Sections of 1/2" copper rod are being cut off on a rod cutter. I'll use the two pieces being cut to be shaped into tendrils which I need to spring out from the open slit in the sculpture. The copper can be cut with a hacksaw, of course, but  since I have a shears I'll use this instead, although it's not important how the pieces are cut. If there wasn't any solid stock available, then I would have rolled some sheet stock into tubes then formed those into the configuration needed.  To make those then you could cut the sheet stock into tapers then begin to roll the edge over a steel plate or anvil and hammer it into a tapered tube. Anneal the piece then curve as needed.  You may or may not need to weld the seam, it depends, but the tricky part is not to crush the inside radius of a bend.  It would be helpful to have a radiused mandrel to work over or simply carve out a wood form for this purpose.