Award Winning Bronze, Silver & Fine Art Foundry

Story of a Bronze - 9

Patinating the Bronze

The final touches involve polishing or patinating to produce a dark, lighter or green (verdigris) finish. Traditionally, there are many secret recipes involved in the chemicals and substances used to patinate the bronze. Patination, the art of the patineur, involves sensitivity to the subject and the intentions of the artist. Good patination can enhance or subdue the characteristics of the piece.

Simpler patination involves the careful application of particular chemicals for particular lengths of time. Traditional patineurs would never reveal their recipes - and much research, involving the most unlikely processes is carried out to produce the richness of variety available to the contemporary bronze artist.

• Back • 8 • Finishing the Bronze
• Back • To the start