Friday 10 January 2014

Etching and Plaster Alchemy...

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I'm ever so excited about my latest mixed media experimental work. I have finally made a start on Copper and Brass etching, which has been amazing fun!

I have also come up with a way of turning plaster into antiqued gold lol! Yes, I have achieved alchemy...Ok, not really, but I have achieved some really cool results

These are my first attempts at etching. I used Copper and Brass sheeting, and Ferric Chloride, using archival ink as a resist. The results are beautiful aren't they...I cannot wait to include them in my books or mixed media artwork.

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Etched Brass Sheeting with Paisely design

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Etched Copper Sheet with Flourishes

The experiments with plaster came about through sheer "miserly-ness". I have no idea how everyone affords buying in metal components for each and every project they work on?

 I had purchased steampunk brass stampings and Tim Holtz metal embellishments and dreaded them running out after use...so I thought I'd make moulds of them in silicone and attempt to cast them in plaster. I do use a plaster formulation that is slightly stronger than plaster of paris, as I find plaster of paris can be quite crumbly and not strong enough for the next stage of the process

The castings turned out really well as you can see...
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The next stage involved using an inexpensive alunimium metal foil to cover the plaster forms. I then burnished the foil into all the nooks and crannies to highlight as much of the detail as possible. Then using acrylic paint I set about distressing the foil to appear like antiqued gold! 

This is the skull and cross bones version I did, all ready to adorn a new pirate book or treasure chest!
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I even attempted to alter a very shiny polymer flower I had made in 2009. I used the same techniques as above and transformed it into an antiqued gilded floral ornament ready for use!!
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All in all, I enjoyed playing with all my metals , both faux and real !! Hope you like the pics :)



Samantha Braund



2 comments:

K S Jewellery Designs said...

Hi Samantha - glad to see you're back in action. Hope you're back to good health now. Love the etched pieces. I can really see how this technique will fit in with your work - how exciting!
All the best
Kristin :)

Samantha Braund said...

Hey Kristin, thanks for that, I appreciate it :)! I am in love with that grungy etched metal look

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