In this generously illustrated guide, newly revised and updated, a well-known American sculptor shares his forty years of experience working with welded sculpture techniques. Nathan Cabot Hale begins with the basic assumption that it is necessary for a sculptor-welder to have the same professional skills as a good job-welder. To help readers gain those skills, he demonstrates both traditional and comparatively new welding methods step by step, including the oxyacetylene technique in modeling small-scale figurative sculpture.Mr. Hale first discusses the basic tools and techniques of welded sculpture, then addresses the construction of abstract and organic shapes and modeling solid figures. This is followed by detailed coverage of finishing techniques, arc welding, and welding large-scale commissioned works. He even dispenses helpful practical advice on the economics of fine art ? exhibiting work, staying alive, searching out public and private support, and more.Over 80 helpful diagrams and more than 100 photographs accompany the text, demonstrating techniques and procedures and depicting works in progress as well as finished works. In a new chapter written specially for this edition, Mr. Hale shares the heartening artistic philosophy he has developed over his long and distinguished career. Sculptors at many levels of accomplishment will find his book instructive and inspiring.

1 BASIC TOOLS OF WELDED SCULPTURE Origin of tools Basic tools The nature of oxygen and acetylene Regulators Welding torch and tips Cutting attachment and tips Eyes and hands Working clothes Basic hand tools Metal Basic shop Later additions American Welding Society Safety Rules2 BASIC WELDING TECHNIQUE Setting up your equipment Lighting the torch Flame and heat control Running the bead: exercise one Running the bead: exercise two Seams and joints Pipe welds Compound joints Cutting metal Welding various metals Melting points and flux for various metals3 CONSTRUCTING ABSTRACT SHAPES Five categories of abstract shapes States of form Constructing geometric shapes Constructing a cube Constructing a tetrahedron Coordinate planes Constructing a globe Constructing an angular free form4 CONSTRUCTING ORGANIC SHAPES Constructing an egg Constructing a tree form Constructing an onion Constructing a clam Fish form A final note on the pitfalls of geometry5 MODELING SOLID FIGURES Tools Armature "Men, women, and children" Filling in the volume Modeling the torso: front plane Back plane Body contour Head and neck Position and movement Arms Hands Positioning the arms Feet Bases6 FINISHING THE SCULPTURE Buyer's view Cleaning bronze and nickel silver Texture Patinas Cleaning and preparing steel Basing with wood or stone7 WELDED STEEL SCULPTURE WITH THE ELECTRIC ARC Different types of arc welding Clothing Technique Advantages of arc welding for the sculpture Where the arc cannot be used Making shapes Found object sculpture Geometrical sculpture Finishing arc welded work "The arc welding, shop"8 WELDING LARGE SCALE COMMISSIONED WORKS Clients The design problem Making preliminary designs Client vs. artist Making a sketch in metal Estimating the costs of the commission The contract Making the scale model Enlarging to full scale Full scale armature Installation Ideas and beliefs build the cultural shell9 SOME NOTES ON THE ECONOMICS OF FINE ARTS Keeping yourself alive Public and private support The business of art Exhibiting your work10 GALLERY OF SCULPTOR-WELDERS11 BEYOND THE CYCLE OF LIFE BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX