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Colorful Hammered Autumn Leaves and Pods
Pound out the rhythm of the changing seasons in full color in this fun virtual class all about metal forming! Through the creation of real - or fanciful - flora from flat copper sheet, we will explore a variety of both traditional and unconventional forming techniques.
We'll begin with an introduction to the simple tools used to make spicula and other small shell forms, including instructions for making your own spiculum block from a 2x4. Then we'll learn to develop patterns and transform flat copper shapes into dimensional organic forms using a variety of hammers, stakes, and forming blocks. Finally, we'll prep our pieces and add vibrant color using colored pencils (optional).
Students will leave the class with the skills to make their own spiculum block, and to transform flat copper sheet into colorful volumetric botanical forms that stand on their own or can be incorporated into jewelry or small sculpture.
Meet the instructor
Kristin Mitsu Shiga (she/they) is a maker, educator and small business owner with more than 30 years of experience currently living and working in rural Oregon.
Throughout her career, Kristin’s desire to balance her individual studio practice and working as part of a larger team allowed her to build an unusual skill set that includes everything from nonprofit arts administration and bookkeeping to armature-building for stop-motion animation studios. From a long line of educators, Kristin is passionate about teaching and has shared her knowledge with students at venues all over the US including Penland, Arrowmont and Haystack Mountain schools of craft, along with programs she established in New York, Oregon and Hawai’i.
Kristin believes that service is a crucial component of any career and has served in a variety of volunteer roles and on numerous nonprofit boards since 2001. She currently serves on the boards of the Hawai'i Artist Collaboration and Frogwood Artist Collaboration, and is in her second term as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the American Craft Council (ACC).
Kristin has shown her work internationally, and is included in several notable collections, including the Kamm Artful Teapot Collection and the Permanent Collection of the White House. You will find her work published in numerous books and magazines, including Art Jewelry Today, The Art of Enameling, Metalsmith’s 2017 Exhibition in Print, and several of Lark’s 500 Series books. Learn more about Kristin’s past work on Oregon Artbeat (segment originally aired in 2010).
Materials & Tools
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name to be redirected to a page where you can view the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is not required - observers are welcome.
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. Students are not required to have these supplies during the course - observers are welcome.
Raw Materials/Consumables
- 1 x 6"x12" copper sheet, 24ga, dead-soft (RioGrande)
Essential Tools
- Spiculum Hammer (Bad Betty, Super Cindy, Macro or Micro - or a combination!)
- Delrin Mallet from RioGrande - 10oz Ginger or 3.5oz Nic
- Assorted Embossing (Ball Pein) Hammers - instructor likes this one (RioGrande)
- Planishing Hammer - for example this one from (RioGrande) or this combo cross peen version (RioGrande)
- Steel Bench Block or other flat steel surface - (RioGrande)
- Jeweler's 6" Saw Frame (RioGrande)
- with 4/0 blades (RioGrande) *OR* Shears
- Half-Round Hand File, Swiss Cut # 2 (RioGrande)
- Needle File Set, Cut # 2, Set of 12 (RioGrande)
You will either need to buy or make a spiculum forming block for this class.
If purchasing
- Large Spiculum Block (NCBlack)
- Bench Vise - needed if you are using a short spiculum block like the one from NC Black (HarborFreight)
Tools list for making the forming block
- 1x 2"x4"x6' (or longer) board, such as # 2 Premium Fir Board (HomeDepot)
- Kutzall Original Rotor Saw Burr, 1⁄8" Shaft, Coarse (amazon)
- 12" File Set (HarborFreight)
- Wood saw, or any hand or power saw that will make a curved cut on a 2x4 will work (amazon)
Optional Additional Tools
- Any additional hammers, stakes and blocks that you already own can probably be used to add texture or other shapes to your pieces - Kristin will share some of her favorites during class.
- Leather Sandbag (RioGrande)
- Urethane Hammer (RioGrande)
- Wooden Dapping Set (amazon)
- Medium Sinusoidal Stake (RioGrande)
- Hoop Mandrel (RioGrande)
- Oval Bracelet Mandrel (RioGrande)
- Parallel-Action Pliers with Nylon Jaws (RioGrande)
For Adding Color (optional)
- You will need a sandblaster
- this Portable Sandblaster is the cheapest option but still requires a compressor (HarborFreight)
- Stealth Ultra Quiet Air Compressor, or similar for sandblaster (amazon)
- Glass Bead Blasting Media (80 grit, 25lb) (HarborFreight)
- Prismacolor Pencils, like this general set, or purchase just the colors you want (amazon)
- Low-Odor Clear Matte Finishing Spray (amazon)
- Liver of Sulfur - this lump form is Kristin's preference, but you can use gel if you prefer (RioGrande)
Basic Soldering/Torch Set-up
- 1 x fireproof area - steel sheet, tiles, etc. (Amazon or Home Depot)
- 1 x Solderite™ pad / pan with pumice (RioGrande or RioGrande)
- 1 x torch - Smith mini, Silversmith, or butane (RioGrande or RioGrande)
- 1 x #0 or #1 torch tip - if getting Silversmith (RioGrande)
- 1 x striker or lighter - Silversmith system has one (RioGrande)
- 1 x soldering tweezers (RioGrande)
- 1 x copper tongs - for pickle (RioGrande)
- 1 x pickle - sodium bisulfate or citric acid (RioGrande or Amazon)
- 1 x brass bristle brush (RioGrande)
- 1 x crock pot or lidded glass container (RioGrande or Amazon)
- 1 x tempered glass container or sink - for quenching and rinsing
- 1 x small brush - for flux
- 1 x liquid hand soap - for cleaning metal