227&228/365 really crappy rings

My DSL was out for the past two days. I tried to post from my cell phone, but it didn't work. These rings are terrible but they're finished. Onto 229!

192&193/365

Commissioned rings made of shibuichi.

71/365 funky pearl

This was my first attempt at the married metals technique and I filed the circles too much, so the gap was too big for most of the solder to flow. After all of that work I didn't want to waste it, so I soldered it to a piece of shibuichi. Sterling silver, shibuichi, nickel silver, saltwater pearl.

70/365 flower

It's a beautiful, sunny spring day today!

sterling silver, nickel silver, reticulated shibuichi

69/365 shibuichi

sterling silver, etched shibuichi

Bad things happened when I made this ring. I dapped a ding in the center of the 'cab', and the etch really wasn't deep enough to be abused so. The solder joining the bezel ran when I soldered on the band, and in my attempt to file the line smooth I filed too much. Oh well, at least it's finished.

68/365 one spot ring

This isn't a new design. I made it in a heavier gauge this time, with a tapered band.

sterling silver, shibuichi

67/365 shibuichi

sterling silver, reticulated shibuichi

53/365 malcolm x

sterling silver, etched shibuichi

Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. I made a memorial ring, but made a big mistake with the etching and Malcolm was unrecognizable. Today I remade the top, and reused the band from yesterday.


A big thanks to Dauvit Alexander who sent me an article that he published about electrolytic etching. I have not tried the process yet, but his instructions suggested a halftone image for capturing tonal detail. I've been photo etching metal for years and have never been very happy with the results I've had with faces. I need to work on this a bit more (and try the electrolyte process), but I am very pleased.

52/365 bummer

I am so bummed about this ring. As you can see, I forgot to invert the image before etching. I noticed it when I was at Officemax having the print made, it's a 30 minute round trip drive and I was feeling rushed so I just decided to give it a try. (Of course they could have inverted with their copier, but I didn't think of that while I was there.)

To make things worse, I didn't patina and check the image before making the ring. It actually looked pretty good to my eye, for some stupid unknown reason. You can see what it should look like in the top image of Malcolm, and you can also see that the etch turned out GREAT by comparing it to the bottom image. I know what my ring will be tomorrow.

sterling silver, etched shibuichi

Today is the 45th Anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. His life and words are a profound inspiration to me, and I like to believe that if he had lived race relations in this country would be different today.

51/365 elements

Another Elements ring. Shibuichi, brass, sterling silver. This will be in my etsy shop soon.