Project 2: surfaces, cold connections, basic forming

Class today was just jampacked with a ton of information, and demonstrations.

Topics covered were:
Annealing sheet and wire, quenching and pickling, and the differences between base metals (bronze, copper, and brass), and gold and silver.
Texturing, using all manner of steel hammers and stamps. A very large catagory.
Forming, using dapping blocks, wood, steel mandrels, anvils...the list goes on.
Riveting with wire and tube.
Tube cutting.

I was originally faced with the fact that I was going to have to miss this class. When I enrolled, I knew that Julie would be gone this weekend, and I would have to watch the shop, but being the doll that she is, she would hear nothing of it. She volunteered mom to open up for the art classes, and await my arrival, telling customers that I would be along at about 1pm. This was the first class that I didn't stay in the workshop hours after class was over.

Class went over schedule today, we were let loose at just after 12:30 as opposed to the usual 12:15.
I wanted to skip out early, because my mom was watching the shop, but I couldn't bring myself to. It turned out that this was a crucial class that could not be missed. I ran to my car when I got out, and sped all the way to work. Thankfully for mom and I, today was not so busy as saturday's usually are...not thankfully for the shop, tho. Things seemed to be fine when I arrived at work, everything was okay.

So I am left to ponder my next assignment: Project 2.
I must have a detailed sketch by next saturday, and this project will take us the next three weeks to complete.

Here is the overview of what is expected, taken from my instructor Sandra's directions.

"Project 2: surfaces, cold connections, basic forming
This project will require the sheet metal of your choice, wire, appropriate saw blades and finishing materials, and layout materials.
Give the metal some dimension by forming over a mandrel or stake, or by dapping. Texture the metal by either hammering or stamping. The surface treatment should be considered an integral aspect of the overall design. In addition, projects must utilize rivets or other wire connections as decorative or structural elements.
There is a historical design convention of using repeating elements. As a starting point for this assignment, I suggest using the idea of pairs or multiples: in other words, motifs or elements that have some visual or conceptual relationship to each other. They could be abstract or representational. The overall format could be similar forms repeated with slight variations, or pairs, or the same element repeated several times.
Project due: March 10th"

So, I will be sketching some designs this week until I come up with something appropriate that I can actually execute.
My original thought was to somehow make a human form using rivets as the joints, but as I thought further on this subject, I think it may be too complex for my beginning class. I will attack this at some point, but for right now, I will just have to take some inspiration from the things around me to gather ideas. I am keeping my eyes wide open.