Forged Leaves: Introduction to Organic Forms

One of the great tricks of blacksmithing is making a non-organic material (steel) look like something living. In this class, students will learn to forge one of the most common organic forms in blacksmithing: the leaf. During this class, you’ll learn about tapering, isolating, spreading, shaping, and texturing steel, but at a small scale. This class focuses on forging pieces that are closer to jewelry size as compared to many traditional blacksmithing products. As a result, these small pieces present their own set of interesting challenges and specific processes. This class is intended for seasoned beginners. Those with little or zero forging experience might struggle more and need to scale back their expectations. That said, you’ll learn a lot from the additional challenges. INSTRUCTOR BIO John D. Harvey caught the blacksmithing bug at The Steel Yard (Providence, RI) in 2014. His work leans heavily towards organic shapes and designs as well as household products. Currently, he forges out of his own shop (JDH Metalcraft) in East Providence, RI, and teaches at The Steel Yard. COURSE WITHDRAWAL & TRANSFERS All enrollments are subject to our REGISTRATION & ENROLLMENT POLICIES.