Over the past couple of weeks I’ve learned a fair amount about metals.  Etching is always a cool effect.  There are a couple of etching methods I’d like to try using- one using toner (from laser printer), and another is to blast off a paint negative (which I’ve done on pennies, but not mild steel) and then put it in a bath of acid or even better, a copper sulfate/salt solution (the latter being electrochemical as opposed to nasty).  Then strip the paint with acetone.

For the Confucius piece, I could do something like this:

The gray would be the metal, the black the etched part (probably with black paint rubbed in), and the yellow is actually cut out revealing the brass underneath.

I think it’s one thing too many – just looks too busy, and from a conceptual point, it’s a bit too obvious.  Looks a bit too much like a t-shirt.

In other news, I bought a crystal ball a while back that will have a message when you look into it:

So far, the leading candidate is:

“In the future, you will describe this piece to someone”

I’m still coming up with ideas for how to mount it – two hands like the above? Atlas on his back?  A simple ring?