Mirror Etching

Your kids are on vacation and have nothing to do?  Do not worry, for here is a simple hobby which will keep them occupied and out of your way. 

Materials Needed:

A Picture
Mirror –  about  3" larger  (on all sides) than the picture
Art Knife
Carbon paper
Brasso
Steel Wool
Coloured cardboard (Preferably grey or any colour of your liking)

Affix the picture to the glass and using a carbon paper trace the picture onto the reverse side of the mirror.

Place the art knife tip on the lines of the picture, press and pull the knife forward along the lines.  Continue this way and go over all the edges of the picture so that all the carbon markings are replaced by knife etches.

With the blade of the knife, remove the grey coating in between the outlines.  For e.g. for the leaves, have removed all the grey-coating but have left some grey coating where the veins of the leaves are (When you turn the mirror – right side up, the veins will have mirror but the other area will have plain glass).

Use brasso and steel wool to gently clear and clean the area where the grey coating was.

When the full picture is etched this way,  place a glass/matt cardboard at the back and frame it.

Author: Judith Serrao- UAE