Rustnstuff: 07/15

Friday, July 31, 2015

Finishing feathers on Friday

More recently quite a lot of my creative time has gone into bigger art works - community and commission. However in an earlier post I indicated I was quietly making a few metal feathers.

I have managed to finish four pendant feathers; and three sets of earring feathers. All the feather forms were hand hammered on my smaller anvil. Recently in a 'collectables' shop I bought four older silver chains - I have used these on the feather pendants - another bit of recycling and reuse. The pendant feathers are about 6cm long. The chains are all about 50cm long.

The earring feathers are about 2.5-3cm long.

A small creative task but quite a nice sense to complete a task. Friday - hmm - off to have a quiet drink or two and some zuchini slice.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Cool moon mornings and a couple of other things

This month we are to have a blue moon - really only means two full moons in the one month. Still the cool evenings and mornings have made for some good moon photos including the one this afternoon - a cool silver moon rising.

Some of the photos of the phases of the moon over the last few mornings follow.

I'm intrigued by the rotation of the moon from rising to setting - the shadow edge is at the base when rising and on the top when setting - or so it seems to me.

The early morning have also made for some other intriguing light including the lights of the Port of Brisbane - obviously taken with a cold shaky hand - but quite a funky outcome.

I had to share the photo below of a colourful little visitors Fiona and I saw when we were beginning the etching.

And a couple of photos I took of the peace flags on the Japanese Peace Bell deck at night whilst I was attending the barbecue.

Time to go to get ready for visitors.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

The big etch

On Saturday afternoon I got to etch the panels for the peace post commission - with Fiona's help - this etch really did require two people; and Fiona's knowledge of course.

First up - making 24 litres of etchant (salt and copper sulphate) - as you can see from the photos below Fiona was in charge of measuring and I was the mixer.

Then in went the lengths of aluminium - three or four at a time. The process generates quite a bit of heat and fumes when done on a large scale - hence all the work was being done outside. Heaps of bubbles and brown (copper residue) float up from the metal. We were doing a deep etch so the panels remained in the etchant for at least 6 minutes.

The muck was washed off into a tub for later disposal.

All the pieces were lined up on the gravel after washing.

The resist was was then cleaned off with methylated sports and lots of elbow crease - took me a good 1.5 hours to clean the 10 panels - but what a reward when you see the etched and cleaned pieces. Before I etched I added a leaf motif outline to the bottom of each of the peace word panels - it worked.

I also did some small squares for the tops of the posts - also with part of the leaf motif outline.

I was very happy with the outcome. Now to move on to finish sanding the posts and installing the panels.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Quietly making metal feathers

Until lunchtime today I was supervising the installation of a set of sold panels on our visitors pavilion whilst personally making the etching bath for the panels that will go into the commissioned peace posts.

The solar panels are in place and look good on the north facing roof - form and function!!!!

Regarding the etching bath - it is about 1m wide, 1.2m long and 15cm deep. The frame is pine; and the lining is two layers of black heavy industrial plastic stapled to the frame. It seems to have worked out well. We will need about 24 litres of etchant to cover the plates well.

After lunch I decided to do a quiet bit of creating - making the forms for 3 feather pendants (about 50-60mm long); and three sets of feather earrings (about 25mm long). I liked the way they curled on the anvil - so I have left some of the curl in each feather form - a natural look.

I cut the blanks out with jeweller's hand shears that have a serrated jaw - I'm going to retain as much of the serration as I can - I think it gives the feathers an organic look. The rough feather forms looked good on rust. Still need a light grind and polish before turning into wearable art.

I have had some beef bones weathering on the rust table - they are whitening well. I want to use these in pendants.

So another great Friday has gone by. Time to settle and have a glass or two of bubbles with Fiona.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Morning, mist and moon

I thought we were in the dead of winter again this morning - it was almost dark when I ventured out for my walk. There should have been a brush of daylight but low cloud and misty rain dampened the light as you can see from the diffused light of the single street light on Treehaven Way in the photo below.

Flowers that were still braving the cold were coated in droplets.

Looking through the peace flags on the bell and peace flag deck revealed a white out.

A few nights ago the sky was clear - a meteorological aberration!! I attempted to take a couple of photos of this sickle of a moon; but the atmospherics made it a bit hard - the camera (Canon) zoom just wanted to flare out into white light as it could not handle the atmospheric particles between it and the moon. Still I quite like the fact that I was able capture what looks like the moon behind a shadow.

I'm hoping the weather clears in the near future. I'm having difficulty in getting out to do the chores on the block and doing the jobs on the peace posts that require dry outdoor conditions.