Mixed Media: Metal Tooling
Lesson Focus:
This lesson focuses on creating a design using shape and pattern and transferring it
to aluminum or copper foil to create a bas relief. The piece will be sprayed with
paint and the color will be removed from the ridges.
Vocabulary:
Bas Relief: Image projects slightly from the surface. High-relief/low-relief.
Form: The visible shape of something, three-dimsensional.
Line: A long, thin mark made by pencil, pen, etc.
Metal tooling: The art of using modeling tools to create a three dimensional work
on metal foil.
Pattern: A repeated decorative design.
Space: The dimensions of height and width, two-dimensional.
Texture: The feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or substance.
Procedure:
 Create a sketch on 12”x12” manila paper. You must incorporate a border that
is no larger than 2”. Inside the border, you will create a pattern of shapes and
lines.
 On the inside of the pattern, create an interesting design, with either an
abstract or realistic image(s). Don’t make it too congested, you will loose the
subject matter.
 Show me the sketch, and once approved, choose either aluminum or copper
foil. Tape the corners as they are very sharp!
 Tape your sketch to the metal and go over your lines with a pen. This will
imprint your design onto the metal.
 Place newspapers under your foil. Using pens, paint brush handles, etc., begin
to press the metal in, so it pushes out the other side. Flip you piece over to
push out areas of the other side. Keep going back and forth until your relief is
projecting from the surface. Do not press to hard to quickly or you will poke a
hole through the piece. You don’t want to do that.
 Once the entire surface is completed, we will spray paint your piece with
black spray paint. Using sand paper, go over your projected and background
areas to bring back the original color of the piece.
 You are finished when there is an antiqued look to your piece.
Materials:
 12”x12” manila paper
 12”x12” aluminum or copper foil
 masking tape
 pencil, eraser
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pens, modeling tools, paint brush handles
newspaper
black spray paint
sandpaper.