Patina Alchemy
Have you ever noticed the different colours and texture on metal jewellery, sculptures and objects? All these colours & textures are known as patinas. Patinas can be brown, gold, green, black, blue, white, orange & grey!
Patinas grow on the surface of metals and can take hundreds and even thousands of years to develop naturally.
You can create a patina quickly by applying a coating onto metal using non-toxic recipes.
Scientifically, a patina is type of corrosion that can develop naturally through exposure to the environment, or can be applied onto metal by artists using chemicals & special formulas to achieve interesting colours.
Materials
- Metal
Metal Washers work well and can be used as a medallion once your patina is formed.
Or any metal object will work. Different metals will achieve different results.
- Patina ingredients from your kitchen cupboard such as;
- Salt
- Vinegar
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Soy Sauce
- Paper towel
- Cat little (optional)
- Biodegradable cling wrap or wax paper. You can also reuse a plastic bag.
Tools
- Mixing bowl
- Paint brush
- Scourging pad or sand paper
Instructions
You can make patinas on metal with a few simple ingredients from your kitchen cupboard.
Give it air & time to develop. After a week or
longer, you will see some colour grow. The longer you leave it, the more it will change.
- Prepare your metal with a scourer to give it a rough surface.
- Wipe the metal with a ‘hand wipe’ to
remove the grease & help the chemicals stay on the surface.
Press your fingerprints onto the surface of the metal if you want to have it show as part of your patina. - Prepare your non toxic patina ingredients (see patina recipes below).
- Dip the ingredients into paper towel or mix with recycled paper cat litter.
- Place your metal in a bag or biodegradable
cling wrap surrounded by patina ingredients /paper
towel or with some paper cat litter. Leave some air in the bag. It will look a bit puffy when you seal it. - Leave the bag somewhere warm for at
least 1 week – you can place it in the sun to speed up
the reaction. - After 1 week, check your patina. If you
would like the colour to develop more, leave it for
longer – even for a month or a year! - When you are happy with your patina
rinse the metal in clean water. - Apply a little bit of olive oil or hand cream to your metal sample – this will help keep air out & keep the colour.
Download and print the Patina Alchemy Zine template. Fold the printed copy in quarters to create your booklet zine.
Patina Alchemy was developed with the help of Lisa Addison, a Metals Conservator who loves patinas.
Tread Lightly
Have a look around the house for metal objects you already have that you can use to create your patina on. Always ask first. Reduce, Reuse and recycle
Please share your results using #STAkids.make
Check out all the fun at the Steampunk Victoriana Fair in Goulburn March 2022.
Some patinas can protect metal from damage. These safe patinas can be a strong & stable layer that acts like paint to keep out the air, moisture and pollutants that cause damaging corrosion.
Damaging corrosion such as rust is the unsafe type of patina & can cause holes and on metal. Metal conservators can test patinas and corrosion to see if it’s harmful and take steps to slow down or even stop the damage.
Check out the Zines made by artists inspired by a recent STA zine making workshop with Creative Space Southern Highlands
Cool Zines online
Zines are a world wide movement. Watch out for zine making workshops and zine fairs to buy sell and swap zines with other Zine makers.
We’ve gathered some top picks worth visiting online to discover more about Zines.
Australian Zine Library, NGV presented by Sticky Institute
The World of Zines, National Library of Australia
flipsnack – make your ezines online
DUM DUM Zine – Digital/print
Rookie – Digital/print, well-known teen publication
We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands where we create, live & work.
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