Leaves and Organic Forms

On this advanced course you will learn about many of the specialist techniques used to make leaves and other organic forms which are often used in both traditional and modern blacksmithing.

The course is structured around a series of exercises which focus on learning a number of advanced techniques. You will be introduced to new sets of tools and will learn how to use them effectively to make natural organic forms. You will learn how to use fullers. These are straight or curved tools of different widths hit with a hammer. These allow you to create indentations, grooves and veins on a leaf or other organic form and to spread the hot metal to make thin, delicate edges.

You will learn a how to use leafing hammers. These come in many different sizes and shapes and are designed to reach inaccessible places on complex forms such as the water leaf. You will also learn how to use round-faced hammers to make round depressions and ridges down the centre of leaves and other forms.

You will make an art nouveau compound flower with petals and teasel spikes. This will teach you the importance of carefully thinking through and planning a complex project in advance of making it. This will help you to save time and achieve the results you intended. You will also learn the technique of fire-welding a large number of components together to make a single compound object.

You will be shown how and when to use a 'flatter' and how to make your own special tools to achieve shapes and forms like the iris leaf which could not otherwise be created. You will see how the techniques you are learning can be applied to many other areas of blacksmithing and you will develop your ability to utilise them. You will soon realise how the new skills you are learning will broaden your ability and benefit your blacksmithing.