I'm new to silver work and could really use some help! I would like to make a range of different flower rings but I'm stuck on how to get the best texturing. Firstly I thought of using etching to make the marks on the flowers but ferric nitrate is very very tricky to find here in Sweden. So now I'm wondering what other techniques I could use to make the petals a realistic texture/pattern.
I've included a picture of a ring I made (but didn't finish at the time of picturing) at my last class, this is the kind of design I am thinking of.
Hi Sophie, as Peter said using a textured punch is the easiest method of texturing, it depends on what tools you have. You can use diamond burrs in a flex shaft drill if you have one, they give a nice bright frosting finish. Or if you have a flex shaft on a pendant drill that will accept a hammer head attachment then this would open a lot of texturing ideas. Then there is also the use of gravers and scorpers to cut textures in flowers, this is what I do when my flowers are to be enamelled with transparent colours.
This is how a metal leaf looks when textured with a diamond burr. The other photo shows one of my flower patterns with a pattern on the petals cut using a polished cutting face, half round scorper.
Depending on the style you wish to achieve, you can reticulate the surface after chasing. I dont have it on a flower, but here it is on a copper leaf next to a natural twig.
This is simply done by repeatedly heating the surface until it bubbles and then pickling.
Alternatively you can project fragility by making outlines with wire. Dennis.
Texturing for flower petals
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