What concentration of ferric chloride to water should I use to sketch a brass plate?

Question

My first attempt at etching a brass plate went kinda awry... I followed a reliable looking instructable, but the brass plate just wasn't getting etched! So I left it in the Ferric Chloride for really long, and it came out a combination of green and pink, and still wasn't etched at all! I've followed everything quite well, the only thing I can think that I did wrong was the Ferric Chloride: Water concentration... Please if anyone can help me out it'd be much appreciated:)

Answer 1

The secret to etching is movement, you need to keep the ferric chloride moving so that dissolved metal is carried away and fresh solution can get to the metal.  This can be done by gently rocking the container (tedious) or a common idea is to use an aquarium air bubbler to disturb the liquid.

Answer 2

Having used FeCl3 for printed circuit boards for years, the concentration of the solution is less important than the temperature and also keeping the item being etched agitated. Brass being an alloy will have the copper going pink and the zinc going green. Also how are you making your ferric chloride? I always used big lumps of crystalline dissolved in hot water rather than the pussycat stuff liquid you get at Radio Shack otherwise you'll be there all night.