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reproduction of a family heirloom

'realistic bronze finish'

In 2007, Adam Ellis brought a piece of art to Izzat for evaluation concerning the possibility of reproduction. The artwork had suffered extensive water damage, and without some major restoration, work would not be suitable for display. Adam’s grandmother had originally painted the piece to look like bronze with a natural patina so consequently; we pitched the idea of using a cold casting process to imitate the effect of actual bronze in the finished reproductions.

A silicon mould was made of the work and a specially mixed compound was prepared with brass powder and then applied in two layers, we backed this up with fibreglass cloth and aluminium bars to add rigidity and provide a supporting structure.

This method of casting allows the work to be treated as an actual bronze finish and can be polished to a shine and given a patina. If left outside the technique allows a natural verdigris (an old French word meaning green from Greece) patina to develop over time.

We successfully reproduced the artwork a number of times for various family members, who each wanted slightly different finishes. Adam has his replica on display out of doors and it is holding up well against the elements.