Piece a Week #11: Something New and Intimidating and Without a Teacher, OH MY! (by Lisa)

Somewhere in the middle of my "40 in 15 Day Challenge", I read an online tutorial on chasing and repousse.

I was particularly fascinated because this technique usually requires a pitch pot.

Pitch pot

I do not have one of those.

The tutorial uses a bench anvil, cardboard and neoprene rubber. I can do that! I did some price comparing online and found a 12x12 piece of 1/4 inch neoprene for $14.00 from Grainger. Ordered it...and then waited.

It arrived.

And now it is waiting for me.

I am intimidated.

The last video I watched on chasing and repousse, the artist tells the camera (thus me), that is takes many, many years to do this technique...and if you make a mistake THERE IS NO CORRECTING IT!! You have to KNOW HOW TO HOLD THE TOOLS!!

THE PROFESSIONAL ARTIST TOLD ME SO.

And then I stumbled across this video (this one is long, but is art in itself...) Not only do I love Hiroyuki Shimokura's work, it just seems so peaceful. His concentration. His inspiration. And again...lovely work.

I admit I am writing this BEFORE I have even tried one hammer-stroke.
It is 9:19am.
I will come back to this after doing SOMETHING!

10:30am.  Ew. That didn't work.

10:47am. Hm. That worked.

10:50-11:26am. Thinking about what worked.

11:30 Eat a cheese sandwich. Have coffee.

1:03 This is what I came up with.

I decided to go easy on myself. Do "my style" with a little more movement in the metal. The leaf is copper with a design imprinted via the rolling mill. Then a piece of silver wire. Torch. The wire leaves an imprint while the silver spreads over the piece. Some hammering and repousse. A gentle repousse, if you will. Buffed it out and applied a light flame to add the patina.

In summation. I used the repousse technique for adding to the overall effect rather than doing an entire piece where the chasing and repousse defines the piece. That will come in time. More practice and having the right tools.

The picture isn't very convincing! But there IS more shape and movement. Anyone who has seen my recent "leaf" series and hearts know that they are very "flat." Both of these pieces have more shape. A nice addition to what I do.

...and I already have another idea to work on.

Peace. :)