Patina is a term widely used by jewelers who work with metals.
After reading the real definition, I see that I was loosely defining this word to include colors other than the natural color that comes from oxidation. 
So perhaps I need to re-title this blog as ‘The Nitty Gritty of coloring metals’
I LOVE seeing the different ways I can make the metal colors shine and ‘pop’. This design to the left is copper that I dipped in sesame oil (when it was still hot). It created this RED finish. So vibrant, don’t you agree? To the right (NOT my cleaning supplies) are the natural household products I use to create these gorgeous colors. (Vinegar, Ammonia, sesame oil and peanut oil to name a few)
Did you know that copper, when coated with vinegar and exposed to Ammonia (in a closed c
ontainer) will create a natural blue color? like this?
FYI, these earrings are on closeout right now for $30.00
My favorite though is still the heat patina. Once you heat the copper and plunge it into water, amazing things tend to happen. And the best part is that each time you get a different effect. I have experimented with this so much trying to get the same colors each time.. but the copper has a mind of its own. That is what makes designing with copper so much more fun.
I hope you enjoyed this peek at how metals can be colored.
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