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Final outcomes of the Jam Tin Grenades

These outcomes turned out much better than I expected with the different ageing and toning elements complementing each other but also interacting with the labels that were on the Tins. This process started the rusting over, under and through the paper labels which was quite interesting to watch and see which gave the aesthetic look that began had been outside rusting for a bit.

My preferred outcome is probably the smaller of the two jam tin grenades just because all the different components look the right proportion and size. The smaller tin showed off more rust because it had a smaller label which was my favourite experiment of this project.

Overall I think the outcomes work really well and do represent World War II era Jam Tin Grenades, looking more realistic than a few sources I found upon Google, looking brand new as if straight off the shelf.

If I was to change anything for next time I'd probably see if I could find a better fuse instead of using scraps of rope and string that I found around the house. I would also maybe next time rust the tin first and then stick on the labels but I'm not sure how that would work out because the way I did it, by accident complemented the rust and labels making them one of the same.

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Starting final construction of my object

Starting my final piece, my object has been a great new learning process because it's the first time that I've recreated an object/ made a prop. Having got all the experiments and learning about new processes out of the way, I found it easy and fun to put them into practice. Only using the best outcomes from my experiments when creating this final construction of The Jam Tin Grenades.

My favourite part of creating this object was rusting the cans because at the start I had no idea of how to do this and doing a bit of simple research I found a method that was quick, easy and cheap. Now in future projects I know how to corrode and Rust different types of Steel without using harmful chemicals.

What I have noticed when creating my object is that due to the fact I stuck my labels on at the start and then started rusting the Tins the ink on the labels started to blur whilst also fading within areas. when making the object I thought this would be a big problem but looking back now, it just adds more character and gives it more of a natural aesthetic look to the object.

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Final label experiments

Luckily the WWI era reproduction labels that I had ordered off eBay, arrived a couple days early meaning I could experiment upon them using the knowledge I had gained from the past experiments. I used what worked in the experiments to figure out what label would be best for the object of this time period.

They all worked really well but putting them up against the tin gave me a better understanding of what labels would look like and which would detract from the aesthetic that I am going for. In the end I chose one of each types of labels, my own created label and a WWI reproduction label.

I had real fun ageing and distressing the labels trying to keep the detail but also show visual age of the object.

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Experimention upon my labels

Many of the label experiments worked well on their own bringing out the best in the labels. I've noticed that the big portrait labels don't work as well as the smaller landscape labels because they don't fit around my whole tin.

The best outcomes were with the dirt across the screwed up label, the black spray paint which look like oil sprayed onto the tin and sanding on the label to show the age and wear of it, as an object.

I tried to avoid coloured labels trying not to make it stand out too much but the coloured label seems to have the best outcomes with the experiments. I plan to combine the best outcomes of the experiments in a bigger coloured label and try it upon the tin.

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Experiments

Having fun experimenting with aging my labels showing what the object has been through with; dirt, tea, blood, oil, paint and other experiments.

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Experimentation of creating my own labels

During, experimenting with ageing my tins, I have been looking at period labels from WWI and noticed that quite a few were just simple text and lettering.

I have some labels on order which are reproduction of WWI labels but I thought I would experiment with creating my own. Due to not having the software I've created a few different ones upon Word using colour and different word types. I found it fun creating them but noticed when printing them off that they looked quite dull and plain upon just white paper. Exploring using other card and paper to see which would best suit the time era and aesthetics.

My favourite outcomes of these labels were the ones printed onto packaging paper which I felt worked well together complimenting each other and helping the words and labels to standout to the audience.

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A video of how to create rush upon steal/tin which was very helpful tacking the experiments further.

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Experimenting with rust upon different tins

Noticing that it was hard to get rust upon new cans I did a bit of research and found there's a layer of gloss that they add on to the metal that stops them from damaging. Removing the gloss by burning added a great layer of tarnish.

I put one tin in a solution of vinegar and another tin in a solution of salt water to see if they would do anything to the tin. Coming back to them after a couple hours I had noticed that the experiment had failed. So I did a bit of research into how to rust tins/ steel quickly, finding that if I burned off the impurities and then sprinkle salt onto the tin and then spraying it with Hydrogen Peroxide showing effect of Rust within a couple of hours.

