Etching brass!

I finally did it. I bought some ferric chloride (FeCl3) and some brass sheet. I would have prefered copper but that was not available. Also I got a small metal scissor. Great for small details but not to work with a big sheet. Still, I got some test pieces out of it. My favorite is the little bee! I also etched the backside (the brass was thick enough). Since I am working in a S2-laboratory normally I always take care of the safety - from the gloves and goggles to the neutralisation of the solution and the information where I can safely deposit my waste (the ferric chloride as well as the copper inside the solution after the etching). 

The bird was a combination of a stamp with Staz-On and because not all areas were nicely covered I also took a red edding to enhance the image.

Some test pieces using different kind of markers as well as Staz-On stamping pad. The red colours (edding or sharpie) really seem to be better than the black ones. Maybe I also just had them too long inside the etching solution because also the Staz-On started to go off. The liver of sulphur is not working well on the protected brass regions but very well on the etched regions. There you also get a reddish coloured surface (I think the copper) and the liver of sulphur works great!

I also used the blue and green patina from Christi Friesen (Swellegant) on the brass after I used the liver of sulphur. It was difficult to catch the shades of blue and green but I really love the effect!

And in my hand so you get a better idea about the size :)

So many possibilities! Okay... the sanding and sanding and sanding... that is a part I hate. But still the end results make it worth!