Artists make metal artwork items for both aesthetic and practical purposes—metal art is mostly designed to serve as decor and ornamental pieces, or as decorative add-on features for fixtures or buildings. But this is not to say that they cannot also be created to serve a functional purpose. There are many functional art-like objects produced, such as water fountains, weathervanes and door handles or door knockers; these are all lovely decorative choices for residential and business properties.
Metal art decor is admired and enjoyed by people from all walks of life with different senses of style. So, to get a better idea of the craft, let’s learn about a few types of metals a metal fabricator in Phoenix, AZ might work with in the creation of decorative art pieces and sculptures:
- Brass: Thanks to brass being soft and malleable, it can be rolled into thin sheets for etching, shaping, stamping, hammering and cutting. Brass is also a great base material for a wide range of silver or gold coated decorative metal ornaments and jewelry. These items include musical instruments, hardware, ornaments, jewelry pieces and wearable brass art.
- Tin: Soft and lightweight, tin is often chosen to create metal wall art hangings, wall or ceiling ornaments, plaques, small sculptures, candlesticks, wall signs and much more. Tin can come in flat, shapeable sheets, but some artists pride themselves and their work on creating recycled art. This means the artist will take the time to salvage and collect recyclable tin materials, including food cans, bottle caps, can tabs and more in various states. Although tin tends to rust, its appeal lies in the metal’s shiny surface because it resembles silver.
- Copper: History shows that copper materials were used to make coins, decor, weapons, statues and functional household items. Today, copper is still considered a strong, workable metal that’s perfect for building art for industrial and decorative purposes. Easily molded into all sort of forms, copper is an excellent metal for creating wall art, sculptures, vases, urns, tabletop ornaments, various hardware and so much more.
- Iron: Iron ore is one of the most abundant metals used in making objects like art pieces, garden sculptures, cooking pots and pans, hand tools and a variety of other functional items. Unfortunately, iron artwork and sculptures are prone to rusting when exposed to moisture, water or damp air. Due to the harsh elements, rusting on outdoor pieces is accelerated. To prevent rust, coat iron works in brass, tin or zinc, which are non-oxidizing materials.
Whether you’re an independent artist or you produce metal art pieces to sell in your shop, you want to do what you can to save money and complete art projects in a timely manner. You also want the final product to look just as you imagined it. If you need the help of a professional metal fabricator in Phoenix, AZ, don’t hesitate to call the experts at Metal Pro Inc. Our team has experience handling a variety of metal materials, as well as training in using the machinery and tools to perform top-notch services.