General
Introduction
Among metals crafts, copper was the first metal to be discovered by
humans. Copper along with other metals, give rise to different metal
alloys like Bronze (copper and tin) and Brass (copper and zinc). The
discovery of metals made the lives of man easy as the metal products
proved to be such a great help for them that they successfully completed
some impossible tasks.
Bronze is hard and durable. It is brownish in color, while brass is
yellowish. Bronze is used either in its sheet form or cast into a
particular form. Bronze is the preferred choice for sculpting because it
is strong and holds its shape. It is comparatively lighter and easy to
transport.
Brass is used for decoration for its bright gold-like appearance; for
applications where low friction is required and is extensively used in
musical instruments such as horns and bells for its acoustical
properties. Brass has a muted yellow color, somewhat similar to gold. It
is relatively resistant to staining, and is often used as decoration and
for coins.
Prominent Places
- Haryana: Jagadhri and Rewari towns of Haryana are the
home of brass utensils.
- Andhra Pradesh: Pembarthi in Andhra Pradesh is known for
its brass work which depicts the art forms of the nearby Orugallu,
Lepakshi, and Ramappa temples. Andhra Pradesh is also known for a
wide range of brassware, mostly in traditional designs.
- Bihar: Made by a goldsmith community, settled at Haveli
Kharagpur in Monghyr district, Bihar is known for a special item
made with the flexible brass and silver fish.
- Gujrat: Porbandar and Jamnagar, in Gujrat are known for
producing brass products by utilizing the modern craft of using a
special machine, equipped with grooved plates, to make zigzag
patterns on the products.
Methods of Casting
- The first step is the creation of the model. This is made of wax
and is an exact copy of what the final result will look like. It is
complete with all the carvings and detail.
- In the next three stages, a mold is created. A thin layer of
china clay mixed with water is applied over the wax model, using a
paintbrush. It is allowed to dry for two days and is repeated twice.
- Then, a paste is applied all over the model by hand. Once the
paste is dry, a few holes are made at the bottom of the mold. For
the time being, thin wax rods are inserted into them.
- After that a mixture of clay, rice husk, and sand is applied.
This is allowed to dry.
- The mold with the plugged openings facing downwards is placed in
an oven. The raw material is also placed in the oven in order to
melt it.
- The bronze/brass is then poured into the holes. It is allowed to
cool for two days. Then, the mold is chipped away, leaving behind
the sculpture.
- In the final stage, it is smoothened and polished, and detailed.
It is also varnished.
Special Features
Brass and bronze have several characteristic properties that make them
the ideal choice for art and craft.
- Requires little maintenance. These craft items should not be
cleaned with an ammonia based cleaner, as this causes tarnishing.
They should be cleaned with a gentle soap and warm water and wiped
with a soft dry cloth.
- Long lasting metal.
- The color of brass and bronze gives a very attractive
appearance.
- They can be of variable degrees of hardness or softness. This
makes them malleable, and easy to engrave.
- Craft objects carved out of brass and bronze can have two types
of finishes: highly polished and antique polished. Highly polished
brass handicrafts are bright and shiny. Antique polished brass craft
items have an older appearance and are not shiny.
Products
India is well known for its beautiful metal craft, specially brass and
bronze crafts which cover a wide range of products, ranging from
decoration items to utility ware. Some of these products are:
There are innumerable other objects – both decorative and
useful like key rings, wind chimes, furnitures, bells, bowls, baskets,
ashtrays, etc. – that have been crafted of brass and bronze, or
embellished with intricate patterns made of brass. Decorative items like
animal figures of various styles and patterns are crafted out of these
metals. Brass and bronze are highly durable and malleable. This property
makes it eligible for such complex animal figures etc.
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