Sculpting On Metal – Fascinating Aesthetic And Practical Uses

What is a metal sculpture? Is it something that we see as art or is it something that we see in daily life like on gates, balustrades, metal masks, railings etc.? Actually the scope of the art of sculpting on metal can encompass both the aspects. While metal sculpting may not be as quirky or different like the perfectly imperfect sculptures of Bruce Catalano. That is art that is completely different and takes a very unique way of thinking.

You will realize that the definition of art can compass these quirky and unique pieces of art as well as pieces of art like the most famous sculptures across the globe, which have been rendered in many different forms of materials. It could also include works of art made out of metal like the most creative recycled utensil sculptures by Subodh Gupta.

When It Comes Sculpting On Metal, Many People Have Different Approaches, Some Of These Include:

Pouring hot metal into molds to form figurine: This form would of course require the artist to know about the procedure and the safety measures to be taken while heating, melting and handling metal. The mold can be created out of many different things depending on the metal being used and the size of the sculpture being worked on. Many artists specialize in the making of molds that are used for this purpose and there are those who make the mold, pour the metal and then further carve the metal sculpture to add the final and finer details.

Sculpting on thin sheets of metal: Many artists take thin sheets of metal like silver, bronze etc and use tools to sculpt on it. This kind of art can be very fascinating to work on and are often used as decorative pieces.  Even jewelry can be created using the method where the thin sheets of metal after being sculpted can be filled with wax or lac to create a solid piece. Sometimes when the thin sheets of metal are used for decorative pieces, would be placed on a wooden platform to form a piece of art.

Modernistic pieces of sculpted metal: Today modern artists have started using bits of scrap metal to come up with many pieces of art that are not only beautiful to look at but also inspirational as they propagate use of waste material.

Machine made metal sculpture: This is often commercially mass produced and used in augmentation and decoration of our homes. These could include ornate gates, gratings on fireplaces, fencing of different types, door handles, balustrades, door knockers, gates etc. These can be priced according to the intricacy of the designs required. One has to pay according to the uniqueness of the design and the kind of metal used for such metal sculpting work.

The art of sculpting on metal can really be fascinating and satisfying in terms of fulfilling your artistic tendencies.  But you need to approach this type of art needs to be approached with caution and proper education needs to be acquired before you start on this work. You will after all be handling metal and that too sometimes at very hot temperatures. What is more, the metal that is used can also have sharp edges which need to be handled with the right equipment and precautions.

So, the next time you are seeking to buy some metal sculptures whether in the form of expensive art or the kind that is made by machines, do spare thought to the kind of work that goes into the creation of such work. You will find that you appreciate this even more.