While many technologies may be used, the most common and popular is to creates a sculpture by shaping separate pieces of copper sheeting then weld them together. This allows the sculptor to produce as large a piece as he desires.

The process begins with the forming of the copper sheets into bowl shapes. This allows the sculptor to then heat the forms and hammer them into the rough desired shape. If gaps appear in the metal during the shaping process, these are filed using welding rods. The artist usually works with a paper pattern to guide him in both the initial sheet metal cutting process and well as in the shaping. Most artists making copper sculptures do not use highly detailed sketches, but rather rougher free hand drawings so the if, in the process of shaping the metal, the emerging shapes offer new opportunities, he can quickly modify the sketch to have an idea of the end result of any mid course changes.

The individual parts are worked on till they take their final shape. Any rework after the welding is done may damage the welds. Any surface irregularities are removed by hammering with a unique rocking motion that allows the indents on the surface to be either raised or lowered.

Before the welding begins, the final finish is applied to the individual pieces. The color options are chocolate brown, wine read, running black streaks and the standard bright polished finish. Since the finish is given to individual pieces one at a time in the forge, the final patinas will always have small variances. If he so desires the artist can remove the natural patina through buffing and leave behind the shiny surface. A piece of copper sculpture with a shiny finish will require regular polishing to maintain the shine.

The artist may add silver decoration to the copper sculpture by etching a design on the surface to the shaped pieces and dipping them into an electrically charged bath which fuses the two metals together. Copper sculptures are often given a clear lacquer finish to protect the metal from the elements.

Once all the pieces are complete in every details, the welding process begins. In the case of copper this is usually done by a process called tig welding where a filler rod is heated by tungsten gas to fix the pieces in place.

Copper sculpture is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Copper is a favorite material of artists who specialize in modern or abstract art. Except in the case of sculptures with a polished finish, copper sculpture requires no maintenance except for a simple dusting or wipe down with a damp cloth. The use of cleaning agents is not recommended as they may affect the finish of the metal.

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