Patina – Patination

Patina “Part of art decoration” bronze patination

What is patina? Metal Patina is a coating of various chemical compounds such as oxides or carbonates formed on the surface during exposure to the elements ( weathering ). Patina also refers to accumulated changes in surface texture and color that result from the normal use of an object such as a coin or a piece of furniture over time.

Artists and metalworkers often deliberately add patinas as a part of the original design and decoration of art and furniture, or to simulate antiquity in newly-made objects.

A wide range of chemicals, both household and commercial, can give a variety of patinas. They are often used by artists as surface embellishments either for color, texture, or both. Patination composition varies with the reacted elements and these will determine the color of the patina. For copper alloys, such as bronze, exposure to chlorides leads to green, while sulfur compounds (such as “liver of sulfur”) tend to brown. The basic palette for patinas on copper alloys includes chemicals like ammonium sulfide(blue-black), liver of sulfur(brown-black), cupric nitrate(blue-green), and ferric nitrate(yellow-brown).

For artworks, patination is often deliberately accelerated by applying chemicals with heat. Colors range from matte sandstone yellow to deep blues, greens, whites, reds, and various blacks. Some patina colors are achieved by the mixing of colors from the reaction with the metal surface with pigments added to the chemicals. Sometimes the surface is enhanced by waxing, oiling, or other types of lacquers or clear coats. More simply, the French sculptor Auguste Rodin used to instruct assistants at his studio to urinate over bronzes stored in the outside yard.

Patina is also found on slip rings and commutators. This type of patina is formed by corrosion, what elements the air might hold, residue from the wear of the carbon brush, and moisture; thus, the patina needs special conditions to work as intended.

Patinas can also be found in woks or other metal baking dishes, which form when properly seasoned. The patina on a wok is a dark coating of oils that have been burned onto it to prevent food from sticking and to enhance the flavor of the foods cooked in it. Steaming foods or using soap on a wok or other dishware could damage the patina and possibly allow rust.

What is Patina and the Etymology

The word “patina” comes from the Latin for “shallow dish”. Figuratively, patina can refer to any fading, darkening, or other signs of age, which are felt to be natural and/or unavoidable.

What is patina? It is the chemical process by which a patina forms is called patination and a work of art coated by a patina is said to be patinated.