Final Metal Experiments

Trying to improve on yesterday's results, I decided to rework the copper and bronze patterned samples, as I think, given the results of the plain samples of the same metal, the patterns could have been a lot better if I'd left them in for longer and not sprayed them with water ( on reflection, I have a feeling that the water technique only worked if you wanted brass to age black, which is why the patterened brass worked so well). Because the sticker stencils I made left a nasty residue, I decided to only use masking fluid this time, taking care to do many layers so as not to have any contamination. With the copper Art nouveau sample, I also decided to do the design in negative. The way the sample went last time, made me realise that the pattern would probably look stronger if I had the darker colour in the foreground and the lighter colour in the background, and as it hadn't aged very much already, switching it around didn't seem to be a problem.

I also had to make a new 'chariot' for the metals, so I went to the 99p store and bought one of those weird plastic griddle things that you're meant to use on baking trays. First I tried to suspend this level over the solution using thread, but it kept on loosening and dipping the griddle in the ammonia solution, so instead I balanced it on some cut-bits of sturdy cardboard tubing, which seemed unsteady at first, but actually worked very well. I topped-up the solution and made sure that both sides of the metals were coated in it, then I left it all day and all night.
Below you can see the very successful results, this time photographed in daylight in order to get the vibrancy of the colour to transfer better.

Alas, I feel I made a mistake in changing the copper from background to foreground. It would have worked if it had aged to a similar way as it did the first time, but I didn't count on it going such a light and vibrant turquoise, which actually meant that the lightest colour was STILL in the foreground. There was also quite a lot of cross contamination and bleed between the stencil here, and this was because the ammonia solution had caused the masking fluid to peel off in places.
I really like how the imprint of the net, and then teh griddle has also marked the surface of the metals, particularly with the bronze and brass. It looks amazing.
Again, I have no idea why the bronze pattern has only aged 2/3 of the surface area, but  I think the answer may be found once again in my insufficient 'chariot' building, and I think perhaps that part of the metal fell into the ammonia, causing it not to age.
I have been trying to pick a favourite sample, but they have all aged so beautifully and in different ways. I love the purple hints in the patina of the copper. But I LOVE the new gold colour of the brass that was immersed in the ammonia, and I think the blackening of the brass pattern actually worked the best.
I think the Bronze is probably my favourite as it has gone the most beautiful colour and in the most interesting ways. I absolutely love the bit that has aged on the front of the plain sheet of Bronze, the composition and colours are so beautiful.
Interestingly, none of the samples have turned green.... which is what I was expecting.....
Maybe I need to look into different quantities of each chemical used.
Overall, I think this has been a very successful experiment, and I think there's a lot I can work from following this.