#608 In the foundry: Patina, con't . . .

Please see the previous post and for a more in-depth discussion about patina application and 

patina recipes, go to blog #391, posted Feb.13, 2013 through blog #401, posted March 3, 2013.

The color of a bronze sculpture is called a patina and the artist's color choice can

 greatly enhance the overall emotional effect and presence of the work.

Below, are two totally different patinas used on a recent head study of an owl which demonstrates the power of color:

The cool cupric nitrate blue-green used on the first image suggests the nocturnal nature of the species while 

the warm ferric nitrate chemical used on the second image implies the bird's natural color. . .

 each one delivers a different sentiment yet the sculpture is the same!

Shown below, is the owl head sculpture being heated with a propane torch in the foundry.

The patina technician then applies ferric nitrate to the hot surface.  The more heat and chemical that is applied, 

the darker and richer the color. . . from a pale yellow to a rich orange-brown to a very dark blackish-brown.
Note:  The darks in the negatives are achieved by first applying liver of sulfur, then scrubbing the surface
with a Scotch-brite pad . . . the highlighted positives are then heated and ferric is applied.

Below, is a photo taken last year at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina, and the clay study
 of a Great-horned Owl which was modeled while teaching a bird sculpture workshop in the museum's aviary.
Note:  Brookgreen Gardens boasts the largest and most important collection of American sculpture in existence.
http://www.brookgreen.org

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Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish