ArtMetal

Yes, that is what I said. I loved the tomatoes on the vine that 'walker' did and since I have been itching to try some repousse...I thought maybe a pumpkin would be a sort of easy shape to work with. And it was...however, I don't really know what I'm doing! lol

I have some black pitch (I have since learned I should go red - I'm told once I do I'll never go back...*wink*) Anyway, black is what I have and what I used. I also only have a tiny little set of chasing tools to use as my punches.

So I began with 24 ga sheet (have no idea if that is a typical size) of copper and I worked freehand - no drawing. I figured that would be less stressful, no lines to keep to! I started on the front and chased some lines in the shape of a pumpkin, roughly a circle, and a stem. Then I flipped it (how hard was THAT to get it out of the pitch and semi-cleaned off!) and worked the inside area of the pumpkin to puff it out. Also hit the stem a bit. Then I flipped it back over (getting harder all the time to pry it loose) and put some lines in for the segments/veins of the gourd. Then back over one more time to sort of chase into the sides of the veins to puff them back out nicely. (or so I hoped!) I also put a leaf sort of texture/thing near the stem.

Then I plucked it out of the much again and used a torch to melt a bit of the pitch off, except I didn't pay attention and I caught it on fire (on the copper piece) which baked the pitch on pretty well.

*sigh*

So then I scrubbed it off a bit, and well, it does look like a pumpkin...but I have such a long way to go!

Any hints? Help? (I'll post the photo tonight when I'm home)

:)