Welcome to Anna Mollekin Art, I'm Anna Mollekin,
a contemporary New Zealand artist.
Today I'm interviewing Ninette Kruger of Ninette
Kruger Metal Art.
She's not only an amazing metal embossing
artist, but she's also has a metal embossing
academy.
In this interview you can learn about Ninette
Kruger's Metal Embossing Academy, some of
her metal embossing techniques, she shares
valuable information about metal embossing
for beginners, want sort of metals there are
and where you can get them from and also about
the tools.
And she also shares where you can find some
great metal art embossing tutorials.
Ninette is a metal embossing artist and instructor,
and she's based in Tauranga in New Zealand.
And her work is absolutely outstanding.
Her craftsmanship and detail is just mindblowing.
And so I really wanted to bring her onto the
channel and just really talk to her about
her beautiful art.
I didn't really know about this art form until
you reached out to me.
So what is metal embossing art or pewter art?
Like what's a little bit of its art history?
Not a lot of people know about metal embossing
in New Zealand.
It is quite new here.
So I remember my Parental Grandmother doing
pewter art sort of in the 50s and 60s.
It was a massive hit.
So I was only born in the 70s, I'm not that
old yet.
I remember just seeing the beautiful, beautiful
things that she made with it.
And she added lots of detail and textures.
I never saw her actually physically making
it.
We only saw the end result.
She was massively creative, but the time I
wanted to learn how to do pewter, it sort
of died down.
In South Africa, it went out of fashion.
And so I really struggled finding resources
on it.
Then roundabout 2004 I stumbled on a book
by a South African pewter artist Sandy Griffiths,
so she made a few tuturials, I brought the
book got some supplies and just went crazy.
My first projects were absolutely horrible.
Like really horrible.
But I'm so glad I stuck to it and experimenting
so.
This is basically what it looks like.
So it's a thin sheet.
This one is aluminium.
So you can hear it's, it makes a little but
of a noise.
And it is quite stiff.
So if It doesn't really flex when I bend it.
So the other one.
This one is pewter.
So they look quite simular from afar.
But the pewter is much softer and more luxious.
So it's also, it scratches easier, it's a
bit more tricky to work with.
it's sofet but yeah you can get a lot more
height.
A lot more depth with your pewter.
So what you do is you use some of these hand
tools.
So this is ah a teflon tip stylus tool.
The most common ones to use, the most readily
available ones are these ball tip tools.
So you can see they have got different size
tips.
So they double sided.
And so that's basically what you use to work
out your design on metals.
The tricky thing is just when you are starting
out is you are constantly work back to front.
Back to front.
So in order to raise the levels up you have
to work it from the back of a soft surface
to create that depth.
So it's a bit tricky in the beginning just
to sort of know okay what side do I need to
turn it?
But then it becomes second nature.
So embossing is basically working out a design
on a thin sheet of metal.
And to raise those levels up to give it depth
and dimension.
Bascially what happens is you transfer a flat
design onto your metal.
Okay.
So in doing that its literally as easy you
stick it on your metal.
and you trace over the lines with a pen and
that transfers you design.
and so then what you do is this is just a
little sample block.
This technique, this one here is called low
relief.
So it's just one line that is raised.
oh yes. and this one, is called high relief.
So that's where you start pushing the whole
thing up and is because you lift it quite
high you have to support the back by filling
it with wax.
So I normally just use normal bee's wax so
it sets very quickly.
it doesn't melt in high temputuratures.
This one here the background texture, that's
what we call engraving.
You can see how the design is really starting
to come to life by combining the different
techniques.
This one here is done from the front.
So engraving.
And so it just gives you a really good idea
of the different techniques and how you can
translate them.
It's quite a simple craft form.
it's not very difficult to do.
The trickest part is just to know your techniques
and know which is low relief, high relief
and engraving.
And then to keep your head straight ing the
beginning when you flip them back-to-front,
back-to -front, and to keep defining the lines
everytime you flip them.
That is amazing.
