Metal Tooling

Metal tooling is an old art form where soft metal is worked with a rounded tool on the back side in order to raise the metal on the front. Mexican and South American artists call this repajado. 

To make their own tooled metal artwork, students came up with an idea of their own, and many were inspired by Mexican art and imagery (sun, "Day of the Dead" skull, Spanish tile patterns). They drew their pattern on a 6 x 6 inch piece of paper. After that, they placed the paper on a 6 x 6 inch piece of thin metal. They traced all of their lines with a pencil, making an indentation in the metal and transferring the picture. After that they could add more details to the metal by making marks on it with a pencil or by raising it on the back with a popsicle stick. Some students also outlined details with a Sharpie marker. We also made a border to add to the metal by making a stamp out of cardboard and foam, painting that with black paint, then stamping that onto paper. Once all of these were glued together, the students had their finished work of art.