December 2024 Newsletter – Metal Patination
One of the fun things about being a custom shop is that customers will often ask for things that challenge my skill set, push me out of my comfort zone, and allow me to explore new ideas, materials, and skills.
A past entry-door project was one of those projects. A client saw a door they liked, but the patination color and patterns on the copper panel were not what they were looking for. They felt it was a little bland. They wanted more movement and color variations.
To attempt to accommodate their request, I went down a path of exploration to see what different types of patterns and colors I could create using different techniques and chemical combinations.
I tried to be as scientific as possible, recording all the data of how I created each piece, from the concentration of the chemical to the types of chemicals I used, as well as the application technique and the amount of time each panel was exposed to the chemicals.
Each panel was its own creation, with wild colors and patterns. The next step was to be sure I could recreate them, as metal patination is not an exact science and is subject to the whims of Mother Nature. I could easily recreate some patterns, but I have yet to be able to create others.
Ultimately, we used the above pattern for the front door panel.
However, not all was lost on some of the other test panels; I used them to create a series of clocks, and a few are still available on my website if you would like to purchase one.