Technique

Gallery

Claudia Jane Klein works with a variety of materials. The majority of her metal sculptures are created using differing shapes and planes in a variety of spatial combinations. The metal pieces are often rolled, bent or twisted and may include rings, plates and box sections. The differing planes and negative spaces define the piece.
Shapes and spaces are cut with a plasma torch. The sandblasted steel or aluminum is either mig or tig welded (heli-arc) and then further shaped by grinding and sanding. The welded joints and seams are then ground and filled with polyester resin producing a seamless finish.
After the pieces are fabricated, they are primed with marine epoxy or epoxy powder coating. The sculptures are then finished with marine urethane or automotive paint with multiple top clear coats, or they have a metal acrylic paint that has been sprayed with acid and clear coated with lacquer. All the pieces are waxed with uv additives to protect the finished surfaces.
The Fiberglass sculptures are constructed of different thickness of fiberglass cloth with epoxy resin over carved and sculpted structural foam. The foam which is used to build hi tech racing yachts and other water craft is cut with a gig saw from flat sheets and laminated together with polyester resin. It is then further sanded with power tools. The undulating shapes are heat treated with a heat gun and formed over metal tubing much like metal is shaped but with much less heat. The shapes are added together and then further filled with polyester and sanded. The fountain pieces that have running water are routed out for copper tubing When the final shape is achieved the fiberglass cloth is laid up and wet out with epoxy resin ,when partially set there is a flood coat that is applied leaving a surface that can be further sanded and shaped. The finish is either an acrylic metal coating treated with acid then lacquered and waxed or a clear epoxy that is tinted with different dyes to achieve bright colors. The epoxy is then lacquered for further UV protection .The sculptures have a long life in the elements and are great with water.
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