Etching Samples

I am thinking about surface effects that I can put onto a water jet cut bowl, which I wrote about in my last blog post. I am unsure if any of these are possible without scratching in the construction process, but what's a project without a bit of problem solving...

Accidental samples are always my favourite. Nickel shouldn't be this vibrant when heated. The only thing that could have caused it is that I didn't rinse off the ammonia properly, which was used to neutralise and clean it, having been etched with ferric chloride. 

This is my double check sample. I think I'm right about the ammonia, but the nickel needs to be left to air before being rinsed.

One thing I love about ferric chloride is the streaks it leaves on the etched surface, which is brought out more when polished.

Blue steel!!!

I would love a piece that has a simple high polish but maintaining it during the riveting process would be really difficult. One thing I could try is polish the nickel sheet before it goes onto the water jet cutter, sandwiching it between 2 pieces of MDF to reduce chance of scratching and burrs, and then wrap it all in masking tape when bending the metal. 

Water Jet Bowl

When I say it's a bowl, what I'm really saying is that it can hold air and not a lot else. I like the idea of one solitary orange balancing in the middle of the piece like a citrus crystal ball. There are a few things that I would have liked to have changed, but I'm really pleased I managed to get it to this state without it snapping or warping. 

Paper burn outs that survived the kiln

They live!! These ceramic samples need further refinement and experimentation with glazes but I feel a sense of achievement that they haven't disintegrated in the kiln. My next batch will have pigment mixed into the slip in which I will dip my laser cut shapes. I don't know if such pieces will have a place in my degree show, especially as I only decided to look into ceramics in my last term of uni, but when my tutor justifies it as a "visual enquiry" its difficult to give up on something that sounds so posh. 

Valentines Cards

It's that time of year again at uni where my fellow students and I are starting to raise funds in the run up to Valentines day, but this time it's not a random exhibition, but a big scary degree show. My laser cut heart pendants were popular last year so will be stocking up on those, but I fancied having a go at cards too. I might go as far as buying some sickly pink card to laser cut onto next.

Laser Cutting in Polypropylene

I've been back on the laser cutter, playing with card and plastics, while waiting for my ceramic pieces to be fired.This is definitely my favourite model so far, I think it looks like a space ship that would leave Captain Kirk quaking at the knees. However I need to redesign the construction tabs and other things so that there's no need for glue. My next step is to find some contrasting materials to be suspended in the or intertwined within the piece, and work out better colours. It turns out that Polypropylene cannot be sprayed or dyed, so I've been faffing around with different plastic suppliers to find a colourful alternative.  I also want to play around with arranging multiples and stacking. I prepared a file ready for it to cut in mild steel on the water jet cutter, to see what it looks like on a larger scale. 

Laser Cut Burnouts

I doubt that these will survive the firing process, but I love how the weight of the clay slip distorts the shapes even further than paper alone. the slip is so lovely to work with I just want to swim in it...or eat it. 

Water Jet Cutting Part 2

I did it!!!! I expected my ham-fisted score lines to snap but it survived!!!! I need some opinions on finishes. I could let it rust and have it lacquered, or spray it in a bold colour. I'm thinking red for some reason, anything but white as it nearly looks like a snowflake already. What I have decided on is that it needs to be matt, and that it will become a table lamp.......somehow.....

On the Water Jet Cutter!!!!!

So hopefully I will be able to turn this piece of mild steel....

Into this.

God knows how I'll manage the folding part but it will be fun trying. Hopefully if everything goes according to plan I will have the other section cut out and then it'll be finished by the end of the week. Then I can work out scale and finishes, or even better I can can add extra attachments to make a light fitting!! So Exciting!!!!!!!

Copyright Steffi Glaves 2012

Enamel pendant

I tried recreating a sample a couple of months ago that I made in 2nd year with a few changes. Although I don't like it as much as it's predecessor I have worked out a couple new methods to make wet ply enamel easier to deal with. At the moment I have been using shot glasses for storing enamel and applying it onto copper blanks with cut straws. They're great because I can stack my enamels when not in use and my house mate can use the spares for vodka jelly.....hint hint hint Hannah.

etched an enamelled samples

I haven't done any enamelling since the summer and I've missed it so much!!! With these samples I wanted to get better transferring photocopied images onto copper for etching with ferric acid, with the hope of playing with rubbing enamel back and blacking with Liver of Sulphur etc. I thought It would be therapeutic process where there'd be a satisfying feeling of peeling back the acetate like a temporary tattoo to reveal an immaculately transferred image onto copper. Instead I accidentally murdered the laminater and had to perform surgery to get it working again and the spring-back steel components weren't springing back and the tutor leant over it and subsequently dipped his hair in the safety pickle. 8 hours later in the ferric acid (with very little etch) I had some lovely imagery of telephone pylons and these are what I ended up with :

Sifted grey and black enamel (the grey turned green but I like that), rubbed back to reveal etch and  dipped in Liver of Sulphur. I prefer the section on the far left where it is more detailed and not a geometric.

 Flux, buffed back, wire wool, re-fired, Liver of Sulphur. Good to know I can have a glossy background and matt detailing if I wanted.

OK so this is what a sample looks like before I buff the enamel back. Both colours are in fact grey unleaded enamel. The green is a result of multiple firings and the white is after 1 firing. I could have wet plied the enamel which would have given more specific coverage and less mess but there is more of a likelyhood of wet enamel getting contaminated in the workshop than dry for some reason....

.....And this is After!! Still deciding on whether to make it black or not, I think it may suit the white more than the copper. I should really try more colours.....