My donation to IceberGallery’s “Feels Like Home” Artist Exhibition. This 11×14″ copper portrait of a Newfoundland Dog/Labrador Retriever mix will be available to bid on in August 2022. Let’s go!
Each artist within the IceberGallery network were asked to make a themed piece to donate, which will go up for auction. The theme is “Feels Like Home” and the aim is to make a piece that gives feelings of nostalgia, being safe, or is reminiscent of home. When I think about childhood, I am reminded of our family dog. I figure that others also think about their first family dogs they had when growing up at home and I decided to have a dog as the subject of my donated piece. I am from the island portion of the province, so I also wanted to represent Newfoundland island itself, so sought a picture of a Newfoundland Dog.
After finding a good picture of a Newfoundland Dog and Labrador Retriever mix, I created a design with 3 main colours in the bust, a background, and an “aura” around the bust. I choose to use an aura to ensure a good contrast between the background and the bust. I then make a monochromatic design that can be properly interpreted by the cutting machine software when making the stencil.
With the stencil ready to go, I must prepare the copper sheet. This time I will have the copper fit inside an 11×14″ frame. I use metal shears to cut the copper to size, ensuring that it will fit in the frame I have selected. I sand the copper surface and glue on a cork backing material to help support the sheet and make it easier to handle.
I decided to use a grey paint for this portrait, as grey is not typically a patina that can be achieved on copper and I did not want this colour layer to become brown. So, the grey colour is weeded to be ready for paint.
Next I will colour the “black” parts of the image. I know that I will likely get blue/greenish colours in the black colour, but should be able to avoid looking brown. I weed-out the “black” parts of the image, apply chemicals, and let it react in the chamber for overnight. The next day, I rinse it, dry it, and apply clear coat
The background is next: I peel away the vinyl, apply chemicals, and let it react.
Next is the light part of the bust. I just remove the stencil to expose the bare copper and apply clear coat. I finished this step over a few sessions.
All that is left is to finish the pupil, a few minor touch-ups, and the aura around the bust. Another reaction and the pupil is done. The aura is done in two reactions to give it a more pinkish hue, rather than brown. A couple clear coats finishes it.
The project was completed over a two-week time span and was my first attempt at framing a copper piece. It is crucial that I get a perfectly flat and unbent copper sheet, since I cannot use a stiff backing material to help keep the copper lie flat.
In future, I will try to use a temporary backing on the copper to handle it going in and out of the reaction chamber to prevent bending or flexing, but still allow for a different backing material to be attached afterwards. This would be useful in ensuring that no kinks develop in the copper, and no blemishes from the chemicals would get onto any absorbent backing materials that I may want to use in future portraits.