Brent Berry Arts
Repoussé Tools
I use these tools for embossing metal. Some are common tools that I've modified. Repousse tools can be made from chisels, punches and screwdrivers can be ground into many shapes for different uses and wooden tools are helpful for very thin metal.
Ancient embossers used a pitch to support the metal as they worked on it. Pitch is made from different mixtures, when it's hot, it's soft like putty, you attach the metal to the hot pitch, as it cools it becomes hard but soft enough to allow the metal to be formed into it. The design is then embossed by hammering shapes into the back side of the metal. When the embossing is done, the pitch is removed by heating it again. The front side is cleaned and then additional tool work and engraving can be done to the design.
My early repousse was done on thin metal and I found a way to use a rubber mat for backing instead of pitch. It's nothing like using pitch but works good for low relief work with detail, very fragile though. I'm experimenting with pitch now too and hope to have something worth showing soon.
