Copper-Too Hot to Handle
by Cindy Cade

 

 

Materials:

*Copper tooling foil.  30 gage recommended.  Thin is best.  I used 36 gage for most of the pieces with good results.
*Paper Towels"
*Black Permanent Sharpie Pen
*Stylus
*Barbeque Fire Starter (The long reaching lighter) or hot              burning candles (like a plumber's candle)
*Scissors (Not your good ones)
*Rubber stamp - any design
*Permanent ink stamp pad (I prefer Memories black)
*Fun foam, felt pad or stack of papers/magazines to use              under foiling.
*Glass Paint (I used yellow and chestnut brown Gallery Glass and it worked just fine.)
*Paint Brush and water container.  Shader works best.
*Rubber coated pliars or long alligator clip to hold hot copper foil

WARNING:  As the title of this lesson implies, the copper will be hot and this can cause burns!  Proceed at your own risk.  :-)

1.  Cut a piece of copper slightly larger than the stamp you will use.

2.  Smooth out copper with credit card (if necessary) DON'T DO THIS ON THE FRONT OF THE PIECE AS IT MAY SCRATCH IT.  I also recommend putting a piece fo paper between the copper and your credit card to help protect the surface.

3.  Ink up stamp with Memories Black ink and stamp the            copper.  Be careful not to move as it may be slippery.

4.  Heat set the ink.

5.  Place copper on a piece of fun foam or other pad to dry.  Deboss.

6.  Use your stylus, go around the edges of your stamped         design or deboss any other areas you wish debossed.  You can then add other designs if you wish such as I  did with the dots representing stars.  NOW FOR THE FUN!!

7.  Once you have it dry embossed, take your pliers and hold the copper.   Now take your heat source (candle, grill lighter, or extra hot paint stripping heat tool) and heat the copper from beneath.  How long depends on the thickness of your copper.  When you see the color start to change, move the fire/copper. Don't hold the heat source too long in any one area or you will lose your color.

With the thin copper it will turn (quickly) from copper, to orange, to hot pink, then to no color (silver).  With the thicker, you will have to move even more quickly!  For once it starts turning colors, it will change fast and the heat will spread. So keep it moving!  Don't touch the copper with your fingers!!!

8.  Now lay the copper down and let cool.  Next, wipe soot off of the back.

9.  Pour out a small amount of Gallery Glass and spread on the copper so as to not leave any bubbles.  Allow  to dry or quick set.  Should you get an air bubble, pop it immediately with a pin.

Your piece is ready to be put onto a card, pin, picture, journal, or made into earrings.  Whatever!

VOTE for our site! Click on the graphic below!

Copyright 2005-2006 Jacqueline Fitzgerald Graham
Last revised: April 09, 2006.
Webmistress: Sunni Bergeron