In the
previous post of The Jewel Affair some very interesting techniques like
Filigree, Repousse´ & Chasing and Enamelling were discussed in detail. In
the proceeding post, subjects like acid etching, stamping, embossing and engraving
will be dealt with.
Acid
Etching: etching has been derived from a German word for ‘eat’. This technique
literally lets the acid bite into the metal surface to create relief patterns.
In other words it can be described as a technique which uses the concept of
corrosion for metal decoration. The basic idea is to create a design on the
metal and cover the areas which one wants in high relief with acid proof
substance. Thereafter the metal plate is submerged in acid and then the exposed
areas start corroding and creating relief patterns.
The
earliest findings of this techniques dates back to 1500 A.D. The technique was
most widely used for creating armours and art work but today the technique is
more widespread. Nowadays it is also being used as a preliminary step in the
process of enamelling.
The
latest version of acid etching process is Photo Etching. In this process the
metal sheet is firstly covered with photosensitive polymers to avoid any
deforming of the metal because of its exposure to the ultra violet light. Then
with the help of computer aided software patterns are created and transferred
on the metal with the help of UV lights. Then the metal sheet is thoroughly
cleaned and then it is laminated. The laminated piece is put into the photo
tools and again exposed to UV lights. The selected areas of the laminate are
converted into acid proof areas. The sheet is then sprayed with acid and
corrosion takes place. Thereafter, the sheet is cleaned again and the result is
smooth relief patterns.
The
advantage of this method is its low cost of production; it is not a labour-
intensive technique, requires less cleaning and finishing and the precision
achieved is remarkable.
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| ACID ETCHING |
Stamping:
it is a procedure in which the metal is pressed between steel dies in a
hydraulic press at very high pressure. This method is ideal for large scale
production and is widely used for manufacturing coins, pendants, earrings and
shanks. On a smaller scale it can be taken up individually with the help of
stamps, hammer and other tools. Here the process is relatively simple when
taken up individually than the other techniques. The only drawback is that the
design options here are limited.
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| STAMPED JEWELRY |
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| STAMPS |
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| TOOLS FOR STAMPING |
Embossing:
under this technique the metal is usually punched from behind to create relief
work on the other side. Varieties of tools are used to achieve the desired
result. First and foremost the design is traced out on the metal foils or
sheets with the help of a stylus, which is an embossing tool. The design is
then worked around with a couple of more tools to create the relief. The height
of the relief is a matter of personal choice. Finally some pointed tools are
used to refine the design from front and the design is finished with buffing
tools.
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| EMBOSSED JEWELRY |
Engraving:
it is an art of carving out designs on metal surfaces. A chisel is usually used
to incise the design, which is also termed as a burin. Chisels come in various
varieties and are used by metal workers on all sorts of metals like copper,
steel, gold and silver. Engraving is used for various purposes like jewelry,
armours, weapons and kitchenware. With technological advancement machines are
created for engraving bigger sheets of metal and sometimes dyes are also used
for engraving designs.
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| ENGRAVING |
One
can say that these techniques of metal decoration have revolutionised the way
it was used by the pre-historic man. Owing to these techniques beautiful
artwork started developing. When one looks back, these techniques also give us
important clues about our ancestors and the way development came about in those
times. So, these techniques have not only beautified the world around us but
also show us how we have evolved through these centuries.
*Pictures adopted from Google.
