Repousse

'Repousse' is a traditional technique in which a malleable metal is raised up from the surface by hammering from the reverse side to create a raised design on the front. 'Chasing' is the opposite technique to repousse, i.e. the metal is pushed down into it from the front to refine the design on the front. Both are used in conjunction to create a finished piece. It is also known as 'Embossing'. The techniques of repousse and chasing utilize the plasticity of metal, forming shapes by degrees. There is no loss of metal in the process, as it is stretched locally and the surface remains continuous. The process is relatively slow, but a maximum of form is achieved with one continuous surface of metal sheet of essentially the same thickness. Direct contact of the tools used is usually visible in the result, a condition not always apparent in other techniques, where all evidences of the working method are eliminated.