You sent through some beautiful photographs
and I noticed that some had, so maybe aluminium
combined with copper.
Do you literally combine different metals
together to create it?
So what you can do because the metal is quite
thin, you can use a cutting tool, its a its
a needle tip tool.
You can use a craft knife as well.
So because the metal is quite thin you can
cut the shape out as soon as you have filled
it with wax when the design is supported.
Let's say with that heart, the picture that
I sent you that's silver at the bottom and
then the copper on the the top.
I just literally engraved the bottom part,
so the silver part.
And then cut out the copper design, I've cut
out certain parts of it and just stuck it
on top of the other one.
So it creates that multi-coloured look.
Which is really cool.
That is beautiful.
Thank you so much for sharing all that with
us , it's like so neat to learn your process.
Well you know to sort delve a little bit into
your process, I'm sure there's so much more.
And so looking at the metal, is it actually
like aluminium can?
Like say a can of Coke?
Is it that sort of metal?
This one is probably a little thinner.
So you get then in gauges.
Which is different thicknesses.
In the States and in Europe where I get most
of my metal from, they basically call it a
gauge level.
SO anything between a 36 and a 38 gauge is
nice to emboss by hand.
So it's not to stiff its not so hard.
You can emboss copper as well.
But copper is quite still because the gauge
level is lower.
The higher the gauge, the thinner the metal.
That's wonder and so what inspires your art?
I find beauty in the simplest things.
I don't know if there's a single thing that
inspires me.
I can be inspired by reading something.
Or looking at a picture and just thinking
oh that would look amazing in metal.
SO it's many different things.
For me, filling my creative well and hooking
up to my creativity really happend when I'm
quite.
ANd when I can get out in nature.
So nature is a massive inspiration for me.
just that sense of feeling calm and being
surrounded by something beautiful, the trickle
of the water stream or a waterfall or the
sound of the ocean.
Just looking at things from a different perspective
really noticing what's around you.
So not just seeing things for what they are
but really starting to look into the finer
details.
For us as a family, I frustrate my husband
and my son endlessly when we go on nature
walks.
Because I get side tracked.
I'll stop and take pictures of the mushrooms
or beautiful leaves or the bark on the trees
And they are like what are you doing?
But I notice the finer details and the textures.
So.
You know what?
I do the same and I frustrate my family too.
You do?
I stay back and I take all the pictures of
the bark and all of that on the walks.
Oh my gosh, nature is just amazing right!
It's incredibly inspiring.
It's just peaceful hey.
Just a sense of calm and connectedness that
you feel when you are out and about, in a
beautiful setting it's wonderful.
Definately the fresh air, everything.
So what is your preferred medium to work in
and why?
Oh my favourite by far is pewter.
Its very expensive and it's really a struggle
getting it in New Zealand.
Importing it is next level expensive because
of the import costs and it weighs a tone.
It's really, its a heavy metal.
And the other thing that makes it tricky is
pewter contains a bit of lead, so there's
all sorts of hoops to jump through to import.
And the other thing that's a battle is pewter
in order to get just the depth and the inchs,
so you apply a chemical liquid called Patina,which
darkens the metal completely so when you look
at the pewter when you buy it.
It's completely silver and shiny.
And then the moment you apply this chemical
liquid over it, it turns it black.
And it sort of goes matt.
So then in order to remove that you use metal
polish to polish it up to a beautiful shine.
But then the Petina lies in all the grooves.
And all the textures and the details so it
really makes your design pop.
But because it's a chemical liquid, it's tricky
again to import it.
Yeah, so that's why I started just using aluminium,
especially for my classes.
Because it's way more affordable.
SO with the pewter as well you have to work
with gloves.
To protect your hands and you have to work
in a well ventilated area when you apply the
Petina and the metal polish.
So you sort of eliminate those processes when
you work with aluminium.
So number one it's affordable.
I always advise, especially my beginners students
just play around on that.
So you don't waste something really expensive
when you make a mistake.
You feel ohh I paid so much money for it and
now it's you know not what I wanted.
