#399 At the foundry: Patina, the power of color, con't . . .

Please start this series about patina with post #391, Feb. 13

When I consider the aesthetics of patina, typically I employ a single overall color for the vast majority of my work. 

I rarely use a multi-colored patina which causes a "toy soldier look", where various parts of the sculpture are
patinaed different colors . . . such as green bird, yellow beak, black legs, brown branch, and so on.   

However, on rare occasions I find the suggestion of various colors effective . . .  

such as the patina used on the early work below, entitled Windmaster.  

To achieve this patina, I polished the head, cape and tail to a high sheen to represent white.  Next, a pale application of ferric to the beak, legs, and talons created yellow.  The body and wings were patinaed a rich brown by using liver of sulfur and ferric nitrate.  Finally, additional liver of sulfur was applied to the wing tips, creating a blackish-brown color.  

My goal was to present the distinctive and dramatic color variations of the American Bald Eagle.

Remember, color is more powerful than form and the sculptor must strive to retain 
the clarity and silhouette of the figure while interrupting form with color changes.

The power of color is even more realized by using a sky blue background in the photography.

Windmaster
13"H 23"W 14"D
Copyright, Sandy Scott