Flame Painting Copper Colorists Skip & Racheal Mathews Video

Skip and Racheal Mathews are artists living in Mountain View AR. They flame paint copper and work at the Ozark Folk Center. Please visit their website www.coppercolorists.com for more information, to enroll for classes, purchase products, or to order their procedures manual. This video was shot and edited by Videographer Randall Thornton with Poco Productions at pocoproductions.com .

[@chauncey5962]

Super impressive

[@doriskarloff964]

Thanks for sharing - beautiful work. I wouldn't have believed you could get those colours just from a flame (albeit v. hot!) if I hadn't seen you do it.

[@rachealmathews9438]

Thank you so much...that's one reason why we made a video😊

[@bobwhelk2117]

I love the mullet. Keep it rocking bro!

[@glendasnailham8275]

Well I’m lost for words what a lovely couple you are and to share your art is great thank you both loved it sadly I live in England so won’t be visiting any time soon take care

[@sadiebagne]

LOVE YOU GLENDA

[@thegypsyphoenix1738]

Love this video! Good to see your faces!

[@jamescole1786]

2/8/24..1st time viewer, love your video, Flame Painting on Copper 2D & 3D pieces 🦋. Much enjoyed your honest-teach-centric yet artistic work, demonstrations & comments. Am78 & healthy handyman for my grown kids & grandkids...am told I am a creative type re: numerous sketches of 3D cutaway views of oilfield tools used in past ployment, large Spiral exterior plants/vine yard displays & recent 3D Christmas theme displays (empty wine bottles with flashing mini lights (+other items) inside..on & on..Recently had to 'clean up' 2 large Copper frame street lights/gas flame lights-converted to electric front porch decorative 'welcome' lights. Copper was black with green 'wet noodle' like splotches. Need some help with Copper as I used Brasso to clean 😮& now have 'Dalmation dog spots' 🐄(beautiful warm Copper splotches mixed with stubborn oxidized black) all over the units. These Copper lamps are:..Visualize 2 Pyramids, small 4sided top mated with larger 4sided bottom..x-ray this 3D solid item into just the 'wire-frame' edges/skeleton 'bones holding (removeable) glass. That is our New Orleans Copper street & house light fixtures. Mine is splotches. Can I paint on Liver-of-Sulphur & return the Copper to blackish? Help appreciated!🐄🔧🎨 Thx!🍷

[@rachealmathews9438]

Hi James...yes, I would see if the liver of Sulphur would even it all out. If not, try a second coate. But I have a feeling that you have put scratch marks in the copper with the Brasso, so that will show up as a different texture and may not give you an even look. I might then Brasso the whole thing, both pieces. But you have to then clean the chemicals in the brass off, as in time the acid in the Brasso will turn copper green. Any copper cleaner with acid in it will do that...copper oxidation cleans up nicely with an acid. You have also used an abrasive though, and that gives a rustic antique look...can be nice...you'd just have to do that on the whole piece. Decisions! If you take all the oxidation off, you also then need to spray a few layers of clear coat over the copper, as copper loves to turn itself brown over time, and green if there is acid in the rain; leaves and other organics are acidic. Hope this helps, and blessings on your endeavor.!

[@gjk540]

Beautiful!

[@judypfeiffer8850]

What is the brand of torch are you using for your work

[@Susanarylander]

Hi Skip!!! Your work is gorgeous!!! I’m using a large acetylene tank and am being told I should switch to a smaller tip and oxy? Can you advise on a torch to buy ?

[@rachealmathews9438]

Hi Susana, yes, switch to oxypropane and we use the Victor J40 series light duty brazing and cutting torch and 0 tip. You can purchase one at Cyber Weld. You can also get our Equipment, tools and materials list and you can purchase our Procedures Manual both at our web site at www.coppercolorists.com. Happy flame painting!! Racheal

[@Susanarylander]

Racheal Mathews going to try and find that torch. I did send you an email. I want to purchase your manual!

[@patrickroy414]

what size nozzle are you using in this case?

[@donnalueders6055]

Is there a finish over the flame painting to keep it that way and prevent natural oxidation?

[@rachealmathews9438]

Yes, please use an automotive clear coat like Nasan 403-00 from O'Riley's Auto or a clear coat like Everbrite's Protect-o-clear (on line only) as both bend with the copper and won't chip off. We put the Protect-o-clear on first but it is not shiny so we put the Nasan on 2nd to get a good shine as the colors look best when shiny. But if you don't take the copper to a gray-brown first, you don't keep your colors....our method of layering the colors lets us get 16 different colors....yay. I must say though that we almost never keep our red-violets...no clear coat we know of does that. They always turn a beautiful robust brown with purples and blue overtones. Go to our website to get our procedures manual and learn more about this at www.coppercolorists.com.