A Lasting Impression: Etching and the Found Object
This exciting two-day workshop brings students through the process of etching imagery and/or text into copper, brass and nickel using a variety of techniques, each with their own particular personality. Plates etched using these methods will then be carefully cut, formed and shaped to integrate with found objects brought by the students, creating a mysterious marriage of found and fabricated materials.

The tools below are things you will be using in the workshop, and to avoid having to wait for a communal tool to become available, you should plan on getting them for the class:

• Assorted COPIES to etch with. IMPORTANT - READ THIS. Be sure your copies are from a copier that uses powdered toner, (laser copies are fine, again, if the toner is powdered) Many KINKO'S copies will not give a satisfactory result, I've found...
they use a liquid toner rather than a powdered one...try a different copy centre.

Try to keep them purely graphic, as photographic grey-tones won't translate as accurately with this method [unless they are screened in a dot pattern]. Although I have seen incredible images etched with photographic images, so bring some in to experiment with. In either case, make sure the copies are good and black, with lots of toner on the paper. Bring at least three copies of each image you want to try.

IMPORTANT: If you want to use an image of an object or a person/animal, etc., and you want it to etch AS YOU SEE IT in the copy, you'll need to INVERT the image - that is, the black lines or tones should be flipped so they are the white parts on the copy, and vice-versa. Think of a photographic negative - that's what your copy needs to look like for it to etch as a positive image...make sense?

if you want to etch lettering, you'll need the copy to show the text BACKWARDS. This can be done in one of three ways:

1) manipulate the text on a computer, then flip it so it's backwards and print it out onto good quality paper. Then you can take that to the copy place to have your copies made.

2) Some copy machines have a button that will flip the image.

3) Copy your text first onto copier-safe acetate, then flip the acetate over and copy that onto paper, making the type backwards on the paper...make sense? Keep in mind that whatever you copy will be flipped from the original.) Bold, strong images will tend to give better results (i.e., copies with lots of black).

So, if you have images AND text together, and you want them to read correctly on the metal, you'll need to flip AND invert the image. See images here:

Original text

Copy - Flipped and Inverted

Finished plate

Another suggestion regarding copies for the class is not to gang the images up smack next to each other; leave at least 1 inch of white paper around each side of the image. You'll breathe a bit easier!

• Cordless hand drill - If you have a variable-speed hand drill already, you won't need a cordless, but if you don't own a power drill yet, this is a good example. Although it's not the cheapest drill out there, it is a truly excellent tool and you will find a thousand uses for it around the house and workshop. This was the best price I found on mail-ordering the Makita drill. However, you can go to Bunnings and they sell other brands of a similar design - AEG makes a great one. Just study the image in the link and take note of 2 things - the chuck (where the bit goes in) and the battery (same size as handle, rather than bigger at the end). Both should look essentially like the image.

• Set of drill bits (any standard hardware-store set of 'high-speed steel' drill bits)

• Two extra 1/16" drill bits

• Piece of scrap wood to drill into

• Scraps or sheets of copper, brass or nickel; or objects made of these metals you'd like to etch onto. Remember that if you use foil-thin metal, you will only be able to etch very lightly. Copper or brass sheeting (up to 1 mm thick is perfect) can be purchased most inexpensively through a local metal surplus yard...look in the yellow pages under scrap metal, then call to ask if they allow the public to buy. The metal is sold by the pound, so it's much cheaper than buying it from a jewelry or hobby supply. Most model train / hobby stores will have sheets of brass and copper as well. I would recommend against the rolls of copper foil sold in some craft stores, as it is so thin that there isn't much depth to etch into, but if you have some, bring it, as it can still be used for certain effects.

• Tin snips (Wiss makes these wonderful 'Offset Snips'): <Here> Or, if you are OK with your jeweller's saw, you can skip these.

• Several copied designs you'd like to try to etch (Keep them small-ish. Again, be sure they are from a copier using POWDER toner, and not liquid...if it is black and white or color TONER, they are OK (so laser copies are OK if they are from a powder cartridge). Try to keep them purely graphic, as photographic grey-tones won't translate as well with this method [unless they are screened in a dot pattern]. In either case, make sure the copies are good and black, with lots of toner on the paper. Bring at least three copies of each image you want to try. if you want to etch lettering, you must first copy it onto copier-safe acetate, then flip the acetate over and copy that onto paper, making the type backwards on the paper...make sense? Keep in mind that whatever you copy will be flipped from the original.) Bold, strong images will tend to give better results (i.e., copies with lots of black).

Another suggestion regarding copies for the class is not to gang the images up smack next to each other; leave at least 3cm of white paper around each side of the image. You'll breathe a bit easier!

• A bottle of ferric chloride solution. Bring two if you want to etch lots of plates. Here.

• Small can of acetone (available at any hardware store). Don't bring nail-polish remover, as it is weaker than pure acetone. If you're in the class with a friend, you can share a bottle.

• Small bottle of ammonia. If you're in the class with a friend, you can share a bottle.

• Bottle of blackening patina. Look up NOVACAN BLACK at a stained-glass supply. Don't bring liver of sulphur, as it isn't the best on brass. Any blackening solution sold to darken solder for stained-glass work will be perfect.

• Press-n-Peel Blue transfer paper. Although you can buy it in a pinch from Jaycar <here>, it is very pricey. Cheaper option is to mail-order it <here> which gives you, after shipping, twice as much.

• An old clothes iron. If you're in the class with a friend, you can share one.

•A few small flat plastic tupperware or microwave-dinner trays, least 4 cm deep, or better still deeper plastic tubs with lids

• Cotton pads

• Scotch-Brite pad or medium-fine steel wool

•Sharpie markers (the fresher the better... make sure to get at least one wide or chisel-point), available at Office Works or other office supply

• Roll of masking tape (as wide a roll as you can get) or clear packing tape

• Old rag or paper towels for wiping up any spills, etc.

• 3M Wet-Or-Dry Polishing paper - quite simply some of the coolest polishing equipment money can buy <Here>

• a good assortment of wet/dry sandpaper from about 320 up - see if your hardware store has really fine stuff, like 1000 or 1200 grit. A great source for really fine sandpapers is an auto parts store like Supercheap Auto.

• jeweller's saw with a 4" to 6" (150mm) frame depth <Here>

• jeweller's saw blades: (get two sizes: 1 dozen (or more) of the #1 or #2 size and 1 dozen (or more) of #3/0 (that's "three-aught") size, any brand

• Bench Pin: <Here> (if yours doesn't come with a clamp to hold it to the table, bring a BAR CLAMP<Here> Alternatively, you can bring in a flat piece of timber, about 20 x 10 x 2cm with the bar clamp above and I'll be happy to create a custom pin for you!

• Wooden dapping block/punch: <Here>

• spring-loaded, or 'automatic' centre punch: a cheap one can be had here.

• Rawhide Mallet: <Here>

• Found objects: Bring an assortment of objects and materials from home that you might be able to marry with your etched plates - old boxes, hand mirrors, and misc. bits - whatever kinds of objects float your boat.

 

Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address.

See you there! Keith