Sue Settles Hapystmpr@aol.com
While in Las Vegas for the rs convention last month, one of the neatest techniques I saw was "copper resist by Rubber Poet". I have had time to play with this and thought others might like to give this a try. It is very easy to create many copper pieces at one time; to have on hand for a quick card or collage project.

Materials:

Liver of Suphur (liquid solution)
rubber gloves 2 plastic containers
vaseline craft sticks
brayer wax paper/foil
copper sheeting acrylic sealer

Prepare solution: Mix two cups water and 1/8 tsp. of Liver of Sulphur in one container. Shallow containers work best, like a plastic sandwich keeper. Fill the second container with water for rinsing. Be sure to protect all work surfaces. Wear rubber gloves to prevent finger prints while handling the copper.

1. Apply small amount of vaseline to wax paper and roll with brayer. Apply vaseline covered brayer across the stamp in a thin layer. Bold line stamps work best, but I have had success with fine line stamps too.

2. Stamp image onto copper. Be careful, the vaseline and copper are slick. If image smears, turn the copper over and try again.

3. Place copper piece into the liver of sulphur solution. Let darken until the desired color is achieved. (1-2 mintues)

4. Remove from solution with craft sticks and place in water to rinse. Let sit for a few seconds, remove and place onto paper towels to dry. Don't rush the drying step. The vaseline will continue to act as a resist until dry. I usually allow them to set overnight. The vaseline will naturally disappear. Depending upon the "look" I want, I may buff the copper with a soft cloth.

5. When the copper piece is dry, spray with sealer. Trim with decorative scissors if desired. To add color to resist image, use permanent markers (i.e. Studio 2) prior to sealing. Glass stains would work also.