FAUX PATINA ON PAPER OR METAL

In this example we applied this technique to a chipboard microscope mailer and to foil clock faces we cut with the spellbinders clocks die. You can do this with any thick cardstock or copper colored metal.

Supply List for Faux Patina on Metal

To distress copper colored metal you'll need:

• Copper colored metal
• Ranger Adirondack Dabbers in black and either juniper or willow (we used juniper on the chipboard and willow on the metal but if you have one and not the other you will have good results with either)
• Sandpaper

The metal we used was copper colored aluminum from the Spellbinders Metal Set which, when sanded shows the aluminum color underneath. If you're using actual copper you won't see this but it will also look really great.

Steps for adding Faux Patina to Metal

1. Dab black paint from the Adirondack dabber to the entire peice and allow the paint to dry. You can speed this with a heat gun if you like.
2. Sand away most of the black paint. If your metal is embossed like the clock on our piece to the right the black will remain most obvious around those embossed areas. If you're working with a flat surface take care to sand lightly in some areas so some black remains. For flat metal, you may also want to use the grunge stamps as described in the next section.
3. Use your finger or a sponge to rub either juniper or willow paint from your Adirondack Dabber into areas you want to lighten
4. If you still don't have the look you want you can reapply any steps again until the piece reveals the faux patina you want.

Supply List for Faux Patina on Cardstock or Chipboard

To distress cardstock or chipboard you'll need:

Gesso for chipboard, not needed for cardstock

Ranger Adirondack Dabbers in copper, terra cotta, black and either juniper or willow (we used juniper on the chipboard and willow on the metal but if you have one and not the other you will have good results with either)

Metallic Rubons Set 2 or 4

Perfect Pearls forever green from the Jewels Set or the green in the Patina Set (both are optional if you have Metallic Rubons Set 4)

Rubber Stamps - Grunge it Up Set (If you like the architecture series stamps we used on this mailer they are located here but are not part of the patina process.

Steps for adding Faux Patina to Cardstock or Chipboard

(for chipboard only) cover your item with gesso

Paint your item with terra cotta Adirondack Dabber paint. This is needed because the copper color is very light, almost peachy and having a dark color underneath helps make the paint look more like copper. You may also start with a terra cotta cardstock but by using the dabber you can add lots of neat texture by combining swipes and dab blobs. Allow it to dry completely.

Paint your item with copper Adriondack Dabber paint. Work on small areas at a time if you're covering a large object because you want to do the next step while the paint is still wet in areas.

Brush on green Perfect Pearls. The effect is serendipidous depending how wet your paint is. Ideally it will stick to just some selected areas. You should rinse your Perfect pearls brush after this as you'll probably get a little copper paint in the tips. Allow the paint to dry completely. If you don't have or want to use the perfect pearls you can wait for the copper paint to dry and add some of the matte green rubons with your finger from Rubons Set 4 You get a little more control this way but the effect is more subtle.

Apply black rubons with your finger to the edges of the peice and around any embossed areas if there are any. The waxy rubons will slide nicely over the surface and you'll have great control over removing excess and getting the exact right effect you want.

Apply black Adirondack Dabber paint to the distressed corner stamp from our Grunge It Up series. Stamp in one or more corners, taking care to stamp off the edge. Experiment with different angles and peices of the stamp. You don't want 4 identical looking corners.

Apply juniper or willow Adirondack Dabber paint to the patina splotch stamp from our Grunge It Up series and stamp off the first time on scrap paper so it isn't to bold tap it in different areas. If you get it too thick, dab some off your work with your finger. It comes off the surface easily before it dries.