I swear one day I will write a book entitled the one hundred and one uses of salt. The stuff is incredible! Mixed with an equal amount of vinegar and you can change the colour of copper to a blue or green. It took a bit of adjusting when it came to how long I should leave the copper pieces in the solution and how long I should leave them to air dry but two days later I got my eureka moment. I am very happy with the colour and crossing my fingers it’ll last as there was no way to seal such tiny pieces; believe me I tried!
Fallen in love with copper and the range of things you can do with it. It’s so malleable; it must be the most alchemical metal out there! I can heat it to change colour according to temperature, oxidise it or patina it. Pretty amazing stuff!
Obviously it would help if I had practiced using the jewellers saw more as then I could cut much neater moles. Yes, I plan to replicate the pattern of the moles on my right arm. I quickly realised that an entire body scan would be a nightmare, just one arm is proving to be a challenging puzzle. Better get back to my moles as I have quite a lot to prepare.
I clearly underestimated just how difficult it would be to source taxidermy domes (empty ones)!
I have returned a number that seemed fine online because they were too bulky or they distort the view or they have wierd lines. I have scoured Google with all sorts of different search terms, contacted Museum Curators and the Museums Association for advice, not to mention phoned both antique shops and salvage yards.
Still on the hunt.
After going round in circles thinking how to make a snake from copper mesh; I decided to make circles instead! So grateful to have done the Glass Masterclass last summer because now I am well and truly putting those skills to use.
My eureka moment consisted of realising that glass is clear, meaning I can make my armature structure from it and it will be invisible from the outside (to the viewer). So now I am connecting circles that look like bicycle wheels together and if the glass gods are looking down on me, my structure will still be standing tomorrow.
