13 replies to this topic

[Kevin Caron]

We have been calling my work "Formed Steel".


Is this the right term?

Any ideas for the correct term??

[ShawnM]

Well, "direct metal sculpture" is the generic term I have heard used a lot.

[PTsideshow]

Donna Z. Meilach Direct Metal Sculpture Is one book that can help in answering your question. Most local Libraries have a copy and they are being republished now.
Another one of her great books

The Thames and Hudson Manual of Direct Metal Sculpture

[AvishaiW]

If what we do is " direct metal sculpture" , it means that there is also "indirect metal sculpture". Will it include bronze casting of clay sculptures and lost wax castings for example?

[PTsideshow]

To answer your question yes indirect would be the fashioning an abject in one medium then casting it in your choice of metal. Additive metal sculpture would be starting with an armature and then welding additively to the base. Such as Warrens horse which has numerous layers and passes of weld bead to give form and texture to a piece.

There is also another direction that is used in both jewelry and sculpture Jewelry and Sculpture through unit construction It deals with combining smaller like units. Into larger pieces, that the elements are repetitive in nature. The term unit construction doesn't have a nice as ring as direct sculpture.

Another great book is Creative Welded Sculpture

Subtractive sculpture generally refers to Stone, wax, plaster and wood carving which simply put is the practice of starting out with a block of some material. And then removing anything or parts that don't resemble what subject matter you are carving.

Now there is a guy on the sculpture forum that uses a gasoline/oxy and oxy/acetylene torch to carve blocks of steel. 9 min. video of carving steel head is the thread

Ries
I thought you were going to actually carve it-
there is an old process, often called "eisenhowering" in which you actually carve steel with a hammer and chisel.
I saw this blacksmith, I think his name is Ward Grossman- from Wyoming, demonstrate it at the Abana conference in Flagstaff a few years ago- he had gone to London, and examined all these historical swords and other carved items from several hundred years ago, then taught himself how to do it. I saw him carve a piece of 3" square- he made it look easy, although he was also built a bit like Arnold.

So I guess depending on which school or area of the art world a person has come from. The real bottom line is calling it what works for you, but be mindful of what descriptive terms might be used by galleries and or shows.

[warrent]

This is the way I understand it.

Direct metal sculpture is when you actually make a sculpture by adding melted metal by either O/A, stick or MIG to create the sculpture.

Fabricated sculpture is when you weld pieces of metal together to create the sculpture. The pieces can be formed before or after welded.

Kevin, now after looking at the pieces you posted I would call those abstract fabricated metal sculptures using wire. Or could be called welded wire sculptures.

Formed sculpture to me would mean the piece is just formed from one piece of metal.

Of course they are all just types of metal sculptures and we can add any adjectives to our liking to call what they are.

Casted sculpture is just that, made using a casting method.

[Kevin Caron]

Thanks guys!!

We both are a little bit smarter now. Have been looking for the right name for a while.

back to work.....

[ArtWerkz]

addiction...lol

[Matt Weber]

Direct metal sculpture is when you actually make a sculpture by adding melted metal by either O/A, stick or MIG to create the sculpture.

Yup.

[Naturalsteel]

I think direct metal sculpture is the best general term differentiating us from the bronze casters.

When describing a particular piece for the general public I use “forged” to refer to any significant amount of hammer work including forging, raising, sinking and riposse. I use “fabricated” for significant amounts of welding, brazing, cutting and simple bends. Most of my pieces are forged and fabricated(although some are just one or the other). I once included “carved” for a piece that had a lot of work with a die grinder too but usually that’s not significant enough to get mentioned. Anyone who needs more precise language than that can usually get me into a detailed discussion about the whole process.

[moose]

ART
Therapy
FUN

Does it truely matter?

[Kevin Caron]

Thanks guys.

Moose, it does for the lady running my office and doing all my paperwork and promotions.

Oh yeah, shes my wife, so it matters to me as well.


You know how it goes.....

[moose]

Thanks guys.

Moose, it does for the lady running my office and doing all my paperwork and promotions.

Oh yeah, shes my wife, so it matters to me as well.


You know how it goes.....

Yes I do!!!!!!!!!

[warrent]

From my studies the guy who lets say started the direct metal sculpture process was Julio Gonzalez. Here is a little about him:
In Paris he associated with the Spanish circle of artists of Montmartre, including Pablo Gargallo, Juan Gris and Max Jacob. In 1918, he developed an interest in the artistic possibilities of welding, after learning the technique whilst working in the Renault factory at Boulogne-Billancourt. This technique would subsequently become his principal contribution to sculpture. In 1920 he renewed his acquaintance with Picasso, for whom he later provided technical assistance in executing sculptures in iron, participating to Picasso's researches on analytic cubism. He also forged the infrastructures of Constantin Brâncuşi's plasters.[1] In the winter of 1927-28, he showed Picasso how to use oxy-fuel welding and cutting.[1] From October 1928 till 1932, both men worked together—and in 1932, González was the only artist with whom Picasso shared his own personal art carnet.[1] Influenced by Picasso, the fifty-year-old González deeply changed his style, exchanging bronze for iron, and volumes for lines.[1]

In 1937 he contributed to the Spanish Pavilion at the World Fair in Paris (La Monserrat, standing near Guernica), and to Cubism and Abstract Art at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. That same year he moved to Arcueil, near Paris, where he died in 1942.

And a little more:
The introduction of the oxyacetylene welding torch as a sculptor’s tool has revolutionized metal sculpture in recent years. A combination of welding and forging techniques was pioneered by the Spanish sculptor Julio González around 1930; and during the 1940s and 1950s it became a major sculptural technique, particularly in Britain and in the United States,


I did have something stored somewhere but cannot find that goes a little bit more about the direct metal sculpture process describing about how building up with melted metal was mentioned.

Here is a couple of Gonzalez's work. Great stuff.

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