Continued from page 63
Gayle Ormon
Working with metal is a study in
simplification, Ormon said, because
the material will warp. The drawn
images are simple, being enhanced
by other techniques such as grinding
and staining.
A piece of her metal art begins on
paper as a graphite image, which is
printed or photo-copied and blown
up to the larger size she requires.
This is placed over metal tracing
paper, which has chalk on the under-
side that is transferred by tracing to
the metal, usually galvanized steel.
Once the chalk image is completed
she traces over that with a Sharpie,
though soapstone may also be used.
She then fires up the plasma cutter
and cuts the lines out, often tweak-
ing the image as she goes. Once the
material is cool she uses acetone to
remove any remaining ink which
could interfere with the staining
process. She cleans the image up
with a grinder using a wire-cut brush,
which works swirls into the surface,
aesthetically pleasing texture. Color
and form is added during the staining
process. The stains are acetone-based
for easy manipulation and even dele-
tion, if desired.
Bluebonnet Bovine
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