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Metal embossing is the art of making designs on a metal sheet, by raising or sinking & smothering the surfaces, to give it a 3 dimensional look. The hollows or raised portions may be filled with paint or might remain as it is. This is done to make normal wall hangings or as a collection for scrapbooks. It is mainly done as a hobby and someone could make money by selling the pieces to people who want to use them as home decor.
Metal embossing as a craft, was used by the ancient Celts and later found its way into Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The sheet metals which are usually used for decoration are copper, pewter and aluminum. They available in numerous different thicknesses, with a shiny finish and are available in all the hobby shops and craft shops. Normally, a craft scissors could be used to cut the sheets, and are very flexible and will dent at the slightest touch.
The tools needed for metal embossing are extremely simple. A beginner's kit available in a set of some sheets of metal, a stylus tool, some designs and directions. The stylus is wooden bulb-shaped held like a pen and used to trace the pattern. This rounded tip of the "pen" pushes out the parts on the metal sheet that's out of the pattern. The other tip of the stylus is pointed and is used to create lines.
The stylus can be used to write text and emboss alphabets in the sheets. Swirls, dots and any other patterns could be done to give a background for the main picture. Strips of embossed metal that are decorated with accessories or paints can be used as frames for scrapbook photographs.
One require to choose the design first and a newbie could do well to pick an easy one. The metal sheet is to be placed on a soft surface such as a stack of newspapers or a mousepad. The design has to be placed on the metallic sheet and traced using the stylus, pressing where needed. When the paper is done with, the stylus needs to be moved over the embossed lines to deepen them by pressing down steadily and evenly. When that is done, turn the metal sheet over so the raised lines face up. The smothering of the extra scribbles and creating of finer lines and details can be done at this stage.
You can paint to give colors. Numerous textures can be included to make it more attractive. Cross-hatching can be done by making tiny crosses with the tip of the screwdriver to give it a rough finish. As one gets better control of the stylus, increasingly more complex designs can be made..
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