Learn how to flame paint copper to give an ordinary copper bracelet a beautiful and colorful patina.
Flame painting copper? I never heard of this before, but once I did, I had to try it.
Supplies
- Needle nose pliers
- Kitchen Torch and Butane
- Copper bracelet
- Fine Sandpaper
- Bowl of water
- Spray Polyurethane or other clear sealer
How to Flame Paint a Copper Bracelet
Step 1. Clean the bracelet, removing any dirt or grease. Then, using fine grit sandpaper, gently sand off any coating that may be there.
Step 2. Start the painting process by holding one end of the bracelet with long needle nose pliers while you use the torch in your other hand.
Keep a bowl of water nearby in case you need to set it down or cool it off. It will be very hot.
Step 3. Once you are happy with your piece, let it dry completely before spraying it with a polyurethane or other clear sealer.
As you practice, you will see different vibrant colors emerge. Pinks, oranges, and reds followed by blue, purple, and green.
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The beauty of this craft is that you can do it over and over again.
Tip: Try letting the bracelet cool down between flames. Patience is a virtue, and I have very little. However, if you see the copper getting lighter, that may mean it's too hot. Either cool it off in water or gently wave it in the air to cool slightly, and try again.
Where to Buy Copper Pieces
I picked up this bracelet on Etsy. More copper pieces on Etsy. You can also find pieces for earrings and bangle bracelets on Amazon.
It turns out that this process is quite the art form. You can find all kinds of cool videos on YouTube showing you professional ways and tools to create gorgeous fine art pieces.
But for now, I hope you enjoyed this little introduction from me.
Flame Painted Copper Bracelet Tutorial
Equipment
- Kitchen Torch
- Bowl of water
Materials
- Copper bracelet
- Fine Sandpaper
- Spray Polyurethane
Instructions
- Remove any grease or dirt from the copper cuff.
- Lightly sand the cuff with fine grit sandpaper going in the same direction.
- Fill the kitchen torch with butane.
- Hold one end of the cuff with the pliers and use your other hand to run the flame over the copper.
- Continue moving the torch around the entire bracelet watching as the colors change.
- If the copper gets too light that probably means it got too hot so let it cool and try again.
- You can set the cuff in the water to cool off, then dry and continue applying the torch until you get the desired effect you like.
- Once the copper cuff bracelet cools, you can spray it with polyurethane as a protective sealer to keep it from tarnishing.
Notes
Denise
This is such a cool idea. I never even heard of this.
Patti Estep
Thanks! It's fun to try and get's better with practice.