Self-portrait of Rembrandt, 1630. An example of oil painting on copper.
Oil on copper painting is the process of creating artworks by using oil paints with copper as the substrate. This is sometimes referred to as "copper as canvas" because canvas is the most well known surface material used for oil paintings.
The old masters prepared the copper for painting first by rubbing it with fine pumiceabrasive. The copper surface was then treated with garlic juice, which was believed to improve adhesion of the paint. Finally a white or grey ground layer of oil paint was applied as a primer. After drying the copper panel was ready for the artist to begin painting. Later artists used the patina process, in which the copper is oxidized with the use of various acidic solutions, as part of the art work itself. The resulting patina or verdigris includes darkening of the metal, green and blue tones, depending on the chemical solution used. Patina is characterized by beautiful variated patterns and textures which occur on the metal's surface.[6][7][8]
↑ Historical painting techniques, materials, and studio practice: preprints of a symposium, University of Leiden, the Netherlands, 26-29 June, 1995. Wallert, Arie, 1950-, Hermens, Erma, 1958-, Peek, Marja, 1961-. [Marina Del Rey, Calif.]: Getty Conservation Institute. 1995. p.98. ISBN0892363223. OCLC32131812.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
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