Etching alone!

WOO i have got so much done over the last few days, all of my metal pieces are etched now... a few dramas along the way. I have never etched anywhere but at uni, but with the deadline coming up i had to brave it and try it at home. The Metal is Nickel and I'm using 70% Nitric Acid 1 part acid and 2 parts water (Its pretty strong so that the thin lines etch enough before any stop out starts to fall away) here are some pictures :)

In the acid

In acid

In acid

All done :)

All metal out and Etched ready for the removal of the stop out!

Uni and my home in Cambridge have some differences, 1. At home i don't have a fumes cupboard! Just as i was setting up my etching outside the heavens opened and soaked everything in sight :( I ended up etching in my bathroom with the fan on and window open wide lol. 2. My house is very warm and Uni is pretty cold... now heat helps the acid work faster, maybe too fast in this case! I had to watch my metal like a hawk and on the first few pieces the stop out (liquid etching ground) started to come away and the metal had to be taken out early to repair the design, i added a little more water to help prevent this happening again. But any-who i learnt my lesson :P I'm going to miss that etching room at DMU more than i realized. 

Beginnings

Thought i would show you a sneaky preview photo of my new work, Ill post the finished pieces after my degree show :)

Pierced out Etched Nickel 

I've just made myself a lovely new Facebook page - Rachel Parnell Design, i have some more photos of old work on there which you might be interested in seeing. Please like my page as well :) 

Today's plan is to design and order my business cards for my Degree show! I do love this bit :) Very exciting to see how they turn out, I'll post a photo when they get here. Also some great newwwwwwwwwwws, my sister Sarah and her boyfriend Ben are engaged!!!! WOOOPPPP! Congratulations to them both :) The ring is so beautiful and when she posts photos ill let you jewellery lovers have a look :D

I've had to put my metal work on hold for a day because i did something silly! I ordered the wrong stop out liquid for my etching, it had been a long day and the order was placed at about 2:30am... i tried painting it on some sample pieces and it was as thick as treacle :(. Well I've ordered the right kind now so it should be here by tomorrow :)

*Waves*

Hiya everyone!!!

I thought it was time for a blog, I've never had one before so sorry if my posts are confusing… god knows I confuse myself 99% of the time so this wouldn't be a shock :P I'm sure you will all enjoy laughing at my dappy self!

So this is meeeeeeeeeee :D Showing off health and safety equipment at uni.

My name is Rachel Parnell and I’m in my last year at De Montfort University studying a Design Crafts (Yay nearly finished!). I specialize in Metal although I am interested in many things like paper, glass and bead work… the list goes on :)

I am currently working on my degree show of which the private view will be held on the 14^th June… I am a terrified but determined stress ball of a student! I plan on telling you lovely people the bad the worst and of course the wonderful times :D as I battle through the end of my degree and go on to the bigger and better.