I have been using a solid copper bar that my husband found on Amazon and have gotten steady, good results by using this rather than copper sheeting or thick wire for anodes. Not only do I use the Rio brightener, I also refresh by adding distilled water. Also, make sure you are completing the connection on your piece with the paint and where you place the pure copper wire you hang with. This is why you got the putting coating that chipped off - you really didn't electroform at all. Another thing I do is I allow the paint to dry a full 24 hours. I have painted and thought it was dry to only have it wash off in the solution. When a piece is done, I rinse it off in distilled water because I don't know what might be in my water that could change my copper finish. Do you polish your pieces with a brass brush? I've had pieces come out that look a little salmony pink only to be bright as a penny after polished. I got tired of using a manual brush so I got a brass wire wheel for my dremel. Hope some of this helps.
