Valentine's Electroformed Heart Leaf
Introduction: Valentine's Electroformed Heart Leaf
For Valentine's Day, there wasn't a better plant to use for a project than Smilax Aspera.
It's a perennial, evergreen climber with thorns, and it's also a poisonous plant.
It can be easily recognized by its heart shaped leaves.
<PERSON> was a nymph from Greek mythology.
She was in love with the young <PERSON>, but the gods opposed their love.
<PERSON> committed suicide and <PERSON> was transformed into a creeper.
She still shows her love with these beautiful heart shaped leaves.
Supplies
All the material and tools I've used for this project are:
* Smilax Aspera leaf
* Rose Quartz Crystals
* 2.5 mm copper wire (10awg)
* UV Resin
* Toothpicks
* Conductive Paint
* Electroforming Solution
* Distilled Water
* Liver of Sulfur
* Copper Sulfate
* Bleach
* Jewelry chain
* Jump-rings
* Lobster clasp
* Scissors
* Super fine sharpie
* Precision cutter
* UV Lamp
* Brushes
* Electroforming equipment
* plastic containers
Step 1:
With a super fine sharpie I marked the outline for the gemstones and I made the holes with a precision cutter.
Step 2:
Then I glued the hang ring and the stones around the holes with UV Resin.
Step 3:
I covered it entirely with conductive paint and hang it for at least an hour to let the paint activate.
Step 4:
When I dipped it in the electroforming bath, I noticed lots of little bubbles on top of the leaf.
With a brush, I broke the surface tension to avoid bubble to form again.
Step 5:
After 20 hours… maybe more, our leaf is finally ready. I removed it from the tank and washed it with distilled water to clean all the electroforming solution residue.
Step 6:
I then prepared a low concentrated solution of liver of sulfur and dip the leaf in to it. To accelerate the process and to make a more attractive patina, I added a pinch of copper sulfate crystals.
To neutralize all these chemicals, I added a glass of bleach before it can be flushed down the sink.
Step 7:
Initially, the patina had this color.
But after 20 minutes it changed in to a wonderful blue.
I added the chain, and it was ready to be shown.
Step 8:
Happy Valentine's Day!
Check the video on YouTube.
Thank you all! CuForming. 177