DanO
My son asked similiar questions to yours. He's now in his second year of grad school. Check out a process called mokome kane. Whole new worlds are out there.. billets of metal, alloys for color, patination.
Other fun things ..Your words stick to it. might lead to mechanical jioning. braid twist and forge contrasting wires copper and brass. mix some some twisted square stock into the picture..run the whole thing through a rolling mill.
You might get instant celtic design..
only the best darf

You can darken the copper using liver of sulphur or lime sulpher and polish off the high part for contrast. Silver and brass can both be silver soldered to the copper. Are you starting with wire? Are you forging it into thick and thin or are you squaring it and twisting? marilyn

Darf
Thanks for the input
I like your idea of rolling it
and I will check out the mokome process.
All the best
DanO

Mokume Gane............... might make your search more successful.
Bill

Bill
Thanks for the heads up
found it.
DanO.