I am trying some hammered copper backs on some of my pendants and would love to get that beautiful multi-color patina....any tips?  Thanks in advance.

 I think if you apply heat with a creme brule torch you get the colors.

Oh that's just great 'bee...a torch!!!  I am sure I would burn down the house...any other techniques that don't require...fire?

You do not apply a torch to patina ..

LOS (live of sulfer) bought at any jewelry making supply, painted on, creates the oxidization to turn the copper.  Also using eggs in a ziplock bag ..

Search patina - ton of posts on how to do it .. 

I respectfully disagree, and I do mean respectfully. I think I have ready plenty of times about people applying flame to copper to turn it colors. Maybe I have my wires crossed but I don't think so. I also think LOS does not give the colored affect on copper that is sought here. I'm not talking  about darkening it but giving it a bunch of colors. I have a huge coper wall hanging of copper with lots of color and I am 95% sure it was done with a torch.

Hey sparkle .. Cool, I've never heard of that .. learn something new every day .. humm .. how come every time I've put my torch to copper I get a black film ..LOL .. Maybe my flame is just too hot ..

For color with LOS I add baking soda to the brush .. If you don't have LOS you can also use lemon juice, table salt, ammonia, vinegar.  Apply to clean metal and let it react. The surfaces must be free of any dirt, oil or grease, which will interfere with the chemical action of the solution.  Apparently green is the hardest color to achieve on copper.

 I really do not know because I am not a metalworker, I am pretty sure we had this talk over at Etsy and we figured a cooler flame would work.

anyway, I think Kazoom is right about getting the colors with LOS, especially on a small piece like you want, Fenian. maybe people use the torch for larger sculptures.  

I have done a tiny bit of coloring of copper using heat - get a reddish color.  I found this site that tells how to get some different colored patinas on copper & other metals using chemicals.  This may help someone.

 http://www.sciencecompany.com/patinas/index.htm

 Also found this at www.artsandcraftsmetalwork.com - using heat.

There is also the very interesting method of coloring copper by heat. In this method no chemicals of any kind are used; all that is necessary is that the metal shall be perfectly clean and that it be slowly passed to and fro thru a blue gas flame, such as is obtained from a Bunsen burner or any ordinary gas stove. It is also possible to get results from other heating methods such as a clear hard coal fire, but the trouble with such methods is that the article is very liable to get smoked.
The colors obtained by the heat method come in this order if it is done slowly : First, orange red; Second, bluish purple; Third, brassy color; Forth, dark red; Fifth, deep purple; Sixth, iridescent; Seventh, chestnut color.The first two colors partially come off when the lacquer or wax is applied. All the others are permanent if they are lacquered or waxed. The lacquer is applied as soon as the article is cold, the wax while it is still warm. Care must be taken when obtaining the chestnut color not to pass it into the flame any more when the chestrlut color begins to come, because if the chestnut color is carried too far the color will flake off and the entire process of cleaning and coloring will have to be repeated.

I think this is what you are talking about.

Debbie Moyer

DeMoy Jewelry Designs

 thank you Debbie! that helps clear it all up.

Sparkle (et al) If you REALLY want to be amazed at the patina a torch can give copper, check out Skip and Racheal Matthews:  http://www.coppercolorists.com/  They used to have a clip you could watch but I don't think its worked for quite some time. His technique and precision are amazing.

 Thanks everyone...during one of my searches I found this product...anyone know anything about it?

http://www.artchemicals.com/Sculpt-Nouveau---Vista-Series-Patina-Sample-Kit---3210-P4765C123.aspx

You can get some pretty amazing patinas with heat. I used only heat to patina this fold formed copper cuff bracelet:

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/geltdesigns/362901955/

I like the result. 

 That is a really great pattern - what kind of flame do you use?

geltdesigns:

You can get some pretty amazing patinas with heat. I used only heat to patina this fold formed copper cuff bracelet:

Wow Janice great little clip.. thanks for posting - I can't believe the patterns they did with a flame!!
It almost looked like it was a completely blue flame.

Isn't that AWESOME!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  They do amazing work with the flame. :)