Having Fun.

Yes I have been back at the bench a lot more this past week, all thanks to etching. I'm actually having lots of fun! It's all trial and error, but as it's only brass and copper at this stage, it's funds worth risking.

My favourite of the two, is brass.
I didn't think I would like it so much. But I love the colour and I love how the etching stands out against the soft golden colour. All of this practice with the base metals is helping me iron out the problems before I move onto the silver etching. Which I am really looking forward to. I got my hands on the Ferric Nitrate this week too!

I haven't quite conquered the 'Jesus rays' just yet, but I have at least largely minimised them. I figured out a way that I might reduce them and it worked :) I also asked someone on YouTube and they confirmed it, so I am headed in the right direction. The one problem with etching is, I have to be free to agitate the solution often, so I need to work etching out around Poppy's feeding times, or I can't give it the attention it needs. Though the other evening, my other half kindly did it for me, whilst I fed her. So I figure that if this is something I wish to pursue a lot of, I will need to find something that can vibrate my solution whilst in use, or get one of those fish tank pumps I've read about. The one thing I don't like about the fish pump idea, is that whenever I have come across pictures of such a set up, there is always chloride/nitrate splashed all over the place. That isn't ideal. I need something like a tumbler.  I'll figure it out. Eventually. In the meantime, it's working okay how things are.

As for those patinas by vintaj, I'm still very much in the 'playing with' stage. I've got the greens/blues set (which is my fave) and the one you see above and I've also got a rust set coming. I am experimenting with whether to patina before doming or after and seeing which looks best. From all of this I am thinking up all sorts of earring designs - not necessarily with the patinas, just with the etching and doming etc. It's great to have some of my creating mojo back! Just can't believe it's taken me this long to try etching!

Well Poppy is asleep and Summer is watching kids tv, so I might make a cup of tea and head out to the bench again :) Have a great weekend all!

Em ♥