With an artistic mind and roots in both metallurgical engineering and creative design, Nicholas Yust finds himself constantly testing, experimenting, and incorporating new materials into his artwork.  Although some of his works include components of acrylic, wood, fiberglas, mesh, and other materials, his specialty has always been metal.  Aluminum is his preferred substrate for the bulk of his artwork, however in many of his designs you will find some combination of the following materials: 

316 Stainless Steel

6062-T6 Aluminum

5052-H32 Aluminum

C220 Cosmetic Bronze

24oz Cosmetic Copper

Mild Steel

Aluminum vs. Steel - Which is Better for Metal Art?
As I mentioned, aluminum has always been Nicholas' metal of choice for most designs - it is strong, durable, weather-resistant, and has a nice white undertone that allows it to really capture his creative grind patterns and reflect light brilliantly.  The natural material for both steel and aluminum is very similar in appearance, and in fact to the untrained eye it is almost undecipherable.  However, there are certain inherant properties with steel that allow it to produce beatiful, vibrant colors when it is super-heated with a torch.  Aluminum does not react the same way, and therefore is replaced with steel in those types of applications.  

Due to some inexpensive, mass-produced products that use aluminum (soda cans, foil, siding, etc) it can have a bit of a negative (or less-presitgeous) connotation with it when compared to steel, however automobile-grade and aerospace-grade aluminums are exceptionally high quality and are, in most cases, preferred over steel applications.  

Copper, Bronze & Brass Used in Artwork
Copper and bronze are very beautiful metals, and are extremely important for certain designs in Nicholas' gallery.  They have a very classy, upscale appearance which, when used properly, have a way of fusing the old world with new contemporary style.  In addition to their natural state, they also produce magnificent coloring when torched or super-heated, like steel does.  Also, for classical, earth-tones, western, or rustic style artwork and decor, different types and finishes of bronze, copper and brass are typically more relevant than a crisp aluminum or steel.