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Artist Assist - translating your work to sheet metal!

My personal works may be informed by my very basic typesetting background and a love of maps, but what I have developed, in the world of CNC 2-axis design, is an ability to translate complex forms into a cut file fit for industrial manufacture.


You can see many examples of custom work in my portfolio, but here I'd like to share two public art pieces I had the honor of translating to metal.



LAND OF MEMORIES - Riverfront Alley, Mankato MN - 2018



I was contacted to make the CNC file and source the sheet metal fabrication after a difficult attempt to cut the design by hand. The challenge is always keeping the letters intact without sacrificing readability. Further complexity with this design was keeping the feather detail, particularly the center stripe, which I had to widen to keep warp at a minimum.


It turned out beautifully! I love that they left the metal raw, so that it can age with the elements.

L to R: Mankato Makerspace welding lead Dustin Swiers, building owner Natasha Frost, project lead Greg Wilkins, content and language advisors Glenn Wasicuna & Gwen Westerman, Mankato city representative Megan Flanagan and stained glass artist Mark Hall.






With this piece, artist Michelle Kaisersatt accepted the extra flourishes I added to her original design. She gave me a rough draft which I turned into the graphic above to advance the design. Once she approved the modifications I turned it into a CNC file then sent that to metal fabricator Robyn Block of Good Thunder, MN who cut and roller pressed the sheet metal.


The finished piece is in a gorgeous prairie setting for reflection and communion.




How Can I Translate Your Artwork to Metal?


While most metal fabricators own a CNC plasma machine, it can be challenging for many of them to make a well crafted cut file from your artwork.


How it works:

  • You send a picture of your artwork.

  • I provide a general mockup of what your art could look like as a metal piece.

  • We review and refine until a workable rendition is achieved.

  • I translate that into a .dxf file that the majority of CNC machines can read.


If you have a metal fabricator you are working with, have them try my test file to make sure the file type I use can be read accurately by their machine.


If you are near Mankato, MN I have a number of local fabricators I can work with to make your art come to life!


Curious to see if your idea can be made into metal? I'd love to help you!




 
 
 

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