ALUMINUM

Aluminum Sculptures

Although not widely used in

it's pure form we know today
until the 19th and early 20th
century Aluminum type
metal has been used for
artworks since early on.
Many modern artists such as
Claes Oldenburg and Duane
Hanson have used aluminum
in their sculptural works.

Aluminum is an excellent material for machine components, offering many beneficial

characteristics. Let's review the weaknesses and strengths of aluminum that affect it's
appropriateness in various sculpture applications.
 STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
- Aluminum can be easily colored by an oxidation, and holds
paint extremely well. Aluminum can can be finished in various - Aluminum requires special processes to be
ways. welded.
- Aluminum conducts electricity even better than copper.

- theoretically 100 % recyclable without losing any of its natural - It is abrasive to tooling, or more accurately, the
characteristics and remarkably nontoxic aluminum oxide coating that forms upon it is.

- Has the highest strength to weight ration of any metal - It is rare and more expensive than steel.

- For applications where magnetism needs to be avoided, - not particularly strong and is expensive compared
aluminum is an excellent choice. to steel of the same strength
- The most abundant metal in the Earth's crust.

- relatively soft, durable, lightweight, ductile and malleable metal

- acts as a good thermal and electrical conductor and is also fairly

corrosion resistant
GOLD
Gold
- dense, lustrous chemical element in the periodic
table that has the symbol Au (Latin: aurum) and atomic
number 79.

- a metallic element with a characteristic yellow color

- one of the noble metals (noble metal- chemical term for

metals that do not corrode under normal conditions)

- Gold is the seventh most dense metal.

 STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
- has the highest malleability and ductility of all - Hardness: gold has a value of 2.5 to 3
known metals (soft, not strong)
-so, it does not resist surface
- can also be melted and cast into highly detailed abrasion and is usually alloyed
shapes
- attractive in color and brightness - usually found in nature in a comparatively
- durable to the point of virtual indestructibility pure form (pure gold- a very soft metal)
(does not corrode)
- a valuable metal - high cost
- a good conductor of heat and electricity
- also a good reflector of infrared radiation
- symbolizes power, beauty, purity, accomplishment,
wealth, and immortality
- used in ancient civilizations and up until today
- Workable (soft metal)
Delicate Japanese Gold Leaf Melted Gold

Gold Wire Hammered Gold

Gilding
Metal Casting
Oscar Award Olympics Gold Medal Grammy Award
The Golden Bull (1 ton of 24k gold) The Golden Tree by Douglas Coupland
(with gold finish)
• a strong, hard magnetic silvery-gray metal
• Material used for construction and
manufacturing.
• One of the widely used metals for sculpture.
• 2 families of metals: ferrous and non-ferrous.
STRENGTHS
• It does not break.
• It is very durable
• It is very strong.
WEAKNESSES
• Heavy
• Rust
• Sensitive
• High cost
Abstract Sculpture by Sir Anthony Caro
Giant Spider Sculpture by Louise Bourgeois
PLATINUM
 derived from the Spanish "platina", meaning
"little silver"

 a lustrous silvery-white, malleable, ductile metal

 a member of group 10 of the periodic table of the

elements

 it has the third highest density,

behind osmium and iridium

 considered to be a precious metal

 STRENGTHS
 rarest of the precious metals
 extremely durable and strong
making it ideal for jewelry that’s
worn on a daily basis
 highly resistant to stress and
withstands both extreme heat
and extreme cold, which means
 Platinum jewelry will retain its
good looks better than any other
metal
 hypo-allergenic
 Platinum is ideal for allergy
sufferers as it doesn't contain any
nickel
WEAKNESSES
 a danger of platinum is that it can cause
potentiation of the toxicity of other
dangerous chemicals in the human body,
such as selenium
 scarcity and exclusivity come at a price,
expect to pay 25-30% more than for the
same setting in gold
 Platinum as a metal is not very dangerous,
but platinum salts can cause several health
effects, such as:
- DNA alterations
- cancer
- allergic reactions of the skin and the
mucous membrane
- damage to organs, such as intestines,
kidneys and bone marrow
- hearing damage
NICKEL
Nickel is widely used in making alloys apart from its use in transport,
aerospace, marine, architectural and consumer applications. In particular it
is used for making utensils, coins, magnets and other metals. It is specifically
used for plating and that plating polish is called German silver.

Stainless steel is the most important alloy of nickel which is further used in
making utensils, equipment, chemical plants and food processing units.

Nickel is a hard, silvery-white metal whose strength, ductility and resistance

to heat and corrosion make it extremely useful for the development of a
wide variety of materials — from wires to coins to military equipment.
 STRENGTHS WEAKNESS

Nickel belongs to the transition

metals. It is hard, ductile and
considered corrosion-resistant
because of its slow rate of Handling nickel can result in
oxidation at room temperature. symptoms of dermatitis among
sensitized individuals.
It also boasts a high melting
point and is magnetic at room
temperature.
Why it’s expensive: it is rare, and how it is extracted from the earth.
Most prominent, high esteem, longevity (something that would stand
the test of time)
• Related to the sculpting process is metal casting, where metals can be
poured into a mold.
• It is thought that metal casting as an ancient art dates back 6000
years with the first works made out of gold and copper.
Longevity
The ff artworks are not gold-plated bronze sculptures.
It was used as jewelry in prehistoric times, alchemists spent their lives
trying to transmute other metals into gold, and it is still one of the most
prized metals.
Gold is usually alloyed to increase its strength. Pure gold is measured in
troy weight, but when gold is alloyed with other metals the
term karat is used to express the amount of gold present.
Noble also in the sense na prized and precious siya
• It is a soft metal and is usually alloyed to give it more strength. and is
unaffected by air and most reagents.

Pure gold is also a very soft metal. It will scratch easily, and it’s
therefore unsuitable in its pure state for use as coinage or jewellery.
For these purposes it’s usually alloyed with other metals such as
silver, copper and zinc.
•
• In terms of taking care of your sculpture, it’s easier to take care of
small ones (e.g. Oscars, Grammy’s, jewelry). These things are more
personal. Bigger ones tend to be more exposed to air and to the
public (e.g. school, people, museums).