ANd then also on the aluminium you use just
normal black acrylic craft paint to get the
same effect as the Petima does on the petwer.
Wow.
So, pewter is.
I've got a love hate relationship with it.
In the fact it's my favourite metal by far
but gosh it's such a struggle to import.
Definately, and so we have touched on that
it's really hard to get metal supplies in
New Zealand.
I'm still struggling to find supplies in New
Zealand.
I import most of my supplies from the USA
now, from Amazon.
So I've got a whole page on my website where
I share the specific links to the products
that I use.
And tried and tested and I know it comes here,
it's perfectly packed, the metal isn't damaged,
the tools and everything have arrive as you
want them to arrive.
I'll share the link to the shop as well.
The shop is built out of affiliate links that
goes back to Amazon.
And you can get pewter, it's not a massive
amount.
It might be half a metre by 30cm wide.
So if you just want to get started and see
what the metal feels like and all that things,
then that link should be fine.
It also goes to rolls of the aluminium the
tools the paint everything.
SO everything you could possibly need for
it is on my shop so.
But just know that I don't supply it, it comes
from Amazon.
Well that's wonderful.
I will definitely put the details below because
that's going to be handy for anyone in New
Zealand but also around the world.
In terms of you tools is that the same as
well?
Linkt to the tools basically will take you
to some of these.
The local craft stores and art supply stores
sell the ball tip tools.
Because they use them for all sorts of other
different things like ceramics and even nail
art.
And then the paper pencils you can find form
the dollar stores.
So I've brought sets of these and I think
there's 5 or 6 different pencils for about
$2-3.
So those you can find.
The thing that you will have to probably import
is the aluminium sheet to work on.
But then most of the other things will be
readily available.
Its just the metal that is really hard to
find, in New Zealand especially.
The other things you will need is a hard smooth
working surface, so that could either be a
cutting board like those craft matts or it
can be a sheet of glass with no texture on
it because the slightest bit of texture transfers
to your metal.
But that you can get from Kmart.
I mean you can just go and buy a glass board
or even a placemat or whatever like that.
And then some craft sheets or felt.
So that's what I use as a soft surface.
A pair of craft scissors or a craft knife
to cut the metal with.
And then black craft paint is available form
anywhere.
So how much would you say it would cost them
to sort of invest to get started?
To get started.
I sell basic starter kits which is a half
metre of aluminium so its a half metre long
and its 30cm wide with a set of ball tipped
tools and a set of paper pencils so that I
sell for $25.
So I can ship that throughout New Zealand.
I say you can get started for way under $100.
That is so reasonable.
Things cost so much.
That startup is really accessible I think.
Its way more expensive if you start with pewter.
So which is why I start my students on aluminum.
Just to see is it something you will take
forward and then invest in pewter and all
the fancy tools.
Exaclty you want to see if you love it, because
you have got to fall in love with it.
Exactly.
Where can you learn more about metal embossing
art or pewter art in New Zealand?
And find sort of introduction to metal embossing
tutorials?
ANd bits and pieces.
Cool, so you can learn from me.
So I started the Metal Embossing Academy in
Tauranga in 2018.
So I teach physical classes where i have around
6-8 students in a class.
or also travel throughout New Zealand to teach
classes.
I do have a lot of online classes.
The best value is basically to join our Love
Metal Membership Club.
SO for a year it costs you $150 or $15 per
month.
So if you pay the once up fee you basically
save 2 months membership fee.
But that gives you access to a Metal Tape
Course which is it looks the same again but
it is made of tape.
ANd then you use scrapbooking embleshments
to stick under so its fail proof - anyone
can do it.
The kids love it, I've done so many kids classes
with it.
And then the other one is my step by step
comprehensive metal embossing made easy course.
So that teaches you how to do metal embossing
on aluminum.
i show you how to do it on copper coated aluminium.
i teach the processes for pewter, how to apply
colour to the metal, and then we have got
on going tutorials inside the membership where
we keep uploading new content and new videos
from myself and then all the other tutors
that are based all around the world.
So.
