Water Etching Using Precious Metal Clay

Precious metal clay is a relatively a new phenomenon in the world of arts and crafts. But since its development in the early nineties by metallurgist Dr. A. Morikawa, the material has gone from strength to strength.

As a craft material, it offers all the flexibility for moulding and sculpting that traditional clay has to offer while, when fired, producing a high quality metal finish.

The secret to the appeal of precious metal clay lies firmly in its versatility. Many finishes can be achieved and set to expansive, ambitious custom designs. While some of this techniques may take a while to master to a good standard, others are relatively simple and allow the user to create fabulous precious metal clay creations from the off.

One of these techniques is that of water etching. A wax resist is applied to areas of the precious metal clay piece (which it should be noted, must be completely dried out). The wax is then allowed to dry overnight and subsequently once dry, a damp sponge is used to wipe away successive layers of the exposed precious metal clay. This in effect acts in etching away the background layers.

This resist is an opaque white in colour and has a consistency similar to milk. A crucial element of the resist is that it can be applied by simply using a brush or sponge; therefore it should be ensured before purchasing that this is the case.

While it is stressed that the piece needs plenty of time to dry out, the process can be quickened. A hair dryer or a furnace vent can serve as a good makeshift tool to help do this. It is also recommended to be easiest to work on a flat surface when using water etching.

There is also no definitive option in what brand of wax resist is used in water etching. It would be recommended beforehand to shop around and seek information on the different types of wax which could be useful in the water etching process.

The wax resist should be applied with a fine water colour brush in order to in effect ‘paint’ more delicate patterns for the water etching. Although the urge might be there to try and rush through the process to reveal the final results, it is clear from the off that this is a process that needs to be worked on with patience.

Undertaking the process is definitely one in which the adage of ‘good things comes to those who wait’ is very apt.

If the scope or desire is there to expand on the precious metal clay piece after water etching, there are a number of extra finishes to can be added to the etch – all giving greatly varied results.

These include the application of a clear glitter nail polish to give the piece extra sparkle or adding an enamel layer which really compliments the water etching effect.

The underlying message before undertaking this process; it is massively important to have a clear idea of what the desired effect for the precious metal clay piece actually is. Otherwise the results could be an amalgamation of a number of styles or attempted finishes – which may, in the grander scheme of things, ruin the piece.

Source by A Hunter

Water Etching Using Precious Metal Clay