Wooden Chest in Pewter

I always try to teach the traditional "Repujado" (Metal Embossing)  techniques in my workshops. I believe that knowing the techniques allow you to create a wider variety of projects; from the simplest and easiest using molds or plates, up to very intricate pieces like this wooden chest.

This wooden chest was covered in Pewter. It's  such a malleable and soft metal that you can fold it, bend it and cover most any surface with it. No wonder why it is the "Rolls Royce" of metals.

The main MercArt's tools used were:

*Cup and Ball #2  #4, and #6

*Double Ball

*Teflon D-01

*Refiner LT-05

*Dry Point (to cut)

*Filling Paste

*Pewter Patina

*Suede

*Paper Stump #4

*Laminated Shell

*Pewter

The book pattern was transfered to the metal with the Teflon D-01.

Working at the back of the metal and  on the suede,  I embossed all the "raised" areas with the appropiate size of the Cup and Ball or the Double Ball. The number of the Cup and Ball tools stands for the diameter (in millimeters).

I outlined or cleaned the embossed shapes with the Teflon D-01 or the Refiner (on the front and without the suede).

The Cup and Ball tools were also used to create different sizes of dots.

After adding the Filling Paste on the embossed areas I added Patina to the whole piece and polished the metal until getting the desired shine (any good silver polish works). That is another great thing about pewter: it is the only metal that looks like real silver.

I used the Dry Point tool to cut the little windows on the metal. I did it over glass. 

I cut big pieces of Laminated Shell to fit under the cut out shapes on the metal and glued them to the wooden chest (the shell is self-adhesive). I then glued the metal over the shell and wooden piece.  You can use the  "deer foot" or flat part of Teflon D-01 or the Paper stump to make sure the metal adheres well to the surface.

So yes, Metal Embossing can be used practically anywhere. The more you know the different techniques, the more infinite the possibilities are!