And you get access to our private Facebook
Group.
it's fabulous.
The people in there are absolutely awesome,
creative like you have never seen before.
It's so inspiring and just really lovely,
a lovely community.
So.
I think you know, for less then 3 coffees,
it's a, it's a fabulous investment.
To start learning a new craft.
Definately it sounds very very valuable.
And you are investing in yourself in a passion.
And start a new business from it.
Absolutely.
Absolutely and all you are limited by is you
imagination.
The fun thing about the metal is you can stick
it onto glass, wood, other metals.
So you can basically stick it onto anything
you want as long as you use contact glue.
Cause that's what sticks the metal to it.
The surfaces of which you can apply it really
are endless and just different applications.
You can cover it with resin, you can apply
colour to it so you can use alcohol inks look
amazing on the metal.
You can do glass paint.
You can even use just normal Sharpies.
You are blowing my mind, my mind is going
crazy.
Yeah I love patterning, as you know patterning
things.
Yeah.
I'm like what could I make.
if you are interested in metal embossing art
definitely do check that out like you said
as a little as about 3 coffees you could learn
an amazing form of art.
And hang out with the most amazing people
from all round the world.
We've got people from Canada, Namibia, the
US, Venezuela, the Uk, there's just so many
countries being represented.
it's so fun, it's really, it's just incredible.
I love it.
Such a creative hub.
Is there a quote or words of inspiration that
you would like to leave us all with?
So the one thing and that's basically been
my journey for the last year since I took
my business online it's been constantly out
of my comfort zone.
All the things I've neve been good at.
I know squat about design a website all these
tech things.
I know nothing about social media.
I know nothing about building websites and
all these things.
Or online interviews for that matter.
But since I started you know you just have
to put yourself out there and so the quote
is basically Eleanor Roosevelt's "to do something
that scares you everyday."
And I can totally say, Yes I've done that.
And if not daily then at least twice a week.
So that's the one thing and what's beautiful
about it, it actually becomes a bit addictive.
Because you are constantly growing, it's just
this massive learning curve, which I find
really envigourating and I love every moment
of it.
It's overwhelming sometimes.
You think oh mu goodness, I don't know how
to do this but there's always someone who
knows.
So do something that really scares you and
you might find something really beautiful
at the end of that journey.
I do love to try and do something that scares
me everyday too because goodness is outside
of your comfort zone, and I know that all
too well.
The scarest thing I ever problaby did was
I literally patted a Cobra in India.
You did, oh awesome.
I was terrified.
But after doing that what was funny about
it, it felt warm and soft and probably a metaphor
too.
it wasn't what I thought it would feel like,
it was actually, it felt soft and warm.
Wow.
That's incredible.
I remember once, it's funny, I remember once
we were at a some sort of a lifestyle show
in South Africa and they had these pen of
snakes and you could pet the snakes.
And mine was just a corn snake, so nothing
as scary as a cobra.
They are quite thin, but I remember I was
holding this snake and it was sort of going
though my fingers and I was like gahh, freaking
out.
Because its a snake.
The next thing I know this little guy climbs
up into my sleeve and it just keeps going.
And I was like this is too much for me.
Eventually he wrapped himself he went all
the way in and he wrapped himself around my
waist which is, actually its warm, and its,
its the weridest sensation.
Because its something you don't want to happen
but it's actually not that bad.
I know it just links in perfectly with that
quote.
So your in a public place and you have go
a snake in your clothes.
Well it was very close so I just took everything
off in public but luckily I didn't.
I would have been like.
Yeah, my gosh.
Comment below what is the scariest thing that
you have ever done and have you ever had a
snake encounter as scary as Ninette's.
If you haven't, you should.
I highly recommend it.
SO it's been a pleasure having you on the
channel today Ninette.
Thank you so much for taking the time and
sharing all this valuable information with
everybody about Metal Embossing Art and for
those interested in how to do Metal Embossing
Art to how to get involved really.
It was my absolute pleasure, thank you so
much for having me, it's always so much fun
talking to you.
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