Plasma cutter art and artists

Are you ready to look at some of the works of art created with a Powermax^® air plasma cutter?

• Artists using Hypertherm is a great introduction to metal art created with plasma as several different projects are represented from signs, home décor, outdoor gates, and even a 11-foot-tall horse.
  
  
• Exceptional metal art features artist Kelly Phipps who creates intricate plasma cutter designs freehand using a Powermax30^® XP with a handheld plasma cutter torch. Her medium includes shovel heads, signs, tables and gates, automotive art panels and displays.
  
  
  
  
• The Saw Lady Cindy Chinn uses a Powermax30^® XP with FineCut^® consumables to turn old saws into works of art from a former public school that now serves as her home and studio.
  
  
  
  
• Jimmy Don Holmes specializes in wall art. You may have seen him on HGTV’s Fixer Upper. He specializes in CNC plasma cutter projects using either a Powermax65^® plasma cutter (he owns eight) and an original Powermax45^®, predecessor to the Powermax45^® XP.
  
  
  
  
• Sisters Ariane and Alexia combine reclaimed wood with metal to create home décor and trophies for their Texas based business, Authenicaa, spelled with two “A’s” at the end to represent the two sisters. Like Saw Lady Cindy Chinn, the sisters prefer a Powermax30^® XP and FineCut^® consumables.
  
  
  
  
• Nicola Hébert, owner of Tin Fish Studios in Idaho, has been creating metal art since 2004. She likes to mix things up using either a handheld plasma cutter or CNC plasma cutter for her projects.
  
  
  
  
• Welder and artist Lou Rodriquez also uses a combination of freehand plasma cutting and a CNC plasma cutter. Take a look at this 20-foot-long, nearly 9-foot-tall dragon sculpture he created.
  
  
  
  
• Artist Scott McKay of Strong Arm Forge is the artist behind a 25-ton train that greets visitors to the Canadian city of St. Thomas. McKay uses a couple different Powermax systems, a Powermax30^® AIR and Powermax65^®.
  
  
  
  
• The last work of art we want to highlight is by Warrior StoryField, an inspiring nonprofit that uses art as therapy. Led by metal artist and civilian Robert Bellows, this grassroots organization believes the creative process can support veterans as they process the complex thoughts and emotions caused by their combat zone experiences and return to civilian life.
  
  

How to find plasma cutter art ideas

If the above works of art aren’t inspiration enough, there are quite a few places online where artists can find plasma cutter designs and free plasma cutter art patterns. Resources are available for artists wanting both freehand plasma cutter patterns and CNC plasma cutter projects.

Freehand plasma cutting using a template

Plasma cutter templates can save you a lot of time, frustration, and wasted metal. A plasma cutter template is especially helpful for artists new to working with metal. Your template can be something super simple like a circle or straight edge, or more detailed and complex.

You can create your own plasma cutter template for more complex projects by tracing or drawing your design on cardboard. Next, cut out the design with a knife, place the cardboard cutout on top of the metal piece you plan to cut, and trace around it using soapstone.

CNC plasma cutter projects

The first thing you’ll need to create artwork on a CNC is a .DXF file. DXF, which stands for Drawing Exchange Format, is a vector file format used by CAD programs. It takes your design and turns it into code your CNC can understand.

You can create your own .DXF file or find free plasma cutter art patterns online at sites like DXFforCNC.com. DXFforCNC offers a nice variety of plasma cutter designs from wall art to signs and landscape elements.

In summary, plasma cutter art ideas are unlimited. You can create your own plasma cutter designs using a plasma cutter template, stencil, or pattern for freehand projects and for CNC plasma cutter projects, by creating, finding, or buying a .DXF file.

Thinking about using plasma for some art projects?

Check out our other post on plasma cutter art ideas and considerations.