I love gecco's and what better way to put the pewter lesson to the test than this. I started off on this venture to see whether the average joe like me can actually become creative by following some simple instructions and it turned out to be easier than I originally thought it would be. The pewter turned out to be no more expensive than I would have paid for the entire item somewhere else - but then it would not have been a one of a kind either.
Materials Needed:
Koki Pen
Tracer tool
Ball/Teflon pen
Paper pen (rolled paper)
felt/soft cloth
latex gloves
patina
cotton wool
metal polish (brasso)
Glue
Brush
Decorative stones.
You can buy a superwood blank (in this case a gecko) at a decopage or craft store or choose a shape you really like and cut it out of wood. Paint your blank with ordinary PVA paint (I used black). Measure your blank according to width and length, add another 2 cms to ensure that you have enough pewter for your design. Place your "blank" (gecko) on the sheet of pewter and trace your outline onto the pewter with a koki pen. This is to ensure that your actual design fits perfectly onto your "blank". Using another piece of paper, trace another blank (gecko) and design or trace the pattern you intend on using before putting it down on the actual pewter sheet. Once you are satisfied with the end result of your pattern, you can begin.
Place the pewter sheet down on a soft surface (I used a piece of felt - cut the size of a placemat). This is so that the pattern you want to trace is done on a soft surface to ensure a clear outline of the design on the pewter. Taking a ball tool you begin to trace the pattern on your piece of paper onto your pewter sheet. Taking care not to press too hard (use as you would a normal ball point pen). Decide in advance which stones/gems you want to use on your blank (gecko) and making use of a round stencil draw a circle about two sizes bigger than the actual stone so that when the blank is completed, it can just be glued into place. If you have long straight lines in your design, it would be advisable to use a ruler instead of free hand so that it has a neater appearance. Once you have traced the design onto the pewter and the design is clear, it will be easier to follow the pattern.
With your pewter still on your felt sheet you begin to emboss the pattern with your teflon tool (no lubrication is needed as this tool just glides over the pewter sheet). Start defining the lines of your pattern. Press a little harder in the lines to stretch the pewter and emboss the lines. Its important to get an even smooth movement and try not apply too much pressure as you get uneven lines - just use natural even strokes. Once it's done, flip the pewter sheet over and on a smooth flat hard surface you use your paper pen (rolled paper) to flatten the surface around your traced lines. (you could say that you're colouring in between the lines). This process makes the lines stand out more. If the paper pen feels like its scratching the surface or more sluggish to push around, you can use a cotton pad/cotton wool with a little oil which can be rubbed over the surface of the pewter to ensure a smooth movement of the tool. This step is all about adding definition to your pattern. The more you work at flattening the surfaces around your traced lines, the more the pattern starts developing.
Once you have finished flattening /colouring in your design you will have to fill the deeper lines. The smaller lines will not collapse on your final design, but the deeper ridges will have to be filled to keep your design. Bees wax, industrial wax or micro wax can be used. The wax is meleted down and filled into the open spaces using a glass dropper or syringe - ensuring that it does not overflow as this will hamper the final outcome of your design.
When using pewter, you can decide whether you want to leave it at this stage and have a shiny silver design or whether you want to antique it. I personally prefer the antiqued look. Use newspaper when doing the patina as it is quite messy. Place your design (wax side down) on top of newspaper. Use gloves (as the patina tends to stain your hands). Using a cottonwool ball or a piece of batting, apply the patina onto the design. The reaction is immediate and it turns black. If you put too much patina on your design, the excess can be blotted with paper towelling. Once the patina is dry (usually 1 - 2 minutes) you take a piece of cotton wool with metal polish (brasso) and start taking the patina off on the raised surfaces. Keep polishing until you have got your desired look. Using the clean side of the cotton wool, rub the excess brasso off your pattern. Then using a clean piece of cotton wool and elbow grease you mmust buff the pewter until it is clean and shiny.
Flipping the pewter sheet over once again to show the wax side and the outline you drew at the beginning of the lesson. Apply the glue to your blank (gecko) and place it inbetween the lines you drew earlier to ensure that the design is attached to the wood perfectly. Turn the cross over once again and leave the glue to dry. Once the glue is dry, use your fingers and gently press the pewter down on the edges so that you can see the outline/edge of the blank. Then using a sharp knife (starting in the corners) cut along the edge of the blank. This ensures that the pewter fits the blank perfectly.
Finally glue your finishes (semi precious stones/gems) into place.
Result: An absolute original and classy Gecko.
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