Process Documentation
When I first started this piece, I knew I wanted to make a mask made out of metal that would seem like a relic from a lost aquatic civilization. I first plasma cut the outline of the face and eye holes. I then used a large anvil, and hand-hammered the metal until a semblance of three-dimensionality was present. I then used a MIG welding machine to attach the nose pieces and add features to the face.
I felt that as a standalone piece this could be better, and pivoted my idea. I took steel rods and used several bending machines to bend them into my desired curves. I then welded the curves together, forming a wire-frame outline of a head.
After completely assembling the head, I began working on further features, plasma cutting gills and ear frills, as well as turning sheet metal into thin strips that I welded together and twisted into corkscrew shapes, which I would use to form a brain of sorts. I also used channel beams to represent the spinal cord.
I then welded all the individual pieces to their respective spots.
After assembling all the pieces, I went back in with the welder and adjusted the feed and voltage rates to add textures to each of the components as seen in the final piece.