This is the color that you choose for the background surface texture of your plaque or sign. The background color provides a contrast to the raised elements of your product (the inscription, border and other design features). There are basically two choices for the color of your background surface. These are a Painted Background Color or a Patinated Background Color.
Painted Background Color
This can be done in any color with enamel paint. The paint used at Phoenix Foundry is high quality baked enamel which is sprayed on the plaques and other products in a painting booth. The techniques used for this are similar to car body painting.
Customers requesting other than the Phoenix standards can choose from “Australian Standard Colors”. These can be found at https://www.duluxprotectivecoatings.com.au/colours/as2700/
Color Accuracy
Phoenix Foundry advises that there may be color variation between the colors represented on web sites or color swatches and the final color on our plaques. This is due to a number of factors such as:
- variations in computer monitors and color rendering online
- the color of the bronze
- the stipple finish
- the protective clear coat applied to our plaques
- the baking process that plaques undergo to provide a long lasting durable finish and
- different brand paints.
In addition to this, plaques that have been exposed to sunlight for extended periods may have faded so that a match to an old plaque is not always possible.
Whilst every effort is made to match the colors represented by the Australian Standards, we cannot guarantee that the match will be accurate.
If you need to specify colors for a particular project or image (such as a logo) that are not listed in the Australian Standard colors you can choose from a list of PMS (Pantone) colors. This list can be found at: www.cal-print.com/InkColorChart.htm. You need to select the appropriate code for you project. Phoenix staff will not be responsible for deciding on codes for customers.
The most commonly used background colors from our standard range are shown below.
To provide you with a bit more help, the most commonly used background colors by Phoenix customers are also shown here, as cast.
Patinated Background Color
This is when the background of your plaque or sign is treated with chemicals to achieve a patina which produces a more natural bronze appearance. Patina is defined as a film or encrustation caused by oxidization of old bronze. In nature this occurs over a long period of time and can result in a variety of interesting colors (but usually green). With the use of a variety of chemicals and processes carried out in Phoenix’s factory, the outcome can be accelerated and controlled.
The process, called patination, can produce an interesting range of patinas which give a more natural appearance to the plaque than the painted background colors. They are often selected for historical or artistic work. The most commonly used patina is Brown.
