Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe 2024 (Arts and Culture) | Digital Sculptor | Figurative | Public Projects
The process of patination was truly one of the most remarkable processes I learned through the making of ‘Black Renaissance’. I was largely unaware of how patination worked before this project and as such spent so much time labouring over the precise nature of what colour I wanted this artwork to be. Whilst more traditional colours such as ‘Renaissance Brown’, ‘Herculaneum Black’ or ‘Pompeii Green’ are used for a variety of projects, in the case of ‘Black Renaissance’ we opted for a cooler copper tone which was then sanded to reveal the golden hues in the material laying underneath the patina. Whilst CAD designs can only ever function as an approximation of finished outcomes, finding the most appropriate ‘colour’ for your artwork isn’t as simple as a process of elimination. In the case of bronze, patination is the process by which artists oxidise the surface of bronze (the patina) to create a certain shade of bronze — often in shades of green or brown — and this can be achieved in a variety of ways using heat, chemicals or varnishes and waxes to create a thin layer of corrosion. The term ‘patina’ varies widely in its use but, in essence, a patina provides the sculpture with a protective layer and also gives you the freedom to have your bronze sculpture in your preferred colour. As such, the application of chemicals to the surface of the metal speeds up the natural ageing process which results in a colour change. The colour of the metal can be altered depending on the length of time that the chemicals are left on the surface of the metal for. This crucial stage transforms the bronze casting, enhancing and enriching the sculpture and truly bringing the sculpture to life. millimetre MTArt Agency #patination
