Leah,
The tool we use for metal repousee is a ball point pen (not bic type of
pens) with the ball point clicked in not out. I put up a sign in the
teacher's lounge and collected 25 of them from other teacher's desks.
Occassionally they break thru the metal but not often. We use wooden clay
tools for the bossing and chasing (Thanks Linda!!-I just call it popping in
and popping out-nice to know the correct terminology) Other than that we
do it as Linda describes below. We paint them afterwards with india ink.
It rolls around on the metal but eventually settles into it's own
interesting pattern with the metal showing thru. Then just let it dry. I
also have students write poetry in response to their metal repousee and
mount them together. I only allow 5th gr. to do this and I make a big deal
out of them getting to use an elaborate media. Oh another thing I do is
cut the metal into various sizes and let the kids choose a long rectangle, a
small square, a large square etc. so that they have to plan their idea and
match it to an appropriate shape.
Cindy
repouss?... embossing in metal foil. i have kids draw a design on a
sheet of newsprint the same size as the foil they will get. they use a
marker to do this so that they don't get so intricate a design that it
would be impossible to work in the foil. when the design is finished
and approved, they tape it to the foil. the tools i have them use are
tongue depressors clipped in half on a diagonal with a garden clippers.
sand the cut edge a little to smooth it. this makes a pretty handy
tool.... can use the point, the short side, and the curved end for
different effects. place the foil w/ newsprint taped on it on top of a
thick pad of newspaper and trace over the design using a dull pencil.
this will emboss the design into the foil. then remove the newsprint
design and work the foil some more. the proper terms are "bossing"
(pushing out from the back side) and "chasing" (pushing in from the
front side). you can really get a nice relief by working both sides so
a figure and ground are developed. permanent markers work on the foil.
also there are ways to patina the metal although you would have to be
careful with toxicity of some of those products. i usually use 6"x9"
pieces of foil, leave them uncolored and mount them on black poster
boards for display. there are great art historical connections with the
metalwork of pre-columbian cultures (inca, etc) and modern mexican folk
art.
linda in michigan
On Jan 17, 2006, at 7:03 PM, leah rachlis wrote:
> and a few other things...
>
> Hi All,
>
> I've been lurking for most of last semester, trying to keep my
> negativity to myself - but I am back with a slightly improved
> attitude, and a little more enthusiasm.
>
> Last semester was AWFUL, from day one, I was so unprepared. Thanks to
> many of you, I had a few days worth of warms ups, after my mom died to
> get the semester started with, and I did get my act together to some
> degree, but I spent all semester feeling as though I was one step
> behind every step of the way.
>
> So, that's over with.
>
> I spent winter break giving my art room a much needed purge, and found
> some things I not only didn't know I had, but am not too sure what to
> do with - so - I am looking for suggestions. On some of these it is
> not that I don't have lessons, but I have been unsuccessful with the
> media and I am hoping someone out there has some tips and tricks for
> me:
>
> such as:
>
> non-drying modeling clay... how do you explain to itty bitties that
> they can play with it, but not keep it? OR is there someway to do
> something with it that will give it permanence? I tired coating with
> an acrylic clear coat- that just made a mess... any thoughts? I have a
> few pounds of brightly colored bricks of modeling clay.
>
> and:
>
> Sheets of metal, for decorating, with a dull nib... then draws on with
> permanent markers? I ve seen finished pieces, but never directions -
> or background.
>
> AND - my deepest secret- scratch board:
>
> 1st, I've heard tell, that you can make your own with crayons covered
> with India ink, but I have yet to succeed at that , (I tried putting
> plaster powder over the coloring- that made a mess... ) and I have
> some store bought boards, and stylists - and they DO NOT WORK.... I
> can not get them to work, it just trashes the surfaces - I suspect I
> am doing something terribly wrong, and do feel pretty foolish - But I
> am confident someone out there will set me straight!
>
> Now to the exciting part:
>
>
> In my spare time, I have somehow completed more than 2/3rds of my
> course work for my Masters Degree (it's not that I learned a great
> deal about specific art projects- it is more that I learned where to
> go and when to ask for help).
>
> AND - for my Elementary Methods class, I need to interview art
> teachers from schools with varying socio-economic populations. So I
> am looking for some of you who might spare me a few of their precious
> moments (probably on the weekend) where I would call you and pick your
> brain for about 20 minutes. I world really appreciated it.
>
> oh - as far as varying socio-economic backgrounds go, I teach at a
> (nearly broke) charter school, with a very diverse population, so even
> a pretty poor traditional district school is varied from ours, and I
> guess we'd be considered at least URBAN, if not inner city. While it
> is not the Bronx, or East L.A., we are the second biggest city in
> Colorado, and I am deep in the heart of "Downtown!"
>
> Thanks ALL!
>
> Leah in Colorado
>
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