Forging Class, or Metal Origami

Annealing a folded piece of copper sheet.  

My workspace at the MAC studio. 

So, yesterday was week two of my hammering and forging class at Multnomah Arts Center. I thought it might be a fine moment to provide an update on what we've been up to.

Foldforming is really fun--and, essentially, quite straightforward. It's all about: bending, hammering, annealing, unbending. There are a lot of variations to be done within this fairly simple set of steps, but that's what it comes down to. You create lines and shapes in metal with folds, which you then set in place with hammer blows. Then you heat the sheet to soften it back up, and unfold it to see what you get.

See:

Here are some of the samples our instructor has had us working on. My head swims with the possibilities these will present in finished jewelry work.

Next week we'll begin working on bringing more three dimensionality to the process, adding curves and spirals and flower-like shapes. So. Excited.

And on that note, check out this beautiful piece of inspiration: Marie Charpentier, "Polypores" ring, made of anodized aluminum.

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