Metal Art and Metal Patinas and Finishes


by Ivan Smith - Date: 2008-10-23 - Word Count: 501 Share This!

A work of metal art is not complete when the fabrication isdone. Finishing the art work is essential not only to complete the effect andenhance its appeal, but also to protect the metal form discoloration, rust andcorrosion. Modern technology has provided a variety of options for applyingpatinas and finishes. Many patinas and finishes are for use only with specificmetal and alloys. Among the varieties available are:

 

·        Clear acrylic finishes are transparent coatingsgiven to works of metal art to protect them from the effect of water andenvironmental pollution (such as acid rain or atmospheric chemicals). This mayeither be applied on the bare metal or as a protective coat for paintedsurfaces. Acrylic finishes may be either completely clear or may have glossy ormatte finishes, depending of the effect desired.

·        Multi hued patinas for copper art work are usedfor creating a uniform tarnish and are useful for giving copper an aged look.Since the natural color of the various pieces of copper joined together in afinal work of art may vary due to even the slightest differences in the metalcomposition or the forging process, this will provide color uniformity over theentire artwork.

·        Colored patinas may be applied to copper bronzeand brass artworks. The most common shades are green, blue and a blue and greencombination.

·        Ornamental rust finishes are used to create arusting effect and the appearance of age to ferrous metals like copper andsteel. The effect of rusting is created without actually damaging the metal.

·        Pewter patinas are applied to darken metal andgive the artwork an antique look.

·        Black finishes are applied to steel surfaces togive the aged and antique look. The patina may be either glossy or matte,depending or the artist's choice. However, if the artwork is given a glossyfinish and is placed in a brightly lit area where the affect of the light maybe to make it too shiny, the finish may be easily redone with a black mattepatina, and vice versa.

·        Blued steel is steel which has undergone specialheat treatment to give it extra strength or other functional characteristics.Blue patinas are available to give steel artwork this kind of finish and createan "industrial" look.

·        Red and reddish brown finishes are often usedfor outdoor works of metal art like sculptures to create an effect that enablethem it fit in more naturally with the natural surroundings.

·        Some artists like to give their work a scorchedor burnt look. This may be done without actually heating the metal by applyingfinishes that create  a kind of rainboweffect of scorch and burn coloration on the metal surface.

 

These are just some of the patinas and finishesavailable today. If you have bought a piece of metal art and want to change thefinish or patina, there are finishes you can apply yourself to create the lookyou want. If you come across the work of an artist that interests you for itsstructure and design but not its color, you can talk to the artist about eitherchanging the color to something more to your taste of about creating anotherpiece in the color you want.

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