Monday, August 5, 2013

Etching.

So finally on Sunday, I got a little time to play with my Ferric Chloride and Brass/Copper. Here are the results:



With the brass I had the design face down in the solution and ended up with those lines all around and with the copper I suspended the piece vertically and ended up with lines also, but they just look like 'run' lines if you know what I mean?! Being this is my first attempt at etching ever, I realise I haven't given it enough tries/experiments to see what I'm doing right/wrong. Spent most of Monday researching and asking advice in forums/blogs to find out what I might be doing wrong, but haven't really gotten anywhere yet.

Sooo, if anyone out there has any ideas/advice for me, that would be much appreciated! In the meantime, I guess I will just keep on experimenting.
I am also trying to get my hands on some Ferric Nitrate for silver etching, but I probably won't bother trying with that till I have the brass/copper etching fine tuned, thought I have read that it's basically the same procedure.

There hasn't been a whole lot of time at the bench lately. I've been working on some new earring ideas that came to me in the middle of the night (never had that happen before!) and the etching. Really really want the etching to work out as it's rather quite fun and all the ideas and designs I could make are endless.

Anywho, I've just made myself some noodles for lunch, so I'd better go and munch them down before school pick up!

Ta Ta For Now :)
Em ♥

2 comments:

Cinnamon Jewellery said...

Nice to see your etchings! I think the lines you got in the first piece (I call them Jesus rays) just seem to happen when you suspend pieces upside down. I get them and I've noticed most other people do too. I suppose the only way to avoid them is to just do a really light etch or cut the edges off.

I suspended some pieces vertically last time I etched and didn't notice any lines but then the pattern I used was really busy. Giving the pieces of metal a wiggle regularly helps to remove the etched away bits of metal that cause the lines too.

I'm no etching expert but I hope I've helped a bit :D

littlecherryhill said...

Thanks Tracy, I guess it will have to be a trial and error thing with etching for the moment. I am having another go today in a different way to the first time. I am agitating the solution ever 5-10 mins, if this is something I want to do lots of, I might invest in a little fish tank water pump for that part....