Over the past couple of weeks I’ve learned a fair amount about metals. Etching is always a cool effect. There are a couple of etching methods I’d like to try using- one using toner (from laser printer), and another is to blast off a paint negative (which I’ve done on pennies, but not mild steel) and then put it in a bath of acid or even better, a copper sulfate/salt solution (the latter being electrochemical as opposed to nasty). Then strip the paint with acetone.
For the Confucius piece, I could do something like this:
The gray would be the metal, the black the etched part (probably with black paint rubbed in), and the yellow is actually cut out revealing the brass underneath.
I think it’s one thing too many – just looks too busy, and from a conceptual point, it’s a bit too obvious. Looks a bit too much like a t-shirt.
In other news, I bought a crystal ball a while back that will have a message when you look into it:
So far, the leading candidate is:
“In the future, you will describe this piece to someone”
I’m still coming up with ideas for how to mount it – two hands like the above? Atlas on his back? A simple ring?