Hello, and welcome to my very first Instructable! I'm the witty, humble, genius behind the blog mycrappyhouse.com, where I focus on DIY and home stuff with a sense of humor.

This craft project is one of my favorites and is easy enough for ANYONE to do. Seriously, no artistic talent is needed at all. If you can trace, you can make copper art. Give it a try!

Supplies

*** I've included some affiliate links in the supplies list below. This means I will make a small commission if you purchase products using these links, but the price will not increase for you.

an image to trace
small picture frame
roll of copper (36 gauge)
tape
ruler
ball point pen
embossing tools
small mouse pad
junky scissors
liver of sulfur
plastic or glass dish
scouring pad
wipe on poly
paper towels
Command Brand picture hanging strips (optional)

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

You probably have a lot of these supplies lying around already, but you'll likely need to purchase a roll of copper, embossing tools, and liver of sulfur to complete this project.

Step 2: Pick an Image to Make Into Art

Choose your design. I used this chandelier icon to make my art, but you can really use anything at all. If you're stuck for ideas, check out dingbat fonts, which are comprised of images rather than letters.*

(If you're up for the challenge, I've included my chandelier design for download. It might be smarter to start with something less complex, but I always like to jump into the deep end when learning new things. Maybe you do too...)

Now choose a frame for your finished art. Measure the frame opening for the visible area and scale your chosen design accordingly. I used a 4 inch frame (with a 3.5 inch opening), but you can pick any size you like.

* Regarding letters... You can totally make a word into art, but make sure you print it backwards, or your word will be backwards in your finished art. In fact, any design will be backwards, so if the orientation matters to you, print your design backwards. Mine is symmetrical, so I didn't have to worry about this issue.

Chandelier Design.pdf
Download

Step 3: Trace Your Design

Cut a piece of copper that is larger than your finished size (you'll cut it down to actual size later) and tape your design to the back of it.

Using a ballpoint pen, trace over your design, pressing hard enough to leave a mark in the copper. (Use the mousepad under your work.)

Occasionally flip your piece over to make sure you're tracing the whole design and not missing any spots.

Step 4: Emboss

Now you'll use your embossing tools to press your design into the copper. (Note: I bought both wooden and plastic embossing tools, but I preferred the wooden ones.)

You can remove your paper design at this point, but don't just pull the tape off! Use your junky scissors and cut right through the paper and copper so that your art is sized correctly. (Note: You can totally leave your paper design attached and emboss through it if you want to.)

Press from the back on the spots that you want to pop out on the front. Then, flip your work over and press on the spots that you want to recede.

Keep embossing and flipping until you like what you see. If you haven't removed your paper yet, use your junky scissors now to cut through the paper and copper at the same time to cut it down to actual size.

Step 5: Blacken the Copper

Follow the directions on the liver of sulfur to make a bath for your piece, using a shallow plastic or glass container that will allow your art to be completely submerged.

Drop your piece in and wait for the science to happen! It'll take a few minutes, but be patient. The copper will eventually turn black. When this happens, remove it and rinse it under the faucet.

Allow it to dry completely on a paper towel. Try to handle it by the edges to avoid touching the surface of your piece.

Step 6: Wipe Off the Black

Once your piece is COMPLETELY DRY, you can begin to wipe off the black with a dry paper towel. Take your time with this. You'll want to leave some black in the nooks and crannies to enhance your art, so work slowly in small sections.

You can switch to your scouring pad when you've done all you can with the paper towel. Don't over scrub! Let the black stay in the crevices to make your art really pop.

Step 7: Wipe on the Poly

Pour some of the Wipe On Poly onto a paper towel and rub it over the surface of your piece. Let that dry completely before handling it again.

You can probably use a spray on poly instead, but make sure you test it first.

Step 8: Frame Your Piece

I used a table top frame for my piece, but I wanted to hang it on the wall. To do so, I ripped off the frame's kickstand and added Command picture hanging strips to the back. I chose black strips to blend in with my black frame and you can't see them at all when the piece is hanging up.

Step 9: Hang Your Art

The last step is to hang and admire your finished art. Then just let the compliments roll in...

Step 10: Watch the Video

For a full demonstration of this process, watch the video above. For an even more detailed description of the process (along with the full brunt of my delightful personality), click here to head on over to the blog to read the full post.

Thanks so much for reading. Please share your final projects. I'd love to see them!