Bob in SF
Member
My wife is writing an engaging and well-researched biography of the great actor Alan Ladd; so I did this little 4x6" copper engraving with hand-ground points to honor her ongoing hard work.
I freeze-framed one of his film noir movie scenes and engraved this portrait "from life" - spent a fair amount of time on the patina (all done outside with respirator mask, goggles, gloves, fan, etc., plenty of rinsing between steps):
Left it overnight in a box of sawdust dampened with copper sulfate
Sponged with nitric acid for low relief etching
Dipped briefly in diluted liver of sulfur (potassium sulfide) solution for more color and a bit of darkening; this reaction stopped with hand rubbed baking soda solution
Propane-torched for additional blueing
Finished with Nikolas brass instrument (trumpet) spray lacquer to preserve the patina:
Happy Sunday to all - Bob
I freeze-framed one of his film noir movie scenes and engraved this portrait "from life" - spent a fair amount of time on the patina (all done outside with respirator mask, goggles, gloves, fan, etc., plenty of rinsing between steps):
Left it overnight in a box of sawdust dampened with copper sulfate
Sponged with nitric acid for low relief etching
Dipped briefly in diluted liver of sulfur (potassium sulfide) solution for more color and a bit of darkening; this reaction stopped with hand rubbed baking soda solution
Propane-torched for additional blueing
Finished with Nikolas brass instrument (trumpet) spray lacquer to preserve the patina:
Happy Sunday to all - Bob
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