Patinas for Silicon bronze is the
award winning, comprehensive guide to the fascinating and secretive art
known as patination.

This book was originally written to introduce the
individual to the fascinating and secretive art of bronze coloration
known as patination or patinas, to hopefully extend the palettes of
fellow patineurs, to provide insight and appreciation for this most
versatile of all the fine art forms, and to give guidelines to the
novice art student who may be dabbling in bronze patinas.

This ancient art of metal enhancement by the use of color
is found throughout most cultures of the world. Almost infinite in
application techniques, patinas using rich deep tones have the ability
to give the look of age, or antiquity, to a bronze sculpture. They’re
also capable of making the bronze surface appear as other mediums, such
as marble, granite, wood, and leather.

Seventy-two hot application recipes and step-by-step
instructions for patinas on silicon bronze are presented, along with
corresponding color plates. Photographs of finished bronze sculpture are
also shown, to give the reader a visual idea of how some of these
patinas appear on three dimensional surfaces. A few examples of cold
patina recipes are noted in order to give the reader a well-rounded
exposure to both schools of patination. The history of patination is
discussed as well as a comparison of bronze alloys, metal surface
preparation, and tradition and contemporary application techniques.
Patinas on a monumental scale and the problems associated with bronze
exposed to the elements are also described at length.