Modern-day artist uses millennia-old tools, techniques for copper creations

A torch provides heat to draw out a variety of colors from the copper workpieces. Heating and coloring is followed by several long blasts of shop air to cool the metal, stopping the coloration process. Lamar later adds a clear coat to prevent oxygen from causing the colors to fade.

It’s commonly known that the use of copper and copper alloys put an end to the Stone Age, ushering in a new era, one in which tools and weapons were made of metal. Rather than spending countless hours chipping away at pieces of flint or polishing stone, mankind had at its disposal a newly discovered material, one that could be cast into various shapes, heated and re-formed if necessary, and hardened. Although a close look at a stone tool collection reveals a surprising level of sophistication and versatility, the tools were limited by the size and shape of the original piece and the skill of the stoneworker. Casting and forging copper and its alloys, specifically bronze, expanded toolmakers’ versatility exponentially.

A Varnish to Prevent Tarnish

Not so commonly known is the degree to which copper and its alloys were used for decoration. Bronze Age artisans used heat, applied in varying intensity and time, to change its natural color, much the same as modern metalsmiths use either chemicals or heat to develop a variety of hues. Intriguingly, ancient metalworkers developed at least a rudimentary understanding of oxidation and took steps to seal their works to prevent tarnishing. The modern process can be as simple as applying a clear coating from a spray can, but it’s nothing new.

“This is a 3,000-year-old process,” said metal artist John Lamar. “They froze the color by sealing the surface with oil or beeswax,” he said.

Lamar has seen the gamut in metalworking, from archaic to modern. Early in his career, he worked for gear hobbing machine manufacturer Pfauter, customizing basic machines by adding robotic systems and other accessories. Retooling and rehabilitating old machines deepened his experience in machine technology; freshening up the exterior with new paint led to an understanding of coating and finishing processes. He branched out a bit and did some painting for automobile repair and netted a bit of business in custom painting, especially customizing vans, during the 1970s when that was a substantial niche.

It wouldn’t be fair to say that he took several steps back in his vocation of the past 20 years or so, but it would be fair to say that he uses time-tested, traditional tools and processes.

Hammers and Heat

Lamar makes all manner of decorative items, many of which are found in nature—animals, flowers, and suns abound in his shop—augmented by functional items like weather vanes and sprinklers. The main item in Lamar’s inventory is copper, in 22-gauge sheet, which he cuts and trims by hand and buffs to a lustrous shine on a buffing wheel.

The next step is hammering the copper to give it contours and texture. Because copper is a soft metal, he doesn’t use a forged anvil, but items found in nature: wooden bases that are short lengths of tree trunks, one flat for texturing only and one dished out for contouring and texturing.

Lamar uses a torch and the fine touch of an experienced artisan to combine temperature and time to create varying reds and blues. While modern industrial processes rely on consistency, heating copper leads to results that vary.

“I worked with another artist who got deeper reds, while I was able to draw out deeper blues,” Lamar said. Both were adept at the process, but their techniques and results differed.

The last step involves the clear coat that seals out the element that slowly replaces vivid hues with shades of brown, but even this step doesn’t have hard-and-fast rules. Spraying the clear coat onto the copper after it cools yields different results than if the copper is still warm.

Wooden bases, none more sophisticated or complicated than sections of tree trunks, provide the backing for the manual hammering process Lamar relies on for making contours and adding textures to his creations. A slightly dished-out base provides a convex surface for making curved contours; a flat base is helpful for adding textures (above).

Finally, while Lamar has nothing but respect for his fellow artists and craftsmen, he warns against low-quality work from overseas factories.

“I recently bought a lawn ornament, an import, and it turned out that it wasn’t made of copper at all,” he said. “It was a casting made from pot metal.”

John Lamar, Studio 451, www.studio-451.com