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The Gravity of the Situation: Alternative Casting Techniques
Create volume and solid, fluid forms without the expensive equipment! We'll experiment with five different direct casting methods over the course of three sessions in this fun and fast-paced virtual workshop.
Direct casting methods, as the name implies, involve pouring molten metal directly into a mold or substrate. Unlike lost wax casting, no kiln or throwing method (centrifugal arm, vacuum, etc.) are needed.
We'll start by prepping our new unglazed pouring crucibles for use and discuss the physics of molten metal. Then in session one, we'll explore the freeform methods of water and broom (straw) casting to create unexpected organic shapes. In session two, we'll carve directly into cuttlefish bone and tufa stone to create our own flat-backed molds, observing the distinctive characteristics lent to the resulting castings by each material. And in the third and final session, we'll delve into two-part molds and the many possibilities available through the ancient technique of sand casting. If time allows, we'll go over findings and finishes for our castings. Safety will be discusses throughout.
Students can expect to leave the class with a variety of unique experimental castings to incorporate into their jewelry, along with the know-how to continue on their own.
Meet the instructor
Kristin Mitsu Shiga is a hapa metalsmith, educator and arts administrator who has played a variety of roles in the arts since 1992. You may recognize her as the ringmaster of Metalwerx’s annual Virtual Spring Symposium!
From a long line of educators, Kristin is passionate about teaching and has had the opportunity to share with students at venues all over North America including Penland, Arrowmont and Haystack Mountain schools of craft. Her proudest achievements have been establishing nonprofit metalsmiting studios and programs that continue today in New York (OCM BOCES), Oregon (Multnomah Arts Center), and Hawai'i (Donkey Mill Arts Center).
As a maker, Kristin pursues projects that tell a story and actively engage her audience. Her solo work centers around one-of-a-kind wearable art and holloware with an aesthetic that has been described as a "marriage between her Japanese heritage and influences from her early explorations in architecture and the Modernist design movement." Her ongoing series, "Unfinished, Damaged & Broken" explores the significance of age and wear on common objects while protecting, bolstering or celebrating their hard-won imperfections.
Kristin has shown her work internationally, and is included in several notable collections, including the Kamm Artful Teapot Collection and the Permanent Collection of the White House. You will find her work published in numerous books and magazines, including Art Jewelry Today, The Art of Enameling, Metalsmith’s 2017 Exhibition in Print, and several of Lark’s 500 Series books. Learn more about Kristin’s past work on Oregon Artbeat (segment originally aired in 2010).
Materials & Tools
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name (in red) to be redirected to a page where you can find the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is strongly encouraged but not required - observers are welcome.
Metal/raw materials:
- 1 lb. x Ancient Bronze Casting Grain - (Rio Grande)
- 1 ozt x Sterling Silver Casting Grain (optional) - (Rio Grande)
- 1(or more) x Tufa Stone (Thunderbird Supply Company)
- 1(or more) x Cuttlefish Bone (Amazon or local pet store)
- 1 set x Whip Pouring Crucible and Tongs (Rio Grande)
- 3 tbls x Casting Flux (or 20 Mule Team Borax from grocery store) (Rio Grande)
- 1 x Straw Broom with wood handle (hardware, home or grocery store) (Amazon)
- 1 x Large Empty Tin Can (as from coffee, tomatoes, olive oil or soy sauce)
- 1 x Shade 5 Safety Glasses (Rio Grande)
Hand tools:
- 1 x flat nose pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
- 1 x sheet of sand paper - 80-120 grits (Amazon)
- X-Acto, Scalpel or other craft knife (Amazon)
- Dental or wax-carving tools (optional) (Amazon)
- 1-3 x 20d Nail - NOT GALVANIZED! (for forming our own carving tools) (Home Depot)
- 1 x Wood Dowel (at least ½” in diameter x 4” long) - for forming handle of carving tool (Home Depot)
- 1 x Wax or woodworking burs (optional) (Rio Grande)
- 1 x Delft Clay Casting System (optional) (Rio Grande)
- #2 Sawblades (or Sprue Cutters) 1 dozen (Rio Grande) or (Rio Grande)
Torch setup:
- 1 x fireproof torch area - steel baking sheet will work (Amazon)
- 1 x compressed charcoal block (Rio Grande)
- 1 x torch- Smith Little Torch or Silversmith (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
- #4 Torch Tip for Silversmith
- Melting Tip for Little Torch
- 1 x striker or lighter - Silversmith system has one (Rio Grande)
Note: Butane is NOT hot enough for this process