Wednesday, February 20, 2008

My Latest Project - Acid Etched Beatles















For a long while I have really really wanted to do something with acid etching. I had this vision of doing faces. It all started with this picture of my son when he was a baby. I had tinkered with the color and contrast to get this black and white image. I used to use this B&W image as my avatar. It was originally a project for my scrapbooking side.
As a very young girl I remember hearing the Beatles "Michelle" on the radio and knew for sure they were singing to me. I was a bit of a Beatles freak in my teens. I felt that I was born at the wrong time. How could I have missed those concerts in 1964? I read everything I could about them. I purchased a bok of the complete history of the Beatles that included a poster. That poster had been on the wall of my bedroom since the late '70-'s. On their last trip out here I convinced my dad to do downstairs to my old bedroom and bring me that poster. Could it be almost 30 years later?? Shocking to get old....I digress.....

So I scanned that poster and shrunk it and tinkered with the contrast. I really felt there must be a way to do what I wanted. I could see the piece of jewelry in my head. I got the B&W image were I wanted it, somtimes editing pixel by pixel. All I had to do was figure out a way to get the detail I needed as resist onto the metal. I have read of several ways to do it and even tried a few only to have miserable results. It was very disheartening. I tried for weeks. I finally went to the ironing the toner onto the metal method and that didn't work either. The image didn't come off the paper. I tried again. It seemed to work ok but there was some white residue I coul dot srub off with out scrubbing off the detail...out of frustration I just had to plunge it in the acid and see what I would get. I am really shocked at the results. It is totally cool! Here is that piece. I also did a test patch of a scrolly pattern. the whole piece of copper is 4-1/4" x 2". I am going to turn it into a piece of jewelry..so more later!!
It just makes me want to sing, "Love Love me do...you know I love you..." ......

2 comments:

Curious Knopf said...

The beatles project looks great. I can totally imagine it on a piece of jewelry. Very unique!

Anonymous said...

I was a Beatles fan, too. :) But what I really love is the effect you got on the copper. This is one technique I just heard of but have never tried. I'd love to learn how. Nice work!

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