Patination is the final stage in the production of a bronze. The finishing of bronzes applying a patina,using chemicals and heat, is a crucial stage that can make or break the piece. It has always been one of the best kept secrets in foundries and a field that remains quite unexplored by many bronze artists. (please note that these tiles are just examples of some of the many patinas produced in my studio)
Most of the patinas I apply to bronzes are produced with very few chemicals, mostly Copper Nitrate, Ferric Nitrate, Potassium Sulphate and Titanium Oxide. It is the strength of the solution and the combination of different layers of chemical that enables different results. Some artists also incorporate the use of pigment powders in combination with the chemicals, the results can be really interesting although not recommended for outdoor use. When choosing a patina for an outdoors piece is recommended to be conscious since many patinas can be quite sensitive to excessive sun light and weather changes.
For more than a decade I have been making my own patinas and assisted artists and foundries in the patination process. Despite my experience, I still can't guarantee exact reproduction of patinas within an edition. Factors like the thickness of the bronze affecting the way heat is held by the metal, the quality of the chemical crystals and the strength of the solution amongst others make exact reproduction almost impossible..