The outcome of a third experiment using Hydrogen Peroxide has failed and worked at the same time. Due to the fact that I have never done this solution and I didn't know how long to leave it. I think I interrupted the process meaning it didn't get the effect it could have done if I had left it. I have gone back to it after a few hours and Rust has started within the Tins grooves and across the surface of it which is quite cool to see.

I think after having a first initial go and knowing that it does work I will be more patient and try it again upon on a different tin helping to see the full effect of this experiment.

Finally, I have left the two cans that I experimented upon, outside. Just to see if the weather or elements can add anything to them.

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Final outcome of experiment of ageing and toning

The first can experiment, first 3 photos, was exploring how the tin would tarnish with the label still upon the tin. It didn't work that well with the label take most of the heat but there were some lovely areas of tarnishing that gave me hope that burning the whole tin will leave a good effect.

The other photos are from experiment two where I peeled off the label and then heated up the tin. The process of heating the tin up and then putting it straight into cold water left some great effects upon the tin. The issue that is still there is the can still has a new shine to it which doesn't fit with how old the object dating back to the first world war. I feel the object should have ageing and rust upon it.

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A 1930s Jacob's Butter Crackers tin

Taking influence from this 1930s period tin which belonged to my mum's Grandma. I focused upon the areas where the label had started to fade away and Rust has taken over as it is a strong influence of how my object would look because the age and era they are both. Using this tin as a starting point I managed to think of a few experiments which could create rust, ageing and toning upon my objects.

The final thing that I will think about is typography and the colour scheme upon this tin I know they aren't exactly from the same time period but they are quite close and I think will give me a good starting point that I could be looking for.

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Experimention with dints, scraps and everyday damage to a tin from the WW1 trenches

Using three three types of cans and tins I explored Dinting and damaging them because I believe they would have been dropped quite a few times causing damage to be cylinder.

Due to the fact, the coke can is aluminium with a very thin layer of metal the dints didn't show up because the Can kept popping back to its original shape. This is making me think that this isn't the right material for my intended object.

Next I experimented with a soup tin which produced some really nice scrapes and dents whilst also holding its shape.

Finally I did two types of dents upon the syrup tin. First I explored with small scratches and dints which look too precise and took away from the effect of the tin. In the second type I made bigger and more random dints by hitting and kicking the can around. Giving the can a better look as if it's been played with or it's been knocking around for a while.

During this experiment a question did arise about; how can's looked within the war era? Looking into the history of cans I believe that most/nearly all cans with smooth and not ribbed within 1914-1918.

This means the syrup tin is the only one that fit the specs for my object in that time period. Due to the fact I only have one syrup tin so the rest of the experiments like exploring rust will be upon old soup/bean tins.

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Experimention of shape/size of different Tins and Jars

Going around the house I gathered a few cylinder shaped Tins and jars which I could use. I started off with a glass jam jar and a plastic gum pot which I thought could be a good object just didn't due to the fact of size not being right whilst also not being metal like the old jam jar grenades.

I then moved on to a coke can and a syrup tin which I sanded, to get rid of the painted labels. The issue that arose was that it made them look brand new which isn't the aesthetics I was looking for.

This was a good neutral starting point for experiments like exploring rusty, weathered surfaces and how dented/beaten up the cans or tins were.

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Experimention of labels

Using pre-existing labels upon a couple objects which I thought could be the cylinder of a grenade. Distressing the labels by using some paper helping to fade and distort different areas trying to capture an effect of being old used and battered that have been around for years.

The issues I have found with the chewing gum plastic pot was, it's quite small and didn't have much room to be a cylinder container for a hand grenade. The issue with the tomato soup tin was it was really shiny looking new which doesn't fit with the aesthetics of a 1914 to 1918 jam tin which would have been battered around the trenches covered in mud and probably rusty.

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A few more label designs from world war one era upon tins.

During my research milk tins and jam tins were the most common labels that kept popping. 

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The History of can manufacturers

This website tells the history of the first can made/created up to present day.

The fact I was trying to find out, were cans in the first world war between 1914-1918 ribbed or smooth. Answer: Cans were smooth in 1914-1918

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Cans from the era of World War one (WW1)

Taking inspiration for possible designs and areas to experiment with when making recreating a WW1 era tin grenade.

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Chosen Idea

Jam Tin Grenades

need to research: tins from the 1914 to 1918, Labels and packaging and what are the parts that make up this object and how I could recreate it.