Shannon Larratt is Zentastic

These are the same rings that I posted a few days ago. I finally got around to buffing off the matte finish top layer/patina and was pleasantly surprised to discover that now it actually looks like metal. I’m really quite thrilled about it, and it was a nice discovery after a difficult couple days. Because of how much muscle has converted to junk tissue my hands/arms no longer have the strength to open “child-proof” bottles without a struggle so I had to ask the pharmacy to change the packaging they use for my prescription which was a little embarrassing (or even degrading feeling). I’ve enjoyed making things like this jewelry and it keeps my spirits up (even if it is wearing out my arms), so I know it’s going to be very emotionally difficult for me when I can’t do this any more. All I can do is hope for the process to be a slow one I guess…

Enough waawaawaaaaa whining though. Check out the rings — from left to right the materials are, I think, copper, bronze, silver/nickel, and brass. They are mixed roughly two parts plastic to one part metal powder (by volume, not weight), and cast in silicone molds. There is no clear coat or anything like that creating an artificial sheen — this is what came out of the moldl without anything added afterwards. The plastic base is “Amazing” casting resin from Alumilite and the metal powders are from Smooth-On, both of which have been great to work with and I recommend. Click to zoom in if you’d like.