Dye oxides are concentrated colors, but yet.... transparent. They act rather like patinas, soaking into the other layers of your piece and transforming all the layers. You can add multiple applications to build up the tint, or let it be just a whisper. Ships Parcel Post in US. All the metal coatings, patinas and dye-oxides can be layered in any order, as many times as you want, here a dab, there a splash until you build up the look you want. Some prefer to use the dye oxides alone over metal, like our brass stampings. In that case, a good tip would be: if your metal is flat and plain and lacking texture, rough it up just a little with some steel wool. If it is plated metal, then distress the finish with steel wool, or even a coarse nail reliefing block. Then, heat the metal with an embossing gun. Careful! It will be hot! Carefully sponge the dye oxides onto the hot metal. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES WHEN USING DYE OXIDES. You may also submerge the piece, suspending it from a piece of wire through a hanging hole, if you like. Let the dye oxide 'set' a moment, and then heat the piece again. At this time you may wish to add yet another coat of dye oxide to enrich the color. If you wish, you may continue to heat set, or just let it air dry. Let all of your metal coatings, patinas and dye oxides set, or cure, for 48-72 hours before sealing. You can use the Swellegant finish, or I've also found that Krylon Matte Acrylic Spray Lacquer also works very well, misted on in two coats, letting the first one cure a bit before adding the second. Swellegant Dye Oxides come in a one-ounce bottle, and you'll be surprised at how much use you will get from a bottle before you have to replace it! As always: be SURE your raw brass is clean and degreased; if using plated brass, distress it a bit before adding a patina, metal coating or dye oxide.