Let’s learn the Art of Repousse’
Chasing and repoussé are used to create dimensional works of art, most commonly in silver, for jewelry, flatware, serving pieces, and accessories.
Date: April 15th
Time: 10 am-3pm (6 hours)
Cost: $220
Level: 1 All levels
Prerequisite: No experience necessary! This is one of our Jewelry Foundations courses, which is necessary for continuing on to more advanced classes
Instructor: Tom Wilson
Tom Wilson is an artist, illustrator and blacksmith who has been forging for over 50 years. He is a sought after designer and restorer and has worked on high-profile restorations including: the White House Portico Gates, the gates of the Globe Theatre in London, the entrance gates at Petit Palais in Paris, interiors for Neues Schloss in Germany & the Wisconsin State Capitol. He has given metal art seminars in Asia, the Middle East, the United States and many countries in Europe. His original ironwork decorates interiors and exteriors of residential, commercial and civic buildings in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Chasing and repoussé are ancient techniques (possibly since 3000 B.C.!) that are still done basically the same way they were done back then. In simple terms, repoussé means to push forward or push up (it means “push up” in French); it refers to the metal being raised by hammering from the back to create dimension on the front. Chasing (from the French chasser, meaning “to chase”) outlines the pushed-forward designs by pushing back around their edges to define them.After the first round of repoussé work is completed, the raised areas are filled with softened pitch to support them. The pitch is allowed to cool and harden before the piece is returned to the pitch pot, face up this time. Then the chasing work begins to outline and define the areas raised during repoussé. In very detailed designs, this process can be repeated many times–with cleaning and annealing between each step. Chasing and repoussé is a time-consuming technique that involves many steps and quite a bit of repetition, making it a true artisan craft that is becoming more and more rare. Ref. Nancy L T Hamilton
What you will be doing:
- Cut sterling sheet to size
- Transfer your design to your silver sheet
- Apply the sheet to the pitch pot
- Chase your design
- Remove and anneal your piece
- Re-apply the sheet to the pitch pot
- You may use this technique again
- Remove your piece form the pitch
- Clean
- Sand, file
- Clean polish and wear your own handmade piece by you!
Topics this class will cover:
- A chasers pitch
- A pencil or fine marker pen.
- Sheet Copper , silver and gold
- A selection of smooth and round steel punches
- A selection of blunt, chisel-shaped punches.
- A repousse’ hammer / chasing hammer
- A hand torch
What you’ll take home with you:
A very cool piece you just made, and a understanding of the chasing / repousse’ facet of jewelry making. This class will allow you move metal making any type of jewelry using the chasing connection that is one of the basic, fundamental and important part of jewelry making.
Materials:
All tools and materials will be provided for this class.
What you need to bring:
Bring your A game! And a lunch for yourself if you’d like, we have lunch break at noon for approximately 45 minutes.
