-
1. Starting with an oval piece of annealed 16 gauge brass sheet for the head. -
2. shaping the head with the hydraulic press. -
3. Using raising techniques to bring up the sides. This is actually more difficult to do on a small piece like this than on one several times as big. -
4. Annealing. These first three steps had to be repeated several times to get the head small enough. -
5. A few steps later, showing a punch and the results of using it with the hydraulic press to push out the nose. -
6. More forming to get the curve correct. -
7. Finally, after seven stages of punching and raising, the sides have come around enough. -
8. Punching out the nose to get the proper shape, using a sand bag. -
9. eyes punched in some from the outside, and a small hole drilled for the mouth. -
10. I used a tapered punch to push out and enlarge the mouth from the inside. -
11. pushing out some areas of the face that need it. -
12. The hollow form has been filled with micro-crystalline wax. -
13. By partially melting the wax on both surfaces, the face is adhered to a wax base. -
14. The repoussé part (Pushing the metal out from behind) having been done, it's time for the chasing (pushing the metal in from the outside). -
15. More chasing, forming the area around the mouth.