Tips for Making Handcrafted Copper Jewelry with Patinas
How to Create Handcrafted Jewelry Using Patinas;
Using the Correct Patina Solutions
How to make jewelry using patinas; creating incredible layers of colors on your extraordinary copper jewelry is easily achieved by the use of the Liver of sulfur. This wondrous chemical compound oxidizes many different metals creating fantastic colors on your earrings and bracelets making your best copper jewelry. The varieties of colors that can be achieved are incredible ranging from gold to black and everything in between. No other chemical can produce such wide-ranging color patterns on the surface of a variety of metals including silver and copper jewelry.
Taking Safety Measures When Using Patinas
Working in a well-ventilated area is a definite must, outdoors is preferable. The odor of rotten eggs given off by the liver of sulfur can be overwhelming if used in a closed area. It is easy to be put off by the smell but the results that can be achieved are simply amazing.
Making the Patina Solutions
The liver of sulfur comes in two types. The liquid form can be used straight from the bottle, but the shelf life is unpredictable even when stored in a cool, dark place. Solid liver of sulfur is usually sold in small chunks, which are mixed as needed. For this reason, it is better to buy small amounts of the solid and make your solution mixing only what you need to create the most beautiful handcrafted copper jewelry.
For your solution, put a 1 cm or 1/4 inch clump of the solid liver of sulfur in a glass or plastic container with about 1 cup of water. The color of the solution should be very pale yellow. A strong solution will develop the colors too quickly to stop the process at your desired color while too weak of a solution can take too long and build a thick flaky crust. Experiment to find the best concentration for the metal you are working with to get the results you want.
Achieving Different Patina Colors
Set up your workstation so you can easily go from one step to the next. Have a heat source, the liver of sulfur solution, a cold water bath, and finally a soapy baking soda rinse. The secret is to controlling the process is the solution strength and the temperature. The hotter solution will react more quickly and the colors will move faster from one color to the next. They roughly go from gold, pink, blue, purple, gray, and finally black.
How to Apply Patina to Copper Jewelry
To create handcrafted jewelry using patinas; before you begin, your patina copper bracelet piece should be clean and free from dirt or oils from your hands. Wearing gloves throughout the process is preferable. The liver of sulfur will begin to react the instant you put handmade bracelets or handmade earrings into it. Let the color develop for a couple of seconds on the handmade jewelry piece, then put in the cold water to stop the patina from forming.
Repeat these steps until you reach the desired color. Finally, rinse the piece in soapy baking soda solution to remove any liver of sulfur residue that could continue to change the color of the patina. Do not rub the handcrafted jewelry piece with the baking soda mixture as any abrasive will damage the patina finish you have worked hard to create.
The liver of sulfur produces a patina finish on metal handmade jewelry but if not treated the effects will wear over time. Use a clear lacquer finish to protect your handmade earrings and handmade bracelets with their new patina finish. Be adventurous and watch how a little color can change your handmade jewelry into a masterpiece!
This article is an original article by Jennifer Hisir of Handmade Jewelry by Copper Reflections and may be reprinted as long as the hyperlinks are kept intact with working links.
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