Faux patina and gilded reliefs

Not too long ago I wrote about the colourful "faux patinas" you can paint onto metal components like stampings and filigree in my other blog. While I enjoyed the idea of using oil pastels like Jane Salley at the Objects and Ornaments blog, I think I especially like matte creamy whites on raw brass (see these examples). Very romantic, reminding of white-washed wood. I also have an ornate hook-and-eye, that I really like, which has a similar colour: a matte bronze or brass tone (partially) coated with a matte creme white paint.

I'm noot too pleased with my first try at this, but then again, I didn't use the ideal paint... Will be giving it another try some day.


Colouring or darkening recessed areas can be very effectful, but it can also be said about adding colour to raised areas. The acrylic cameo above was rather boring and I felt uninspired by it. So, being bored, I took out my "gold vax", orginally a product for wood and similar materials. I took some wax on a piece of cloth and rubbed it over the relief flowers, taking special care to make sure the leaves and edges got some colour too. "Gilding" the motif gave a boring cameo a new dimension -- now I actually consider using it!


As I was playing around with my paint anyway, I also gave this cat brooch a faux patina. It's a cheap plated brooch, that I got and which had now started to tarnish. A lot. Instead of trying to polish the plating -- no idea about materials used -- I gave it a black colour-wash. The black was polished off so it only remained in the recessed areas, the same areas affected by the tarnish. This also enhanced the features better than before when it was all a shiny white metal. Not my best result, but better than originally.


PS! All these methods normally need a coat of spray laquer or similar to keep the paint from coming off too easily when used. On metal, a base coat of laquer or primer may need to be used or the paint won't adhere well to the metal.