Mica Powder with a Patina on Bronze - your experience?

[Todd Wulf]

Looking for feedback on using Mica powder with a patina on bronze. There are many colors of Mica powder available. Ron Young gives some advice.

If you have used Mica powder, what was your outcome? Any advice on the process?

Thanks!

[fritchie]

Todd - I've never used mica in any way, and I was surprised to see the dictionary actually says it comes in various colors. Basically it is a silicate (sand-related) mineral that has great strength in two directions, but is weak in the third direction so it breaks easily into those thin pieces. If the material is natural, the color would be due to trace transition metals such as iron, cobalt, and so on.

I expect that mica can be made artificially today,, and in those cases, the color might be due to artificial dyes, which could be more brilliant. Let us know how this works for you, if you use it.

[rderr.com]

Todd,

Who is Ron Young? and where do you get the mica? I'm presently doin' a build-out for a co-op that I'm puttin' together here in Houston and have used iron oxide in the plaster to float the walls. How costly can mica be? What colors are available?

R Derr
O R Der
A R Der

[Tlouis]

Ron Young is a master at applying patinas to metal.

I believe is is located at: Sculptnouveau.

Good luck, Happy New Year

Lou

[PTsideshow]

Mica powder is used in giving paints a metalic sheen, you can find it in places that have a large selections of craft paints, or auto body supply stores that sell paint they have been using it as an additive for pinstriping for years along with the ground up pearls and shells for the glistening sheen.
As In the olden times it was called Isen glass and was and is used as an electrical insulation. Since some forms of it form large pieces called bibles and it comes apart at the fracture in planes as sheets. It is generally colorless,rarely with pale yellow,green,or brown nuances. It is vitreous to pearly luster and most times transparent.
Mica that is used of the patina and painting is Muscovite. It is a common mineral found all over the world in a number of grouping with other minerals.
It is used in the powdered form as a filler in some products such as rubber, asphalt and make up. It is still used as a high temp dielectric in the electrical industry. You probably have it in your coffee/tea pot in your kitchen. :D