Forging process of metal sculpture

Another important technique in metal sculpture making is forging, which refers to mechanical stamping. For example, a stainless steel sphere is made using mechanical forming; two stainless steel plates are mechanically stamped into shape (two hemispheres welded together to form a sphere), and then multiple grinding and polishing processes create a mirror-finish stainless steel sphere. However, here we are only discussing the forging process, which involves direct handcrafting and hammering. This technique originated from the processing of gold and silver materials. Hand hammering and chiseling techniques were fully utilized in the processing of gold and silver, allowing these materials to achieve various shapes and diverse decorative effects during forging due to different forces and processing techniques.

The forging process is relatively simple, and the forming method is also relatively easy. The forging process for round sculptures and reliefs involves: first, creating a clay model; then, casting a negative mold onto the finished clay model. The mold material must have a certain thickness. Next, wooden planks are used to form a uniform contact surface around the mold. The clay blank inside the negative mold is removed, and the mold is then trimmed with filler material. Finally, copper or stainless steel is cut into various shapes and hammered directly onto the negative mold to form the final shape. The copper and stainless steel plates must have internal steel reinforcement. The plate thickness is 0.4mm-2mm. Copper plates have excellent ductility after heating, while stainless steel plates are used directly for cold forging. Because forging is primarily done by hand, the maker can fully utilize the inherent ductility of the metal material during the hammering process, flexibly expressing their artistic creativity (stainless steel, after forging, will have both matte and glossy finishes after polishing, adjusted according to the environment in which the work is placed), giving the plate a unique textural effect, thus adding to the rustic charm of hand-hammered craftsmanship and creating a profound aesthetic. The forging technique represents a complementary artistic style formed by the artistic achievements of manual labor in modern industrialized society and the aesthetic beauty of mechanization in the previous industrial era.