Creating a Patina on Copper

I used Vinegar, Ammonia and salt to produce interesting blue patinas on sheet copper

[shinobidef]

Very nice blue! I've been playing with patinas these days but haven't tried vinegar yet with salt and ammonia fumes. Perhaps if after you rub off some, then repeat the process, you can build up layers? I like how the metal underneath shows through the patina.

I've managed to get a nice pale teal green with copper sulphate and ammonia chrloride (but strangely also appears a more yellow green on some pieces which I've not been able to figure out - seems more of an art than an exact science?) Copper nitrate is also giving me a green - either using it with salt and distilled water as a spray-on, or copper nitrate and distilled water sprayed and very lightly heated with a torch. I got a strange ochre yellow recently after I got carried away respraying and mixing up a bunch of solutions - don't think I could repeat it though!

[huckaday]

Thanks for the video. Im just starting this venture, experimenting with copper patinas myself... I got a nice turquoise using a vinegar, salt, and miracle grow fertilizer mix. (I didn't measure...just throw it all together...lots of salt and fertilizer.) I soaked it for about and hour then laid it out, open, on a piece of paper towel over night, & got a really nice green/turquoise colour. . Now I need to figure out how to preserve it so it doesn't rub off! :)

[fh]

I went to a beginners class to metalsmithing today and we made copper pendants that are textured and shiny but I actually liked mine dull and have been wondering if I could color it . I like the blue, and your artwork is beautiful!

[Abyssaeon]

"Whatcha doin', Stu?" "Oh, you know... JUST MAKIN' A GAUNTLET." *turns 45 degrees toward camera with deadpan stare

[foxymineralmakep]

you can put a protective coating on it to keep the blue

[charley]

Did you sand the copper first? I'm going to try this, but I will sand it, and sand it more in some areas. Idk about the vinegar tho because you get the blue with.out it. Just ammonia and salt.

[victorthorpe]

I find boiling the copper, then polishing with fine steel wool to get the oils off makes a more even patina

[OlliesTreasures]

Why are the two blues different ? Like the face blue and keen to try it on a round beaten hanging we have.

[donna]

You can use krylon plastic coat to seal. Great info

[christinecervero]

Good Morning Stuart :)! I just watched your video! " Incredibly Gorgeous! Visually Cool! Mix of Blue Colors :)! Great Work ! Awesome Art :)! Keep Your Light Shining Bright! ..Thank you!.. Rob

[siberiankittens]

girl I saw before you got green by using ammonia and salt, no vinegar

[vonbalurn]

What kind of copper do you buy? I'm looking for copper sheets that I want to patina to use in art pieces but I don't know if it has to be a particular weight or copper foil or what. TIA.

[tangoseal]

I notice you buy everything online. Is there no stores near you that you can buy this from?

[TenkiRyu]

Patina can rub off, I suggest using some kind of clear varnish to make it more permanent.

[behrouz]

Hello, Mr Stuart, I have a brass clock with spots of blue patina on from Ammonia, could you please let me know how to clean the patina off the clock . Thank you .

[elainelily]

Ancient Romans used horse urine for green patina

[ykmjc]

would have been nice to see the process rather than telling us what you did.

[sjog]

dry wet patina in sun then rinse off excess, wax

[DianaMoon]

Marvelous color but you scared the sh*zz out of me when you raised the plastic cover and kept it up. Ammonia is dangerous!!

[tanrdaglar]

0.56 satanist, sadist, mason. Engilish.