After some etching zinc and copper I was keen to use these techniques on a larger piece of copper.

For some time I wanted to create a triptych of panels in copper where the plate could be printed the metal plate was also a piece of art itself that could be displayed. I liked the way of creating patinas of oxidisation using liquids to hasten the reaction and creating blue and greenish colours.

The starting point was three drawings from previous college work where there was a link between the three perhaps a flow or perhaps a transformation over time between physical states. I also wanted to have some three dimensional aspect to the panels. After some discussion I decided to forget about etching these for printing and explore the sculptural use of the copper with drawing.

A couple of years previously I was inspired two years previously by an exhibition at Dancing Light Gallery by Sue White Oaks.

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Sue White Oaks worked in copper and had assembled and soldered pieces of copper for domestic plumbing at her home and then realised the metal could be used to represent and express her love for the shapes of living creatures through evolution. An industrial designer she saw a connection between abstract looking industrial robots and the mechanistic form of a beetle.

She made a copper sculpture “Rhinoceros after Durer” which was modelled on Albrecht Durer's woodcut which in turn was based on a sketch by an unknown artist of an rhinoceros brought to Lisbon from India.

Sue White Oakes' copper sculpture was created based on the woodcut and was one of her sculptures that could be bronzed by James Parker.

Statement of Intent

I am going to explore sculptural use of copper and drawing and draw on other artists.

There are many different techniques and techniques possible with copper and many tool so I will limit myself to a few basic ones to give me a way to express myself.

I still want to make large copper panels that are robust and can be kept outdoors but for this college module I will start on a smaller scale using thinner copper that is cheaper and can be easily cut and will be quicker to start work with.

I will look at whether copper can be collaged by attaching smaller pieces and whether this can be done solder to start with.

Preliminary Research

I visited the artist Bryony Knox, a Silversmith at her studio for a chat about using copper for a large panel. I showed her the thin roll I had but it is probably too thin for a panel, she had tried various thicknesses and suggested using copper that come in rolls 30cm x3.6m and is 0.127 mm thick as it is thick enough to hold shape but thicker that would take all day to shape. It could be attached to a panel and hold shape if filled behind, perhaps with plaster, otherwise it would dent if you pushed it on the wall. Bryony also recommended rivets to join pieces instead of solder. The problem with solder and copper is that the entire piece has to be raised to the right temperature, you cannot just apply heat to the part to be joined as on a large piece the heat will not be enough as it is conducted over a large area. There is also the problem that this can spoil any colour you worked hard to get on the pieces being worked on. There is also the issue of having something large enough such as thermal bricks that are heat proof underneath. Bryony told me rivets can be used to join pieces too. She uses pitch which supports the piece while hammering, it can be melted in an old frying pan. Also you can use something like a mouse mat which has some give. Metal workers also use wooden anvils and mandrels they make themselves from logs with depressions or raised curves to shape the metal around. As well as oxidising to green and blue she makes red by heating then reducing the temperature rapidly with water. She combines different metals and colours.

Rivets – drill a hole insert rivet and hammer and saw off.

Her degree piece with many techniques including sawing

Hinges and rivets

Initial Mark making