Bird Foot Smoky Quartz Copper Pendant | Electroforming

This morning I found a bird foot on my roof that it was probably from a sparrow killed by Crows. Obviously, I decided to make a jewel with it, and it seems a nice Idea to make it look like it was grabbing a stone. A smoky quartz crystal was the best option for a Gothic Style.

Supplies

Tools and material

Any animal parts need to be clean before any use. They contain bacteria and organic remains that can produce smell or infections. So the first thing to do is to submerge them in Hydrogen Peroxide. It will react with blood and any living microorganism. It will also soften the skin and the gristle, to make it easier to shape it on the crystal that we are going to work with. Leaving it overnight is gonna be enough.

I make it fit on the crystal and leave it another day, to let it get hard back again.

With CA glue, I add a jump-ring on it.

I decide to dip the pieces in conductive paint separately to be sure there were not missed spots.

And then I glued all together.

The glue on the graphite will prevent conduction, so I repaint all the glued spots again.

After letting it dries for an hour, I dip it in the electroforming bath.

Start with low current and gradually rise it to almost the maximum value possible.

In total, I spent 12 hours to complete this piece. It didn't take longer because I put it in the tank all alone.

A wash with water to remove the residue of electroforming solution and ready to make patina.

Thirty seconds in a mild solution of liver of sulfur to make a dark rainbow effect and wash again.

With bleach, I neutralized the liver of sulfur, so it's safe to be flushed in the sink.

Add a chain, and it's ready for a photoshoot.

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