spontaneous fighting is allowed in hockey.. OR what can you do in a day?

pendant in a day pretty much kicked some serious butt. this time the instructor was prepared. so prepared in fact she brought orange juice and pastries for the class..w-o-w. she also had ten sheets of pnp (paste and peel) paper with design on it. typically i wouldn't be so inclined that have a design already for us however this is just supposed to be an eight hour class. as it was i didn't leave until six thirty! i wasn't even the last to leave, there were three people left with the instructor as i headed out the door. and that was with predetermined images! 

anywho, back to the day i was curious about photo etching going in, coming out i know how it works. the pnp paper is similar to a carbon paper or maybe the paper used at a tattoo shop, except thicker and shinier on one side. the idea is still the same. you print out a black and white image, the more contrast probably the better, through your trusty computer printer. then you copy it onto the pnp paper. voila, a template. you just have to keep in mind images are reverse, especially if you are doing text.

 i was pretty much planning on one rectangular piece however my generious teacher gave me a little extra. she was quite nice, gave me a silver chain at the end.. i guess she felt like i had been smiling and patient all day; apparently she liked me!

here to the left is the main rectangular piece. the pattern is a vintage thirties lace pattern. here is also the pnp paper after applied to the silver (eighteen gauge). 

here are the two extra piece she gave me. now originally, i thought i would put the three pieces together, by linking them with a silver tube, which serves as the bail - or the part where the chain goes through.  however after moving the pieces around i couldn't find a strong pattern that could link them; the larger piece and one of the smaller pieces were from the same lace pattern, but then the length wouldn't be balanced and two smaller pieces the smaller sizes where just a little different so then that didn't balance...so you see there were 'stumbling blocks' with my original design idea

 

which you know is apart of the process.. however, i have to say a bonus with the class is that everyone was very friendly supportive and creative on some level. i solicited some opinions about my design which did help me conclude the triptych idea wasn't going to work out. that is a-okay because in the end, if you recall i really only wanted to make one piece. i am pretty darn happy with my end results. keeping the larger piece separate and putting the two smaller pieces together as a panel totally works.

 the silver pieces were oxidized with silver black which gives it that darker background. note, for clarification it looks like the top didn't adhere during the pnp step, that actually isn't true. that was part of the 'border' of the pattern. 
also, the silver tube, or bail, is a tiny bit crooked; i know this but when the piece is on, hanging from the chain you can't tell. so no biggie for me. did you see how kick ass this is..

piece two, the panel, again the thirties lace pattern is on the right and a japanese flower design is on the left. in retrospect, i wish i had chosen a stronger image for the left panel. i wish the line detail was a little heavier. i really like the contrast. again, this piece was oxidized. there is a little piece of schmutzle on the lower portion of the japanese flower side.when you are sautering the bail to the piece, you put flux on both sides to the piece, unfortunately sometimes with the flux and the heat, the piece can stick to the 'brick', leaving little pieces on your work. i tried to get this off when soaking in the pickle bath however, this tiny bit wouldn't budge! 

oh well, play through. i know i still have a little sanding to do. and i will now that i have more time. 

in the end i'm quite happy with both of these little delights. 

that's what i can do in a day. oh and as a weird little bonus, you can take whatever pieces are in the throw away bins... these are brass and i'm not sure i would use them to make something wearable but they could be added to something like say a shadow box.... hmmm who knows what's in store for these two.

today we are attending the cheesey smack down. mc61 is taking the creative helm here. i'll be sure to keep you posted. ...