Friday, October 22, 2010

Etching







The first images are of aluminium sheet, impasto resist with a little magenta paint for pattern recognition when dry; copper sulfate and salt etch for about half an hour. This solution is also suitable for steel and zinc. The last picture is a brass shim sheet etched in ferric cloride, a chemical that can be used for copper too. I have made my marks with a paint brush.

A brilliant website for those interested in etching with the mildest possible chemicals is www.nontoxicprint.com

2 comments:

  1. Great etching and thanks for the website link. Loved etching when i was at TAFE but all the chemicals were much too scary to use at home.

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  2. Yes, I've had similar experiences until I did a little research and found more information. That website in particular is very well researched and organised, you can read about the chemical side and science of the materials as well as find step by step instructions. They're still not 'soft drinks' that we're dealing with, but mild enough liquids to use at home, outside, with eye and hand protection. Try it!! : D

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