I'm in 9th grade World geography, and we are doing a semester long project. For a country of our choice (well, one we choose from a list) we have to do an art project. I am wanting to forge something, as I am better at that than drawing, and I would enjoy that more. I have to be able to relate it back to that country's culture, etc. It could be in the style of that country, or could be of something related to that country, such as an animal, or something that is a major part of their culture. I'm just wanting to hear some Ideas, I have no ideas for this. Below are the country's I can choose from. I am open to any ideas as elaborate or simple as you can think, I'm desperate haha.

Latin America

Europe

Middle east (North Africa and SW Asia)

East and southeast Asia

Sub-Saharan Africa.

                                                                                                                                                                          Littleblacksmith 

Wow! There are no countries on that list. That is a list of regions which each include dozens of countries. If you don't have a time frame to work within then you have hundreds of countries and thousands of years of human history and cultures to chose from! Since forging is your passion why not try to zero in on some aspect of metal working in one of those times and places? Tool or forge development and evolution?

Good Morning,

The Silk Road. This created "Damascus" in Damascus because the merchants were trying to dilute the grade of Steel from the East. Stretch the commodity so to speak. The rest is history!!

Neil

go with Europe the norse / scandinavian area culture, make a nice big viking axe, or a nice big crusaders sword if you want to go english / french culture.!

 

Well, as it’s art (and given the climat at schools these days) knives,axes and hoes are out of the question but Latin America, Europe and particularly the Middle East have a long history of gates and window grates that raise themselves to the level of art.

 

Thank y'all for the quick replys!! Reckon I should stay in world geography haha. You are right, those aren't country's I'm wrong. I did give a time frame, a semester long, till the end of the school year. We are gonna go over the general information of each area, maybe spending a month or less on each. I don't want to bring in a stair railing and I can't bring in any sorta weapon as this is a public school. It doesn't have to be major, about the equivelant to a painting that at most would take 5 hours, that's what most are doing. I am wiling to spend more time but probably not more than a day of work 10 of so hours.it has to be something relatively specific to that country, something that wouldn't be seen an other country's, Or at least has to have originated in that country. Keep it coming y'all!

                     Littleblacksmith

A display piece for the school?   Lots of very pretty ironwork in European cities.  You might look through Schöne Alte Wirtshausschilder (Beautiful Inn Signs) for ideas.

 

Greetings LBS.

         How about a story board that shows the transition from the copper to bronze to iron. You could also include the transisition from bloom to wrought to carbon steel .  You could choose  the country of origin .  Just a thought .  You could finish your presentation with one of your fine pieces of iron work that relates to farm use.  Your a great Smith with a fine mind I am sure you will choose something that wil yield .. AAA   GOOD LUCK

 

Forge on and make beautiful things 

Jim

39 minutes ago, Charles R. Stevens said:

Well, as it’s art (and given the climat at schools these days) knives,axes and hoes are out of the question but Latin America, Europe and particularly the Middle East have a long history of gates and window grates that raise themselves to the level of art.

Spot on.

Try Spain or Germany look up Kunstschmiede or Herreria Artistica on google or pinterest. Hundreds of ideas to make something representative. 

How about a figurine of Don Quijote plinking at the windmill.  

Thanks yall a lot, I cant tell you all how much yall are helping!

It isn't so much a display piece for the school, though he said that for the paintings at least that he'll hang em up if we give them to him.

I wonder if I could do something related to a cherry tree for china.....

I forgot to mention Australia to the list of areas (not country's!).

                                                                                                                                                        Littleblacksmith 

Well if they are on the old curriculum, they will tell you Australia is in Oceania. Australians would have a fit at such thought and ask where is Oceania

You can always forge a kangaroo.

funny thing, I actually thought about forging a kangaroo!!

                                                                                                                                                Littleblacksmith 

Check out Jordan Sprigg, he is an aussie that makes sculptures and has plenty of kangaroos on display. May be too big and time consuming but you can get some ideas. Also on pinterest, many more from the very simple made with scrap parts. 

I meant the time frame of the culture/country, i.e. present day, dark ages, medieval etc. If there are no restrictions on the timeline it opens a lot more doors. Metal work specific to one country or originating in one country/region could be religious icons, specific tools or day to day items like cookware. But I would love to see a forged kangaroo!

It would probably be better if it was maybe more recent time period; last 200 years, though if it was a bigger event or part of the culture from before than that would be fine I think. As long as I can easily relate it to the area.

                                                                                                                                              Littleblacksmith

 

Marc1,

How did you get the kangaroo to sit still?

SLAG.

That's a cool picture Marc, though like you said may be a little bigger and time consuming than what I would like. 

                                                                                                                                                  littleblacksmith

He is still cause has no head yet. Should see when he is finished !

 

Should see when he is Finnish, in Australia!!

Neil

International blacksmiths (including many IFI members forged leaves for a memorial tree sculpture to comimorate massive wildland  fires about a decade ago.

http://www.treeproject.abavic.org.au/index.html

check out the gallery 

On 1/26/2018 at 9:57 PM, littleblacksmith said:

funny thing, I actually thought about forging a kangaroo!!

Now that would be a challenge, Mark.

With your skills with Damascus, you could forge an impressively patterned  boomerang.

27 minutes ago, ausfire said:

you could forge an impressively patterned  boomerang

 Now you have me wondering if a boomerang would be considered a "weapon" in our school systems.......That may come back to bite you ....so to speak                             Dave

Check out @jlpservicesinc‘s video of forging a cooking pan. If you can find an image of something similar (e.g., from medieval Europe), you can made that to match, and have something useful for after. Also, no problem with weapon regulations!

I had thought of a boomarang too. 

I'm thinking now about doing a Frederic cross, but have it more elaborate, and relate it back to the roman Catholics in Latin america. something somewhat similar to the picture in the sense that it would be free standing. If y'all have any other ideas on what I could do for the cross, or of anything I could add to it to further relate it to Latin America it would be much appreciated.

 

                                                                                                                                                              Littleblacksmith