ABOUT PATINA COLORS | VIEW OUR PATINA COLORS | METALS
Patinas are the finishing touch to our handcrafted lights—the decorative
colors and textures that make every piece a work of art. In their natural
state, most metals combine with chemicals in the earth or air to create
metallic compounds that change their surface color, which appear as rust or
tarnish. These thin layers of corrosion are nature's patinas. Since ancient
times, craftspeople have used the corrosive property of metal to produce
aesthetically pleasing color on it surface—sometimes resorting to burying
or exposing metal for many years to achieve the desired patina.
Today, artisans have much faster and more efficient methods for producing a
wide range of color and texture. Among the most common procedures are
immersion and spraying. During immersion, a piece is cleaned with
sandblasting or chemicals, then dipped into a prepared liquid compound,
creating an immediate change in color. Alternatively, a piece is sprayed or
brushed with a patina solution, allowed to air dry, and spritzed again. This
oxidation process creates corrosion on the metal's surface that forms a
layer of patina. Other methods include heat, dabbing and wiping, anodizing,
and random contact patina.
At Alchemy Lights, we employ several different methods to add an enticing
variety of attractive patinas to copper, brass, and tin fixtures. Since the
nature of oxidation makes patination unpredictable and every patina is hand
applied, natural variance ensures that each piece is a unique treasure. VIEW OUR PATINA COLORS
VIEW OUR PATINA COLORS:
Click here to see our selection of patina colors.
ABOUT OUR METALS:
Click here to read about our metals.
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