Saturday, October 13, 2012

More Metal, and "Etching" the Easy Way

When I was at CREATE this past summer I was lucky enough to take a wonderful class with Leighanna Light.  Click here to see what we did.  She had some samples of other projects with her, and one was for goddesses that really caught my eye.  So I was happy to take Faux Etching for the Folk Goddess at Art Is You.  I just love using bits and pieces of metal to create these unique wall hangings.  I'm especially fond of the one that uses a nicely aged Altoids tin as the goddess's body.

This is the very beginning of construction.  I was trying out different things for my first goddess.  Those legs are typewriter keys. 

 
 
The look of etched metal you see on the tin is the faux in the class title.  It couldn't be easier.  We stamped on the already darkened tin (torched, or, as Leighanna informed us, placed on the barbecue) with matte medium, and then coated the whole thing with a liquid patina.  It starts out black, but within a few days it was rusty.  You'll see that in a bit.  In the photo above you can just see the rusting in its early stages.  Once it got to the point I liked, I sealed everything I'd patinaed with a metal sealant.  Otherwise, it would just keep rusting until eventually it would fall apart.
 
 
This is a piece of metal that has the technique, waiting to be used on the next goddess.
 
 
Here are my two pieces right after construction.  One used the tin as the body; the other used flat pieces of metal.
 
 
 
And here they are at home, after some additional rusting and a coating of sealant.
 

 
Leighanna provided the faces and the metal for the bodies, and the set of typewriter keys.  We brought an assortment of charms, beads, metal scraps, etc. to finish our pieces.  The hat above is actually a leftover part from the sconce I used in Michael DeMeng's class.  If you take a close look at all the goddesses I think you'll recognize plenty of stuff you'd find in your own junk pile.



 
 
What follows:  Leighanna snapping photos of our creations, and then, the class goddesses (some finished, some still works in progress).
 
 



 
 
And how about this one; not a goddess at all, but a pup!
 
 
 
The organizers of Art Is You are actually accepting early registration for next year (no classes announced, just reserving a spot for the event), and you better believe I'm in!  If you only have the time and resources to attend one such retreat next year, my advice is to go with Art Is You.  And you have plenty of time to start saving.  It's truly a class organization.
 







12 comments:

Isolina Perez said...

Wow Eileen - beautiful pieces! I so wanted to take her class but there was so many choices and not enough days. But next year I'm going to definitely take a class with Leighanna and Lorraine Reynolds!

Lynn Stevens said...

That must have been an awesome class, Love the tip about the BBQ.
hugs Lynn

Sue Young said...

I love these too Eileen!!! Well done!

Dorothy said...

Too cool!!

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

I LOVE MAKING PEEPS out of anything, and especially metal!!! Total swoon! These are fantastic Eileen! Oh my gosh, the creative adrenaline must have been flowing!!!

Patzee said...

Love these tall folks!

Renee said...

Amazing work! thanks for sharing.

Marjie Kemper said...

Everyone I spoke to who took classes with Leighanna RAVED. Your pics are fabulous! I love all the variations... totally SUPER.

Laura Spano said...

Eileen- these are wonderful. I was just about to pull myself away from facebook, when I saw your post on the ARt-is-You wall. So glad I did. I am going to check back later to read the rest of your posts. What beautiful pieces you have made here. I didn't make it this year, but I'm already making plans for next! Thank you for sharing your beautiful creations. I'm taking a metalsmithing class right now and am loving the faux etching. Lorraine sounds like a fun teacher.

Lori said...

Ooo, didn't get to take one of her classes, but I wish I would have. What cool pieces of art!

Anonymous said...

Eileen I love coming to your blog and seeing what wonderful things you have made...you are so creative. I understand you left the ARTHaven group and I will miss you. I loved when you posted you had something new on your blog to share...I put you in my favorites! I always feel inspired by your work. shirley nagel

craftyM said...

I LOVE all of these. So very fun and sooo cool! I think I'd love doing this!!!!