How to Make Tin Metal Art
With a little effort, you can make a two-dimensional piece of tin metal art in the style of David Wasserman, the 1960s New York artist whose impressive collection of work includes large tin-can collages. Wasserman reproduced a Willie Mays baseball card, the Pope and a 72" x 48" circus poster using dozens of orange soda cans for the image of the tiger.
Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Pencil
- Colored pencils (optional)
- Plywood
- Ruler
- Tin cans
- Tin snips
- Nails
- Hammer
Instructions
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1
Sketch out your design on a piece of paper. Use colored pencils to map out the colors you will need to find. Consider reproducing a piece of art, an advertisement or a photo rather than an original drawing.
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2
Transfer the final design onto the piece of plywood. Block out the different colors with colored pencils. It does not have to be colored in completely, as it will be covered with tin. Add a border to give the design a finished look. Use a ruler to add a 2-inch or more frame to the image. The background of the piece can use a variety of colors, or can be made from variations of silver and gold.
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3
Gather cans in the desired colors. Snip the pieces that you need. They will be collaged together in a mosaic fashion, so cut several small pieces rather than one large piece for an area. The variations in color add to the overall effect.
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4
Lay the pieces on the plywood. Start from the center and work your way out. Use small nails to hold the tin in place. Pound directly into the plywood to secure the pieces. Several small nails can be pounded along the edges of a piece of tin, or it can be held in place with a single nail in the center, depending on the look you desire.
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5
Continue to add pieces of tin until the entire board is filled. Keep the pieces close together. Extra pieces of tin can be used to fill in any area that has exposed plywood.
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Use your hammer and a small nail to add small indentations in a pattern if your design calls for more embellishment. In David Wasserman's Pope art work, the pontiff has gorgeous robes that are given special treatment by punching the tin in a spiral pattern.
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Tips & Warnings
Set out a collection bin at your workplace for tin cans. This will help you gather a variety of colors for your art.
Be careful when cutting the tin. Cans have sharp edges. Keep pieces away from children.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit tin can empty - asparagus image by photooiasson from Fotolia.com
