Faustina is an artist of many mediums for the past 42 years. Her many facets of artwork include oil painting such as portraits, landscapes, animals and many other subjects. Also included in her mediums are pen and ink, wood burning, scrimshaw and acid etching and enamel paint.
  Over 22 years ago, she was introduced to scrimshaw and acid etching by a knife maker, Paul (Pappy) Chamberlain, a retired tool and die maker from Michigan. He was responsible for designing the first mechanical heart.  Pappy was instrumental in teaching some basics in scrimshaw on bone and acid-etching on blades and by supplying her with the basic tools she needed, pieces of bone and ivory to try scrimming, and acids, with Asphaltum, to do etching on metal.

  Scrimshaw involves a cutting point (an pointed blade knife or sharpened tool and stippling tool), using the pen and ink technique of line and dot, cut into the surface of a flat or carved, polished material, then wiping ink or oil paint into the cuts.

  Since then, she has developed her techniques to produce some of the fine artwork in this area.  That artwork, in various forms, can be seen within the gallery pages of this site. She embellishes gun handles, knife blades and handles, belt buckles, necklaces, bolos, tie clips, and even money clips.  Faustina can produce fine artwork on all types of materials such as bone, ivory (all types), horn, water buffalo, and much more. She also works on many man made materials such as paper micarta, linen micarta and alternative ivory, and can work in traditional black and white, color and reverse (on black or dark material, in white and color). 

   Faustina has developed her technique with acid etching and she works on many types of metals. These metals include stainless steels and carbon steels. She uses no machines to speed work, so each piece is done totally and as she does with scrimshaw, by free hand.
  Faustina can produce art work on many items, whether it be knife or wearable accessories and jewelry.  You choose the subject type of art to be applied. It can be portraits, animals, scenes, and even lettering and names. She can work from photographs or from her own artistic ideas. Most pieces are made from Ivory or Piano Key Ivory but, If You prefer no Ivory, She can Work in man-made materials; Alternative Ivory, micarta (linen or paper).

You can visit her 2010 Sales Page for some of the knives and accessories she has to offer you.

               Each piece of Scrimshaw and Acid Etching she creates, is unique and individual, one of a kind.