Rating: Summary: A valuable reference Review: A useful reference for the serious metalworker, with color plates of most of the patinas, and a helpful discussion of techniques. One deficiency is the lack of any information on the relative durability of the patinas under the effect of handling or weathering.
Rating: Summary: A valuable reference Review: A useful reference for the serious metalworker, with color plates of most of the patinas, and a helpful discussion of techniques. One deficiency is the lack of any information on the relative durability of the patinas under the effect of handling or weathering.
Rating: Summary: A remarkably useful book Review: Beautifull book, irreplaceable info. I saw this years ago at a price of over $100 and balked, but I should have bought it then. If you are a commited bronze artist/ craftsperson and you want to get good patinas you will eventually buy this book, as it is the only one in print that is top notch in sophistication and comprehensiveness. Some might think this book with it's great technique descriptions, over 250 high quality patina chip photos, over 1000 distinct patina formulas and an incredible bibliography as esoteric and overly demanding in terms of chemistry and technique, but the rest will consider it priceless. Best patination book in print, possibly the best ever.
Rating: Summary: Too nice for the studio, too usefull for the library. Review: Beautifull book, irreplaceable info. I saw this years ago at a price of over $100 and balked, but I should have bought it then. If you are a commited bronze artist/ craftsperson and you want to get good patinas you will eventually buy this book, as it is the only one in print that is top notch in sophistication and comprehensiveness. Some might think this book with it's great technique descriptions, over 250 high quality patina chip photos, over 1000 distinct patina formulas and an incredible bibliography as esoteric and overly demanding in terms of chemistry and technique, but the rest will consider it priceless. Best patination book in print, possibly the best ever.
Rating: Summary: A remarkably useful book Review: Hundreds of formulae and practical advice on how to use them, and reasonably accurate descriptions of outcomes. Problems with techniques are openly discussed, not glossed over. The color photographs of patinated samples are very helpful. I wish the authors had organized the formulae for use on each type of metal by their content rather than randomly. But that is carping. This book is the most helpful one available and I have it in my shop now, experimenting with many of its recipes and techniques. An absolute "must" if you want to patinate metal.
Rating: Summary: Only for certain metals Review: I bought this book and found it to be very thorough with recipes and pictures for hundreds of types of finishes. However, I did find the title misleading. The recipes are only for copper, brass, bronze, and silver.The metalwork I do is with steel and I bought the book to color steel. This huge medium is never dealt with in the book.
Rating: Summary: Only for certain metals Review: I bought this book and found it to be very thorough with recipes and pictures for hundreds of types of finishes. However, I did find the title misleading. The recipes are only for copper, brass, bronze, and silver. The metalwork I do is with steel and I bought the book to color steel. This huge medium is never dealt with in the book.
Rating: Summary: Simply incredible Review: Patination is a way of coloring metal, using the chemistry of the metal itself to create colored oxides, chlorides, etc. It's a controlled form of corrosion, usually for decorative effect, but sometimes to put a protective layer on the metal. Outdoor copper and bronze show some of the greens and browns that are possible. This book puts that chemistry, and a much larger palette of colors, into the crafter's hands. This book is encyclopedic. Three factors affect each patination: the alloy or element being treated, the chemistry of the solutions applied to the metal, and the way the treatment is applied (time, temperature, and so on). Hughes systematically explores all three dimensions. The discussion includes reproducibility of each patina, since some have squirrely chemistry that gives variable results. It also describes the mechanical and chemical durability of each patina, factors that define the kinds of applications where it may be used. This book is not for the home hobbyist, though. It uses very harsh chemicals in most treatments. Many are highly toxic, and many present special hazards in handling and storage. The only weakness I found in this book is the range of alloys covered. A number of interesting copper/gold combinations are traditional in Japanese metalwork, valued for the unusual colors of their natural oxides. These were severely under-represented. No book can cover everything, though. Just thumbing through this book is wonderful, seeing the range of colors and textures that can be coaxed from the metal's surface. It's also helpful to anyone who loves metal artwork, as explanation of effects that you mught see displayed.
Rating: Summary: A fantastic resource Review: This fabulous book boasts simple, explicit recipes for creating virtually any color with any metal. It is a tremendous resource for any artist or craftsman interested in adding metalwork to their pieces, or for anyone who has simply wondered, "How did they DO that? "
Rating: Summary: A Recipe for Creativity Review: This fabulous book boasts simple, explicit recipes for creating virtually any color with any metal. It is a tremendous resource for any artist or craftsman interested in adding metalwork to their pieces, or for anyone who has simply wondered, "How did they DO that? "
|