Fusing bits of metal together hardly qualifies as art, unless it’s the handiwork of a welding master like Richard Lauth. The 23-year-old professional welder from Chicago creates beautiful portraits, themed sculptures, decorations, and models using nothing but metal and a welding machine

Lauth is an Operating Engineer and member of the trade union Local 150 by day, but he likes to spend his free time using his welding skills on artistic pursuits. Or as he writes on Instagram, he loves making “cool s***” out of metal. Some of his pieces include metal portraits of popular characters like Stormtroopers and Minions, animal faces, and small metal sculptures of everyday objects.

For more images of Lauth’s metal art, you can check out his Instagram. He also sells some of his work on Etsy.

Richard Lauth’s beautiful artworks are reminiscent of the masterpieces of another welding master – Texas-based industrial welder Scott Raabe, who literally incorporates art into his seemingly boring job of pipe welding. Remember those beautiful rainbow welds he created to bind steel pipes together?

Photos: Richard Lauth/Instagram

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